"World News" Cuts Overall Viewing Gap with "NBC Nightly News" by 19% Season-to-Date

For the week of December 17, 2012, "ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" averaged 7.94 million Total Viewers and a 1.8 rating/7 share/2.08 million in Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research. "World News" slashed its week-to-week demo margin with "NBC Nightly News" by 40% (315,000 vs. 524,000) .

Season-to-date, "World News" has increased its Total Viewing audience (+1%, 7.85 million vs. 7.75 million) compared to the same point last season, drawing its most-watched season in 3 years - since the 2009-10 season. In addition, "World News" has narrowed its Total Viewer gap (-19%) with "NBC Nightly News" by double-digits for the second year in a row to post its smallest gap (789,000) with the NBC program in 4 years- since the 2008-09 season.

For the week, "World News" outperformed "CBS Evening News" by nearly a million Total Viewers and 227,000 Adults 25-54.

Note : Cynthia McFadden anchored the broadcast on Friday.

"ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" airs at 6:30 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network. Michael Corn is the executive producer of the broadcast. Follow Diane Sawyer and the "World News" team online: @DianeSawyer; @ABCWorldNews; facebook.com/DianeSawyer; facebook.com/WorldNews.

EVENING NEWS (Week of December 17, 2012)

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 12/17/12, 12/10/12 & 12/19/11. Most Current - 2012-2013 Season (9/24 - 12/23/12) and 2011-2012 Season (9/19 - 12/18/11). All averages based on regular telecasts.