"World News Tonight with David Muir" Finishes #1 in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54

ABC News’ “World News Tonight with David Muir” finished as the top-ranked evening newscast in Total Viewers (7.757 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.819 million) for the week of May 11, 2015, based on Live +Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.  “World News Tonight” beat “NBC Nightly News” (7.669 million and 1.814 million, respectively) by 88,000 Total Viewers and 5,000 Adults 25-54.

“World News Tonight” has ranked No. 1 in Adults 25-54 for the 4th week in a row and in 9 of the last 10 weeks.  In Total Viewers, the ABC evening newscast has taken the top spot in 5 of the last 7 weeks.   

“World News Tonight” improved week to week (7.468 million, 1.773 million and 1.203 million, respectively, for w/o 5/4/15) in all key target demos: Total Viewers (+4%), Adults 25-54 (+3%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).   World News Tonight” was up the most from previous week in Total Viewers versus “CBS Evening News” (+2%) and “NBC Nightly News” (+1%).

For the 2nd week in a row, “World News Tonight” was up in Total Viewers from the year-ago week (+4% - 7.757 million vs. 7.462 million on w/o 5/12/14).  In fact, “World News Tonight” has turned in year-to-year Total Viewer increases in 7 of the last 8 weeks. World News Tonight” also saw the most Total Viewer growth year to year compared to “CBS Evening News” (+2%) and “NBC Nightly News” (-9%).

“World News Tonight” is averaging 480,000 more viewers, season to date, compared to the same time frame last season (8.610 million vs. 8.130 million), while “NBC Nightly News” is posting a 304,000 average loss (9.006 million vs. 9.310 million).  For the 2nd year in a row, “World News Tonight” is improving versus the same point last season in both Total Viewers (+6%) and Adults 25-54 (+1%).  “World News Tonight” is averaging its largest overall viewer audience in 7 years and strongest in the key adult news demo in 4 years – since the 2007-08 and the 2010-11 seasons, respectively.  In addition, “World News Tonight” is improving the most in Total Viewers and standing as the only evening newscast to grow in Adults 25-54 compared to “CBS Evening News” (+2%/-3%) and “NBC Nightly News” (-3%/-8%).

Season to date, “World News Tonight” is running neck and neck with “NBC Nightly News” in Adults 25-54, slashing nearly all of its season margin (-98% - 4,000 vs. 217,000) to deliver its closest news demo performance with the NBC program in 7 years – since the 2007-08 season.   In addition, “World News Tonight” cut its season gaps with “NBC Nightly News” by more than half in Total Viewers (-66% - 396,000 vs. 1.180 million) and Adults 18-49 (-65% - 93,000 vs. 269,000) to its closest performances in 7 years in both measures  – since the 2007-08 season.

For the week, “World News Tonight” led the “CBS Evening News” by 1.097 million Total Viewers, by 328,000 Adults 25-54 and by 250,000 Adults 18-49.

ABC “World News Tonight with David Muir” airs at 6:30 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network.  Almin Karamehmedovic is the executive producer of the broadcast. Follow David Muir and the “World News Tonight” team online: @DavidMuir; @WNTonight; facebook.com/DavidMuirABC; facebook.com/WorldNewsTonight.

EVENING NEWS (Week of May 11, 2015)

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 Live + SD weeks of 5/11/15, 5/4/15 and 5/12/14.  Most Current: 2014-2015 Season (9/22/14 – 5/17/15) and 2013-2014 Season (9/23/13 – 5/18/14).  Averages based on regular telecasts.