NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT IS #1 AGAIN FOR THE WEEK

Wins Key A25-54 and A18-49 Demos, Leading Both ABC and CBS

Posts A25-54 Increases Vs. Prior Week and A18-49 Increases Vs. Prior Year

#1 Season to Date in Both Demos

September 10, 2019 – NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt is the #1-most watched newscast in the key A25-54 and A18-49 demos for the week of September 2, 2019 and season to date, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Nightly News averages 1.669 million viewers in A25-54, the demo most valued by advertisers, topping ABC by +76,000 (+5%) and CBS by +560,000 (+50%), and is up +3% over the prior week. Among the younger A18-49 demo, Nightly News posts an increase of +3% over last year and +11% vs. the previous week, and garners 1.184 million viewers, ahead of ABC by +69,000 (+6%) and CBS by +416,000 (+54%).

Nightly News is also winning the current 2018-2019 season, leading both ABC and CBS in A25-54 for the 12th straight season and A18-49 for the 23rd consecutive season.

This past week, Lester Holt led the network-wide series “Justice for All,” looking at criminal justice reform and mass incarceration in America.  Holt reported for Nightly News on why people falsely confess to crimes and spoke with survivors of violent crimes who want to be heard. The coverage last week culminated in a special Dateline on Holt’s two nights embedded inside Angola, America’s largest maximum security prison, as well as the first-ever televised town hall from a maximum security prison, Sing Sing Correctional Facility.

Week of 9/2/2019:

Nightly News ranks #1 among A25-54 and A18-49 viewers

  • Nightly averages 1.669 million A25-54 viewers, ahead of ABC by +76,000 (+5%) and CBS by +560,000 (+50%)   
    • Vs. prior week, Nightly has a viewership increase of +51,000 (+3%) while ABC is up +1% and CBS is up +8%
  • Nightly averages 1.184 million A18-49 viewers, ahead of ABC by +69,000 (+6%) and CBS by +416,000 (+54%)
    • Vs. prior week, Nightly is up +117,000 (+11%) while ABC was down -2% and CBS was up +2%
    • Vs. prior year, Nightly has a viewership increase of +39,000 (+3%) compared to ABC up +4% and CBS flat
Program P25-54
Imps
P18-49
Imps
P2+
Imps
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS 1.669 1.184 7.578
CBS EVENING NEWS 1.109 0.768 5.410
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT 1.593 1.115 8.384

NOTE: Nightly News was rated based on a 3-day week (T, W, F) while ABC and CBS were rated based on a 4-day week (T-F). All programs were coded special on Monday for Labor day and Nightly News was retitled on Thursday due to NFL Coverage. Nightly News ratings are comprised of telecasts with regular titling and include overnight airings on owned stations.

2018-19 Season to Date:

Nightly News is the #1 evening newscast this season in A25-54 and A18-49

  • Among A25-54 viewers, Nightly leads ABC by +23,000 (+1%) and CBS by +568,000 (+49%)
    • #1 among A25-54 viewers at this point of the season for the 12th consecutive season
  • Among A18-49 viewers, Nightly leads ABC by +19,000 (+2%) and CBS by +344,000 (+41%)
    • #1 among A18-49 viewers at this point of the season for the 23rd consecutive season

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NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt is the most-watched evening newscast in America among the key news demo, and reaches over 24 million people every week through its broadcast and millions more through NBCNews.com, the Nightly News app, The Nightly newsletter and social media platforms. The broadcast provides the latest on the day’s top stories, going beyond the headlines to uncover how people’s lives are affected by the world around them. Lester Holt is the anchor, and was named the most-trusted television news personality in America, according to The Hollywood Reporter/Morning Consult 2018 survey.  Jennifer Suozzo is the executive producer.

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For more information, contact:

Dana Klinghoffer
NBC News
212.664.4088
dana.klinghoffer@nbcuni.com