The NBC News Broadcast Tops ABC by +1.11 Million Viewers in the Demo, Anchored by Lester Holt Live from Rio
Nightly News Increases its Lead over ABC and CBS in the Demo from the Second Week of 2012 London Olympics
Nightly News Increases +55% in the Demo and +33% in Total Viewers from the Two Weeks Prior to Olympics, Topping Olympic Lifts in 2008 and 2012
Nightly News is The Only Evening Newscast Up in the Demo This Season
NEW YORK (August 23, 2016) – “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” ranked as the #1 non-sports weekday program for the week of August 15, averaging 9.8 million total viewers, leading “ABC World News Tonight” by +1.98 million viewers (+25%) and “CBS Evening News” by +3.52 million (+56%). Among broadcast evening newscasts, Nightly News has won six consecutive weeks and 8 of the last 10 weeks among total viewers.
Among the key A25-54 demo, Nightly News averaged 2.77 million viewers, leading ABC by +1.11 million viewers (67%) and nearly doubling CBS by +1.36 million (+97%). Compared to the second week of the 2012 London Olympics, Nightly News had a greater advantage over both ABC and CBS in the demo, increasing +4% over ABC and +1% over CBS. Nightly News is the only evening newscast to add A25-54 viewers this season, up +44,000 (+2%) versus last season.
Nightly News averaged 2.131 million A18-49 viewers, topping ABC by +927,000 (+77%) and more than doubling CBS by +1.171 million (+122%). Compared to the second week of the 2012 London Olympics, Nightly News had a greater advantage over ABC, up by +4,000 viewers in the A18-49 demo. Nightly News has won 55 of the last 56 weeks among A25-54 and A18-49.
For the two weeks during the Games, Nightly News increased +33% in total viewers, +55% in the key A25-54 demo and +68% in the A18-49 demo over the two weeks before the 2016 Rio Olympics. All of those increases top the ones earned during the two weeks of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. Compared to 2008, the Olympic lifts in 2016 are +13 points higher in total viewers, +25 points higher in A25-54 and +30 points higher in A18-49. Compared to 2012, the Olympic lifts in 2016 are +7 points higher in total viewers, +19 points higher in A25-54 and +20 points higher in A18-49.
Versus the same week last season, Nightly News was +19% (+1.56 million) in total viewers, +40% (+789,000) in A25-54 viewers, and +53% (+736,000) in A18-49 viewers, making it the only evening news broadcast with year-over-year growth across all of the major demos.
Season to date, Nightly News is the #1 evening news program in total viewers, A25-54 and A18-49 viewers.
Weekly Highlights:
- Nightly News averaged 9.8 million total viewers, leading ABC World News Tonight by +1.98 million (25%) and CBS Evening News by +3.523 million (+56%).
- Nightly News has won six consecutive weeks and 8 of the last 10 weeks among total viewers.
- Nightly News averaged 2.77 million A25-54 viewers, leading ABC by +1.1 million viewers (67%) and nearly doubling CBS by +1.364 million (+97%).
- Nightly News is the only evening newscast to add A25-54 viewers this season, up +44,000 (+2%) versus last season.
- Nightly News averaged 2.131 million A18-49 viewers, topping ABC by +927,000 (+77%) and more than doubling CBS by +1.171 million (+122%).
- Nightly News has ranked #1 in A25-54 and A18-49 in 55 of the last 56 weeks.
Season to Date:
- Season to date, Nightly News is the #1 evening news program in total viewers, A25-54 viewers, and A18-49 viewers.
- Nightly News averages 8.6 million total viewers, +282,000 (+3%) ahead of ABC and +1.57 million (+22%) more than CBS.
- Nightly News averages 2.1 million A25-54 viewers, leading ABC by +241,000 (+13%) and CBS by +480,000 (+29%).
- Nightly News averages 1.5 million A18-49 viewers, outperforming ABC by +207,000 (+16%) and CBS by +412,000 (+37%).
- Nightly News has more than doubled its A18-49 advantage over ABC versus last season (+125% greater advantage).
Week of August 15 – 19, 2016:
| Total Viewers | A25-54 Rating | A25-54 Viewers | A18-49 Rating | A18-49 Viewers | |
| NBC | 9.802 | 2.33 | 2.770 | 1.68 | 2.131 |
| CBS | 6.279 | 1.18 | 1.406 | 0.76 | 0.960 |
| ABC | 7.818 | 1.40 | 1.663 | 0.95 | 1.204 |
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ABOUT NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT
“NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” is America’s most-watched evening newscast, going beyond the day’s headlines to uncover stories of how people’s lives are affected by the world around them. “NBC Nightly News” reaches over 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 Sam Singal is the executive producer.
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For more information contact:
Jake Urbanski
NBC News
212-664-3211
