‘Nightly News’ Remains Only Evening Newscast Marking Across-the-Board Viewership Growth vs. Last Season
Marks Closest Viewer Gap vs. ABC in Six Weeks
Week of May 25 Highlights
Tom anchored Tuesday-Friday.
- Nightly News delivers its best streak of year-over-year growth in the demo since November 2008
- Nightly News is the #2 most-watched TV program of the week (LS, excluding specials, sports, and syndication) with 6 million viewers
- Nightly News marks 17 weeks of across-the-board growth vs. last year
- Nightly News delivers its best streak of year-over-year growth for total viewers since August 2020
- Nightly News marks its closest total viewer gap vs. ABC in six weeks
- Nightly News continues to deliver its closest key demo gap vs. ABC in six years for the current season
- Nightly News is the only network evening newscast to grow its viewership across the board vs. last season
Week of May 25 Stats
- Averages 6 million total viewers, topping CBS by +2.168 million (+57%)
- Increases total viewership vs. last year by +45,000
- Grows total audience season to date by +130,000
- Narrows total viewership gap vs. ABC by 11% compared to last week
- Averages 800,000 A25-54 viewers, beating CBS by +307,000 (+62%)
- Increases A25-54 viewers vs. last year by +32,000
- Nightly News’ A25-54 gap vs. ABC is 42% 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, +61,000
- Averages 603,000 A18-49 viewers, beating CBS by +300,000 (+99%)
- Increases A18-49 viewers vs. last year by +107,000
- Nightly News’ A18-49 gap vs. ABC is 29% 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, +58,000
WEEK OF 5/25/2026
Note: Nightly News was based on a 2-day average, retitling Monday due to Memorial Day and Tuesday & Thursday due to NBA playoff coverage. ABC WNT and CBS Evening News were based on 3-day averages, retitling Monday (Memorial Day) and Friday.
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 800 | 603 | 5,955 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 493 | 303 | 3,787 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 961 | 722 | 7,824 |
Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, Week of 5/25/2026. Average audience based on regularly-titled telecasts only.
###
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH TOM LLAMAS OUTPACES ABC & CBS COMBINED IN DEMO GROWTH VS. LAST YEAR, SCORES MOST-WATCHED MAY IN FOUR YEARS
Delivers Closest May Demo Gaps vs. ABC in 7 Years
Marks Four Consecutive Months of Year-Over-Year Growth Across the Board
May 2026: Ratings Highlights
- Nightly News outpaces ABC & CBS combined in demo growth vs. last year, +111,000 in A25-54 and +115,000 in A18-49
- Nightly News delivers its largest May audiences across the board in four years
- Nightly News marks its closest May demo gaps vs. ABC in 7 years
May 2026: Nightly Stats
- Averages 6.1 million total viewers, topping CBS by + 2.244 million (+58%)
- Nightly News increases total viewers by +246,000 vs. last year
- Narrows total viewer gap vs. ABC by 3% vs. last month
- Biggest May audience in 4 years
- Averages 874,000 A25-54 viewers, beating CBS by +349,000 (+66%)
- Nightly News increases A25-54 viewers by +111,000 vs. last year
- Nightly News closes the A25-54 gap vs. ABC last month by 36%, last year by 41%
- Biggest May audience in 4 years, best May gap vs. ABC in 7 years
- Marks 9 consecutive months of closing the gap year-over-year vs. ABC
- Averages 642,000 A18-49 viewers, beating CBS by +295,000 (+85%)
- Nightly News increases A18-49 viewership vs. last year by +115,000
- Nightly News closes the A18-49 gap vs. ABC last year by 48%
- Biggest May audience in 4 years best May gap vs. ABC in 7 years
- Marks 9 consecutive months of closing the gap year-over-year vs. ABC
MAY 2026
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 874 | 642 | 6,088 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 525 | 347 | 3,841 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 976 | 722 | 8,085 |
Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, May 2026 (4/27/2026-5/31/2026). Average audience based on regularly-titled telecasts only.
