#1 in Key Demo 14 of the Last 15 Weeks
Doubles Key Demo Lead Over ABC Vs. Last Year
#1 Most Watched Season to Date in Key Demo
OCTOBER 16, 2018 – NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt is the #1 most-watched evening broadcast in the key news demo for the week of October 8, 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 five seasons.
The broadcast continues its strong performance in the key demo averaging 1.8 million A25-54 viewers, besting ABC World News Tonight by +59,000 viewers (+3%) and more than doubling its year-over-year lead. The broadcast topped CBS Evening News by +529,000 viewers (+41%). Nightly News has won the key demo 14 of the last 15 weeks.
This past week, Holt embarked on his third “Across America” tour, which started in Houston, Texas and included stops in Montgomery, Ala.; Kansas City, Mo. and San Diego, Calif. Holt also anchored from the ground in Panama City Beach, Fla. on Wednesday as Hurricane Michael made landfall. While reporting on the storm, Holt’s team had to barricade themselves in a hotel room, pushing a mattress up against the glass doors for protection against the storm’s powerful winds.
For the week of October 8, Nightly News is the most-watched broadcast among A18-49 viewers, averaging 1.3 million. The broadcast topped ABC by +54,000 viewers (+5%) and CBS by +382,000 viewers (+44%).
8.1 million total viewers tuned in to Nightly News for the week of October 8 leading CBS Evening News by 1.9 million total viewers (+30%).
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Weekly Highlights:
- Nightly News averaged 1.8 million A25-54 viewers, outperforming ABC by +59,000 viewers (+3%) and CBS by +529,000 (+41%).
- Nightly News more than doubled its year-over-year lead over ABC.
- Nightly News has won the key demo 14 of the last 15 weeks.
- Nightly News averaged 1.3 million A18-49 viewers, topping ABC by +54,000 (+5%) and CBS by +382,000 (+44%).
- Nightly News averaged 8.1 million total viewers, beating CBS by +1.9 million (+30%).
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 five seasons.
Week of October 8 – October 12, 2018:
| Total Viewers | A25-54 Rating | A25-54 Viewers | A18-49 Rating | A18-49 Viewers | |
| NBC | 8.051 | 1.50 | 1.807 | 0.97 | 1.255 |
| CBS | 6.174 | 1.06 | 1.278 | 0.68 | 0.873 |
| ABC | 8.613 | 1.45 | 1.748 | 0.93 | 1.201 |
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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
