#1 Most Watched Season-to-Date in Key Demo
Broadcast Grows Week-Over-Week Across The Board, More than Doubles Key Demo Advantage Over ABC
Holt Speaks with FBI Director Christopher Wray at Last Week’s Aspen Security Forum in News Making Interview
JULY 24, 2018 – “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” is the #1 most-watched evening broadcast in the key news demo for the week of July 16, according to Nielsen Media Research data.
The broadcast continues its strong performance in the key demo, growing week-over-week and averaging 1.6 million A25-54 viewers. The broadcast bested “ABC World News Tonight” by +59,000 viewers (+4%) and “CBS Evening News” by +443,000 viewers (+39%). “Nightly News” hit a seven-week high in key demo viewership and more than doubled its advantage over ABC.
Holt began the week in Helsinki leading NBC News’ coverage of President Trump’s meeting with President Putin and anchoring “Nightly News” from the ground Sunday and Monday and contributing to “TODAY.” Later in the week, he sat down with FBI Director Christopher Wray at the Aspen Security Forum for a wide-ranging interview that touched on the Helsinki Summit, the Russia investigation, and the United States’ relationship with China. Wray made headlines when he responded to Holt’s question about having ever considered resigning: “I’m a low-key, understated guy, but that should not be mistaken for what my spine is made out of. I’ll just leave it at that.” Watch here.
For the week of July 16, “Nightly News” is the most-watched broadcast among A18-49 viewers, averaging 1.1 million and topping ABC by +32,000 viewers (+3%) and CBS by +274,000 viewers (+34%).
7.2 million total viewers tuned in to “Nightly News” for the week of July 16, leading “CBS Evening News” by 1.8 million total viewers (+32%).
“Nightly News” continues as the #1 most-watched evening newscast season-to-date in the key demo, delivering its largest demo lead over CBS in six seasons.
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Weekly Highlights:
- “Nightly News” averaged 1.6 million A25-54 viewers, outperforming ABC by +59,000 viewers (+4%) and CBS by +443,000 (+39%).
- “Nightly News” grew week-over-week in the key demo, hitting a seven-week high, and more than doubling its advantage over ABC in the key.
- “Nightly News” averaged 1.1 million A18-49 viewers, topping ABC by +32,000 (+3%) and CBS by +274,000 (+34%).
- “Nightly News” averaged 7.2 million total viewers, beating CBS by +1.8 million (+32%).
Season Highlights:
- “Nightly News” is the #1 evening newscast this season in A25-54 and A18-49
- “Nightly News” holds its largest A25-54 demo advantage over CBS in six seasons.
Week of July 16 – July 20, 2018:
| Total Viewers | A25-54 Rating | A25-54 Viewers | A18-49 Rating | A18-49 Viewers | |
| NBC | 7.236 | 1.31 | 1.577 | 0.83 | 1.071 |
| CBS | 5.484 | 0.94 | 1.134 | 0.62 | 0.797 |
| ABC | 7.820 | 1.26 | 1.518 | 0.81 | 1.039 |
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ABOUT NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt is the most-watched evening newscast in America, providing the very latest on the day’s top stories and going beyond the headlines to add context and analysis to the most pressing issues of our times. NBC Nightly News reaches more than 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:
TJ Ducklo
NBC News
212-664-1913
Rachel Zuckerman
NBC News
212-664-3996
