Leads Competition with Across-the-Board Viewership Growth vs. Last Season
Delivers Closest Demo Gap vs. ABC in 6 Years for Current Season
Week of March 2 Highlights
- Nightly News is the only evening newscast to post year-over-year growth in the key A25-54 demo for five consecutive weeks
- Nightly News scores key demo wins vs. ABC for five consecutive weeks, most recently ranking #1 in the key A25-54 demo on Wednesday
- Nightly News leads competition in growth across the board vs. last season
- Nightly News closes the year-over-year demo gap vs ABC by 40%, fifth consecutive week of narrowing gap
- Nightly News continues to deliver its closest demo gaps vs. ABC in six years for the current season
Week of March 2 Stats
- Averages 6.9 million total viewers, topping CBS by +2.781 million (+68%)
- Increases total viewership vs. last year by +285,000, last week by +110,000
- Grows total audience season to date by +41,000
- Averages 1.054 million A25-54 viewers, beating CBS by +547,000 (+108%)
- #1 evening newscast on Wednesday, topping ABC by +11,000
- Increases A25-54 viewers vs. last year by +89,000, and last week by +64,000
- Narrows the A25-54 gap vs. ABC by 40% vs. last year
- Nightly News’ A25-54 gap vs. ABC is 48% better vs. prior year at this point in the season, marking its closest demo gap vs. the network in 6 years
- Nightly News is the only evening newscast to grow vs. last season, +20,000
- Averages 741,000 A18-49 viewers, beating CBS by +331,000 (+81%)
- Increases A18-49 viewers vs. last year by +94,000 and last week by +53,000
- Narrows the A18-49 gap vs. ABC by 40% vs. last year
- Nightly News’ A18-49 gap vs. ABC is 34% better vs. prior year at this point in the season
- Nightly News is the only evening newscast to grow in A18-49 viewers vs. last season, +31,000
WEEK OF 3/2/2026
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 1,054 | 741 | 6,898 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 507 | 410 | 4,117 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 1,104 | 818 | 8,901 |
Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, 3/2/2026-3/8/2026. Average audience based on regularly-titled telecasts only.
