#1 Most Watched Season-to-Date in Key Demo
Wins Key Demo 9 of the Last 10 Weeks
Largest A18-49 Advantage Over ABC Since March
SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 – NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt is the #1 most-watched evening broadcast in the key news demo for the week of September 3, according to Nielsen Media Research data. Nightly News continues as the #1 most-watched evening newscast season-to-date in the key demo, delivering its largest demo lead over CBS in six seasons.
The broadcast continues its strong performance in the key demo averaging 1.7 million A25-54 viewers and besting ABC World News Tonight by +98,000 viewers (+6%) and CBS Evening News by +590,000 viewers (+53%). Nightly News has won the key demo 9 of the last 10 weeks.
Last week, NBC News kicked off The Vote: America’s Future – the network’s 2018 midterm election coverage that combines the reporting power of NBC News, MSNBC, and NBC News digital properties. To mark the start of the two-month coverage blitz, Nightly News featured exclusive reporting from NBC News senior legal and investigative reporter Cynthia McFadden on election security in several key battleground states.
For the week of September 3, Nightly News is the most-watched broadcast among A18-49 viewers, averaging 1.1 million and topping ABC by +69,000 viewers (+6%) – it’s largest advantage over ABC since the week of March 26, 2018 – and CBS by +377,000 viewers (+49%).
7.7 million total viewers tuned in to Nightly News for the week of September 3 leading CBS Evening News by 2.1 million total viewers (+38%).
For the week of September 3, “Nightly News” rated for three nights (Sept. 4, Sept. 5, and Sept. 7) due to Thursday Night Football and the Labor Day holiday.
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Weekly Highlights:
- Nightly News averaged 1.7 million A25-54 viewers, outperforming ABC by +98,000 viewers (+6%) and CBS by +590,000 (+53%).
- Nightly News has won the key demo 9 of the last 10 weeks.
- Nightly News averaged 1.1 million A18-49 viewers, topping ABC by +69,000 (+6%) – it’s largest advantage over ABC since the week of March 26, 2018 – and CBS by +377,000 (+49%).
- Nightly News averaged 7.7 million total viewers, beating CBS by +2.1 million (+38%).
Season Highlights:
- Nightly News is the #1 evening newscast this season in A25-54 and A18-49.
- Nightly News holds its largest A25-54 demo advantage over CBS in six seasons.
Week of September 3 – September 7, 2018:
| Total Viewers | A25-54 Rating | A25-54 Viewers | A18-49 Rating | A18-49 Viewers | |
| NBC | 7.702 | 1.42 | 1.710 | 0.89 | 1.144 |
| CBS | 5.581 | 0.93 | 1.120 | 0.60 | 0.767 |
| ABC | 8.333 | 1.34 | 1.612 | 0.83 | 1.075 |
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ABOUT NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt is the most-watched evening newscast in America among the key news demo for the past 21 seasons. The broadcast provides the very latest on the day’s top stories, going beyond the headlines to add context and analysis to the most pressing issues of our time. NBC Nightly News reaches more than 24 million people every week through its broadcast and millions more through NBCNews.com, the Nightly News app, and social media platforms. Lester Holt is the anchor, and Jenn Suozzo is the executive producer.
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For more information contact:
TJ Ducklo
NBC News
212-664-1913
Rachel Zuckerman
NBC News
212-664-3996
