‘Nightly’ Topped ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’ Multiple Times During Month, Including Winning Week of 1/5
Deliver Largest Viewership in Nearly a Year Across the Board
Narrows Gaps vs. ABC in Year-Over-Year Measurements, Including by 83% in A25-54
JANUARY 2026 Ratings Highlights
- Nightly News marks its closest A25-54 gap vs. ABC in 7 years for the month of January
- Nightly News topped ABC multiple times throughout the month, including winning the week of January 5
- Nightly News delivers its largest viewership in nearly a year across the board
- Nightly News narrows demos gaps vs. ABC compared to last year, including by 83% in A25-54
- Nightly News marks its most narrow A25-54 gap vs. ABC in 17 months
- Nightly News is the #2 most-watched show of the month with 6.743 million total viewers (LS, excluding specials, sports & syndication)
JANUARY 2026 Ratings Stats
- Averages 6.743 million total viewers, topping CBS by + 2.396 million (+55%)
- Nightly News hits a 11-month high in total viewers
- Nightly News grows +235,000 total viewers vs. last month
- Averages 984,000 A25-54 viewers, topping CBS by +405,000 (+70%)
- Nightly News hits a 11-month high in A25-54 viewers
- Nightly News grows +112,000 vs. last month, the most growth compared to ABC & CBS
- Nightly News narrows the gap by 76% in month-over-month and by 83% in year-over-year
- Averages 682,000 A18-49 viewers, beating CBS by +228,000 (+50%)
- Nightly News hits a 12-month high in A18-49
- Nightly News grows A18-49 viewership vs. last month by +68,000, the most growth compared to ABC & CBS
- Nightly News narrows the A18-49 gap vs. ABC by 56% in month-over-month and by 68% in year-over-year measurements
JANUARY 2026
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 984 | 682 | 6,743 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 578 | 454 | 4,344 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 1,020 | 738 | 8,329 |
Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, 12/29/2025-1/25/2026. Average audience based on regularly-titled telecasts only.
