"World News" #1 Newscast Among Both Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 on Thursday Outperforming "NBC Nightly News"

Season-to-Date, "World News" Posting Smallest Gaps with "Nightly News" in 5 Years

For the week of August 19, 2013 "ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" averaged 6.99 million Total Viewers and a 1.5 rating/6 share/1.74 million in Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research. "World News" was up in Total Viewers from the previous week (6.90 million on w/o 8/12/13). "NBC Nightly News" was down week-to-week in both Total Viewers (7.163 million vs. 7.195 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.802 million vs. 1.865 million) . In fact, the NBC evening newscast delivered its smallest Adults 25-54 performance in more than 21 years - since before the 1991-92 season; Nielsen's electronic database started on September of 1991.

On Thursday, "World News" ranked as the No. 1 evening newscast, outdrawing "NBC Nightly News" in both Total Viewers (+159,000 - 7.144 million vs. 6.985 million) and Adults 25-54 (+140,000 - 1.879 million vs. 1.739 million).

In Total Viewers, "World News" delivered its closest performance with the "NBC Nightly News" in 47 weeks - behind only premiere week on w/o 9/24/12. "World News" narrowed its gaps versus the prior week with "NBC Nightly News" by double-digits in both Total Viewers (-42%, 174,000 vs. 299,000) and Adults 25-54 (-33%, 61,000 vs. 91,000). In Adults 25-54, "World News" has trailed "Nightly News" by less than 100,000 demo viewers in 3 of the last 4 weeks .

"World News" slashed its year-to-year margins with "Nightly News" by more than three-quarters in both Total Viewers (-77%, 174,000 vs. 757,000) and in Adults 25-54 (-80%, 61,000 vs. 307,000).

Season-to-date, "World News" has increased its Total Viewing audience (+2%) compared to the same point last season, drawing its most-watched season in 2 years - since the 2010-11 season. "World News" narrowed its margins by double-digits with "NBC Nightly News" in both Total Viewers (-32%) and Adults 25-54 (-28%) to post its smallest margins (737,000 and 284,000, respectively) with the NBC program in 5 years - since the 2007-08 season.

For the week, "World News" defeated "CBS Evening News" by 1.15 million Total Viewers and by 265,000 Adults 25-54.

Note : With lower coverage (90%) due to preseason NFL, "CBS Evening News" was retitled on Friday (8/23/13) was excluded from the program averages. CBS' weekly averages are based on four days (Mon-Thurs).

"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 August 19, 2013)

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 8/19/13, 8/12/13 & 8/20/12. Most Current - 2012-2013 Season (9/24/12 -8/25/13) and 2011-2012 Season (9/19/11 - 8/19/12). All averages based on regular telecasts. (*Note: Due to coverage of Hurricane Sandy, w/o 10/29/12 was coded as a breakout and is excluded from the season count) .