"World News" Cuts its Demo Margin with "NBC Nightly News" from the Year-Ago Week by 75%

"World News" is Top Telecast in Demo Wednesday and Friday; Third Friday in a Row

"World News" is Up the Most in Total Viewers and the Demo Compared to Last Year

For the week of January 20, 2014, "ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" averaged 9.1 7 4 million Total Viewers and a 2.1 rating/7 share/2.479 million in Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research. "World News" improved over the previous week (8.468 million and 2.175 million, respectively, on w/o 1/13/14) in both Total Viewers (+8%) and Adults 25-54 (+14%). In fact, "World News" hit a new season high in Adults 25-54 to turn in its best news demo performance in nearly 3 years - since w/o 1/31/11.

For the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks, "World News" built on the year-ago week in both Total Viewers (+11%) and Adults 25-54 (+17%) - 8.258 million and 2.118 million, respectively, on w/o 1/21/13. In fact, growing the most year to year in Adult 25-54 viewers, "World News" (+361,000) nearly tripled the combined increase (+191%; +124,000) of both "CBS Evening News" (+84,000) and "NBC Nightly News" (+40,000).

"World News" ranked No. 1 twice during the course of the week in Adults 25-54, leading "NBC Nightly News" on Wednesday by +6,000 demo viewers (2.449 million vs. 2.443 million on 1/22/14) and on Friday by +262,000 demo viewers (2.523 million vs. 2.261 million on 1/24/14). In fact, leading the evening for the 3rd week in a row, "World News'" head-to-head victory on Friday produced its largest single-day advantage over a "Nightly News" telecast in more than 5 years - since 11/18/08, based on regular telecasts.

"World News" cut its Adults 25-54 gap with "NBC Nightly News" week to week (-31% - 106,000 vs. 154,000), to score its closest news demo performance with the NBC program since season premiere week 4 months ago - since w/o 9/23/13.

"World News" slashed its Adults 25-54 margin with "NBC Nightly News" from the year-ago week by three-quarters (-75% - 106,000 vs. 427,000). In fact, "World News" has narrowed its year-to-year news demo margin with "NBC Nightly News" by double-digits for the last 5 weeks.

Season to date, "World News" is up versus the same point last season in both Total Viewers (+2%) and Adults 25-54 (+1%), delivering its most-watched season in 4 years - since the 2009-10 season. "World News" also stands as the only evening newscast to improve its demo performance from the previous season compared to "CBS Evening News" (-8%) and "NBC Nightly News" (-3%).

In addition, "World News" is narrowing its season margin with "NBC Nightly News" in Adults 25-54 by double digits (-26% - 264,000 vs. 359,000) compared to its season margin from the same point last year. In fact, "World News" is posting its smallest news demo margin with the NBC program in 5 years - since the 2008-09 season.

"World News" has nearly doubled its Adults 25-54 lead over "CBS Evening News" versus its year-ago season lead (+96% - 335,000 vs. 171,000).

For the week, "ABC World News" beat the "CBS Evening News" by 1.319 million Total Viewers and by 362,000 Adults 25-54.

"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 January 20, 2014)

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 1/20/14, 1/13/14 and 1/21/13. Most Current: 2013-2014 Season (9/23/13 - 1/26/14) and 2012-2013 Season (9/24/12 - 1/27/13).

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