“WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR” IS THE MOST-WATCHED EVENING NEWS PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2009

— -- ABC News’ “World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 evening newscast in all key target demos: Total Viewers (7.997 million), Adults 25-54 (1.952 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.286 million) for the week of March 30, 2015, based on Live +Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. This marked the first time in more than 7 years that “World News Tonight” won the week in all three key demos – since w/o 2/11/08.

Additionally, “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (7.913 million) by 84,000 Total Viewers to snap the NBC program’s 288-week Total Viewer winning streak (w/o 9/14/09 thru w/o 3/23/15*) and win the week for the first time in more than 5 1/2 years – since w/o 9/7/09.

In Adults 25-54, “World News Tonight” led “NBC Nightly News” (1.791 million) by 161,000 news demo viewers to win for the 4th straight week in a row. In fact, “World News” scored its largest news demo lead in 4 months (since w/o 11/24/14) and its 2nd-largest overall this season. Further, “World News Tonight” won its 14th week of the season, its most number of wins at this point of a season in 19 years – since the 1995-96 season.

Further, “World News Tonight” dominated “NBC Nightly News” for the week in Adults 25-54 leading in all 5 head-to-head airings: Monday (+352,000 – 2.216 million vs. 1.864 million), Tuesday (+57,000 – 1.914 million vs. 1.857 million), Wednesday (+157,000 – 1.923 million vs. 1.766 million), Thursday (+26,000 – 1.841 million vs. 1.815 million) and Friday (+214,000 – 1.865 million vs. 1.651 million), marking the first time in more than 7 1/2 years to win each night – since w/o 11/26/07, based on regular telecasts.

“World News Tonight” improved on the year-ago week (7.536 million and 1.925 million, respectively, for w/o 3/31/14) in both Total Viewers (+6%) and Adults 25-54 (+1%). In fact, “World News Tonight” was the only evening newscast to grow year to year in either measure as both “CBS Evening News” (-5%/-9%, respectively) and “NBC Nightly News” (-9%/-17%, respectively) turned in losses.

“World News Tonight” is averaging 502,000 more viewers, season to date, compared to the same time frame last season (8.775 million vs. 8.273 million), while “NBC Nightly News” is posting a 219,000 average loss (9.273 million vs. 9.492 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 (+2%). “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” (+1%/-3%) and “NBC Nightly News” (-2%/-8%).

Season to date, “World News Tonight” has slashed nearly all of its season margin with “NBC Nightly News” in Adults 25-54 (-91% - 23,000 vs. 258,000), delivering 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 (-59% - 498,000 vs. 1.219 million) and Adults 18-49 (-58% - 123,000 vs. 294,000) to its closest performances in 7 years in both measures – since the 2007-08 season.

For the week, “World News Tonight” beat the “CBS Evening News” by 1.422 million Total Viewers, by 494,000 Adults 25-54 and by 305,000 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.

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 Live + SD weeks of 3/30/15, 3/23/15 and 3/31/14. Most Current: 2014-2015 Season (9/22/14 – 4/5/15) and 2013-2014 Season (9/23/13 – 4/6/14). Averages based on regular telecasts. * Due to coverage of Hurricane Sandy, w/o 10/29/12 was coded as a breakout and is excluded from the season count.

ABC News Media Relations:Van Scott / van.scott@abc.com / (212) 456-7243

Disney-ABC Media Relations: Pons Rongavilla / ponciano.rongavilla@disney.com / (818) 460-5615