"Nightline" Takes Top Spot in Late Night All 4 Weeks of Season in Total Viewers and Key Adult News Demo

"Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Late Night Among

Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 Season to Date

For the week of October 15, 2012, ABC's "Nightline" finished as the No. 1 program in late night across all key target demos: Total Viewers (4.037 million) , Adults 25-54 (1.475 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.115 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. "Nightline" has taken the top spot in late night in all 4 weeks of the season in overall viewers and in the key adult news demo.

"Nightline" grew week to week by double-digits to hit season highs in Total Viewers (+12%), Adults 25-54 (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+19%), posting its strongest performance since June - since w/o 6/11/12, w/o 6/18/12 and w/o 6/18/12, respectively.

"Nightline" turned in its most-watched telecast (4.487 million) on Monday (10/15/12) and strongest performances in Adults 25-54 (1.624 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.357 million) on Tuesday (10/16/12) in 3 months - since 7/20/12. Further, on Friday (10/19/12), the second night of a special series, "Hidden America: Don't Shoot, I Want to Grow Up," "Nightline" drew its 2nd-largest Adults 25-54 telecast (1.523 million) since July - since 7/20/12.

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in late-night among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, ahead of both NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." This marks the 3rd straight year that the ABC program is taking the top spot in all 3 measures.

Last week "Nightline" featured stories on the war on salt in children's diets, extensive coverage of the second presidential debate and an exclusive report on U.S. defense contractors apparently intoxicated on the job in Afghanistan. On Thursday and Friday "Nightline" aired an unprecedented series of special reports, "Hidden America: Don't Shoot, I Want to Grow Up," a closer look at the violence plaguing Chicago. Diane Sawyer and Alex Perez hosted a summit to address the violence in Chicago's streets with members of several rival gangs.

ABC News' "Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Bill Weir. Juju Chang is a correspondent. Jeanmarie Condon is the Executive Producer. The program airs weeknights from 11:35 p.m., ET to 12:00 a.m. on the ABC Television Network. Together with "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Nightline" is part of ABC's winning late night strategy of airing news and entertainment programming.

See Also:

Diane Sawyer Reports: "Hidden America: Don't Shoot, I Want to Grow Up"

"GMA" Turns In Longest Stretch at the Top in Total Viewers in 19 Years

"World News" Cuts Total Viewer Gap with NBC in 8 of Last 9 Weeks, Year to Year

Week of October 15, 2012

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 10/15/12, 10/8/12 & 10/17/11, or as dated. Most Current - 2012-2013 Season (9/24 - 10/21/12) and 2011-2012 Season (9/19 - 10/16/11).

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