“NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT” IS #1 ACROSS THE BOARD DURING WEEK LEADING INTO SC AND NV PRIMARY CONTESTS

Nightly is #1 In Total Viewers For 32 Of Last 35 Weeks

Nightly Posted +137,000 Viewer Turnaround Versus Same Week Last Season

FEBRUARY 23, 2016– “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” is #1 in total viewers and all categories for the week of February 15-19, marking 32 wins in the 34 weeks since Holt was named anchor.  In the week that led into Saturday’s South Carolina Republican primary and Nevada Democratic caucuses, Nightly’s demo gap over CBS hit a three-week high.  The NBC broadcast is #1 in A25-54 viewers for the 12th straight week and 33 of the last 35 weeks.

Week-to-week, Nightly improved its gap over CBS in total viewers by 11% (1.733 million vs. +1.564 million during the previous week) and in A25-54 viewers by 19% (+453,000 vs. +382,000 during the prior week).

Compared to the same week last season, Nightly posted a 137,000 viewer turnaround in the A25-54 demo (+130,000 win last week vs. a -7,000 loss a year ago). The NBC broadcast also increased its A18-49 lead over ABC by 167% (+96,000 win last week vs. a +36,000 win a year ago).

Season-to-date, Nightly is the #1 evening news program in total viewers, A25-54 viewers, and A18-49 viewers.

NOTE: As of 12/28/15, Nielsen national ratings are based on an expanded sample known as “NPX,” which effectively doubles the size of the Nielsen panel through a combination of additional meters and HHs. While NPX is now the official currency of record, all data pre-12/28/15 remains based on the old sample — so year-to-year and other comparisons are versus pre-NPX data.

Weekly Highlights:

• Nightly averaged 9.059 million total viewers, outperforming ABC by +33,000 (+0.4%) and CBS by +1.733 million (24%).
• Nightly averaged 2.177 million A25-54 viewers, +130,000 (+6%) higher than ABC and +453,000 (+26%) more than CBS.
• Nightly averaged 1.539 million A18-49 viewers, leading ABC by +96,000 (+7%) and CBS by +391,000 (+34%).
• Nightly has been #1 among total viewers 5 of the last 6 weeks, 32 of the last 35 weeks, and 373 of the last 385 weeks.
• Nightly won its 12^th consecutive week in A25-54 demo viewers and has been #1 in 33 of the last 35 weeks.
• The NBC broadcast is #1 in A18-49 viewers for 30 consecutive weeks, 34 of the last 35 weeks, and 38 of the last 41 weeks.

Season-to-Date Highlights:

• Nightly is averaging 9.104 million total viewers, leading ABC by +275,000 (+3% )and CBS by +1.538 million (+20%).
• Nightly is averaging 2.234 million A25-54 viewers, leading ABC by +212,000 (+01%) and CBS by +473,000 (+27%).
• Nightly has widened its A25-54 lead vs. ABC by 176,000 viewers versus last season (+212,000 lead this season vs. a +36,000 gap last year).
• Nightly has also improved its A25-54 gap over CBS by 4% versus last season (473,000 lead this season vs. +456,000 a year ago).
• Nightly is averaging 1.615 million A18-49 viewers, leading ABC by +225,000 (+16 %) and CBS by +419,000 (+35%).

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 15-19 2016: