NBC Nightly News: Tom Llamas Ratings Revealed After Replacing Lester Holt
A new era began at NBC Nightly News when Tom Llamas took over from long-time anchor Lester Holt on June 2. Now the early ratings are in for his first few shows.
ABC once again claimed the top spot, continuing its dominance in the nightly news race. World News Tonight with David Muir came out on top following Tom Llamas’s debut as anchor, with the program topping both Nightly News with Tom Llamas and CBS Evening News during the week of June 2.
World News Tonight with David Muir outperformed NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas during Llamas’s debut week, leading by 28% in ratings, with about 1.548 million viewers, including over 18% with the adults 25-54 crowd, drawing an average of 136,000 more viewers in that demo.
Muir’s news desk topped CBS Evening News by +79% in total viewers, just over 3.094 million, and about 389,000 more viewers among the key adults 25-54 demo.
During Lester Holt’s final week as anchor, David Muir outperformed Tom Llamas by a wider margin than he had over Holt, leading by 17% in total viewers and a striking 157% in the adults 25–54 demo.
Despite coming in second, NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas delivered the best year-over-year audience retention than any other newscast, holding steady with viewers in the A25-54 demo and the only newscast to grow among the A18-49 demo.
As it stands, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir won the week of June 2 with 6.997 million viewers, earning an average of 907,000 viewers in the key adults 25–54 demo and 597,000 viewers in the adults 18–49 demo.
NBC Nightly News delivered a solid 5.449 million viewers and scored 771,000 viewers on average for adults 25–54 and 524,000 for adults 18–49 in key demos.
And finally, CBS Evening News got 3.903 million viewers to earn the third spot, as 518,000 adults 25–54 and 386,000 adults 18–49 viewers tuned in to the newscast.
“Anchoring NBC Nightly News is a profound honor and one that carries tremendous responsibility,” Llamas said in a statement last March. “Lester Holt is a great man and one of the most trusted broadcasters of our time. Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth.”
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J
I think that all the major media needs to show the truth about what's happening in L.A.! Instead of just showing the same burning car over and over, show the vast majority of the peaceful protesters as well. You all have to start showing ALL the news if you expect us to trust you!
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B
The problem is that the media is not showing the fact that these protests are peaceful and that s sad. Watch Fox News
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P
Try NewsNation for balanced news coverage. The other networks are all biased.
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O
I’ve always love NBC nightly news with Lester holts 💙Tom Llamas is the right choice now love my NBC nightly news God bless Tom Llamas 💯👏🏽🧢
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C
I used to watch David Muir and ABC but NOW it is Tom Llamas for me! I can't stand the constant "tease" of a story used by ABC News and Muir has lost all credibility with me. Switch to NBC and Tom Llamas! You will be better informed. It is much better.
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G
I agree. For some reason David Muir takes up to nearly 3 minutes to do the headlines (repeating some them, no less). A bit irritating, along with the fact that Mr. Muir always sounds like he has sinus problems. Still, I slightly prefer his show to NBC's, though I watch both.
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O
Why anyone would prefer the biased Muir over Llamas is beyond me
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G
LOL - A good point! While I like them both a lot, (I watch both), ABC and Muir are too “sound bitey”. The news items are not delivered in complete sentences. Lester Holt was the better of the two in terms of news delivery, but Tom Llamas is not an unknown quantity. I am very comfortable with Tom Llamas. Thanks!
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B
Im liking Tom Llamas very much!!
Miss Lester a bit, but this transition is working well!
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P
I read this article twice. Your description of the ratings is totally confusing. I could not tell who was on top.
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P
Agreed. Should be more concise. ABC has been #1 for many years . CBS has been struggling in third for a very long time as well.
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G
This paragraph is your answer
"Despite coming in second, NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas delivered the best year-over-year audience retention than any other newscast, holding steady with viewers in the A25-54 demo and the only newscast to grow among the A18-49 demo."
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G
He’s great! I enjoy him as much as I enjoyed Lester. Keep up the great work Tom
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G
What about the 55+ demo?
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G
We're a bunch of old f@rts who are nearly dead anyway, so who cares about us? 😢
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B
Truth might set you free but it will burn your butt first. Trust is earned & that takes time so NBC will have to wait. Mr. Holt kept me alive during the pandemic. Take good care of yourself Mr. Holt.
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G
I've wondered the same thing. Once we find our anchor, in my mind we're more loyal. Our demographics will be more accurate.
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G
Totally agree!
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C
I’m tired of seeing the public officials saying it was a safe and peaceful protest and the people are hardworking families. I saw a disorderly conduct and all hell broke loose as people ran amok in the streets between moving and burning cars. What I’d like to see are BOTH sides being interviewed. Let’s hear from the 23 shop owners that got looted. Let’s hear from the residents that were afraid to come out of their houses because of the lunatics. Let’s hear from the P.D. officers that agreed it was pandemonium. What I saw was violent civil disobedience. Perhaps then I would think it was fair and unbiased news coverage.
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R
You saw the same 3 square block area over & over. Just now you saw California Senator Alex Padilla, after he identified himself and said he had a question for Ms. Noeme, in a press conference, forcibly removed, thrown to the hallway floor, and hand cuffed. If this can happen to a U.S. Senator, no wonder people are sick of the tactics used against other people. And she lied. It's on film. He did identify himself and why he was there. Shame on her for hubris and incompetence.
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R
I'm disappointed how quickly they released him instead of beating him severely and taking him to jail. Who just comes out of nowhere and rushes towards a government official like that unless they are purposely trying to cause an issue? He's lucky he wasn't holding something that could be misconstrued as a weapon or we would be talking about him in the past tense right now.
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B
I will miss Lester Holt. He was so calm delivering the news. He was always unbiased delivering the news. I'm not sure if Tom Llamas will do the same.
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G
I'll miss Lester as well and it'll take a while to warm up to Tom. I'm hoping his credibility will stand beside Lester's and we won't have another Brian Williams debacle.
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C
I think ABC will lose lots a viewers after letting Terry Moran go! Hang in there.
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B
The stats might be off. Many people record the news and when Lester left, the recordings did not continue because they need to be linked to Tom. If you take that into account for the first couple of weeks that may have thrown the stats off.
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G
I always enjoy watching Lester Holt on NBC Nightly News, yet the more I saw Tom Llamas the past few years, I knew that he was making a name for himself and I enjoyed watching him. Sorry to Lester go, but excited to have Tom at the helm now.
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O
When ABC dumped Terry Moran for telling the truth they lost my viewership! I now watch NBC.
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G
I love what I see so far. Interesting stories outside of the same old news we hear over and over every day. So far it doesn't seem politically motivated or biased. Good news and good stories outside of Washington DC. Keep up the good work!
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C
After what ABC did to Terry Moran, I'll be joining Tom Llamas and NBC.
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O
ABC Nightly news is so repetitive and you get one story to every commercial. Like Muir but hate the format. Stopped watching.
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R
I miss Lester Holt. He had a steady, calm, reassuring presence and was very knowledgeable on many topics. When rough happenings and events were going on locally, nationally and globally he epitomized grace under fire.
With that said, he gave his job his all and now it's his time to relax and pursue any UNFULFILLED dreams , and in my book I hope that entails fun, rest and relaxation.
Congratulations Mr.Holt on a Job WELL DONE
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R
I like Tom. He's a real cool guy. No better replacement for Lestet.
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B
I like Hallie Jackson a lot more than Thomas
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O
I think Tom Llamas was the perfect person to take the reins. I am so happy with that choice.
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P
He is fabulous and shows more objective news than Holt...Won't watch Muir...
5 stars tor LLAMAS
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O
I like Tom Llamas but liked Lestor more. I would have liked to see Kate snow or Jose
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O
My opinion is simple. NBC is placing an emphasis on drama rather then news reporting. Repeating stories. Adding Drama. I am disappointed in the new replacement for Holtz.
As an aside. One of the major news broadcasts needs to figure out how to broadcast the nightly news without commercials. Get back to public service - there are as many minutes of news content as there is commercial content. Be bold, make a statement, improve your viewer base by broadcasting 30 minutes of news content!
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B
Tom Llamas could use a some broadcasting tone lessons. I'm sorry that Gabe Gutierrez wasn't picked to succeed Lester. He's much calmer in his delivery. Tom needs to get some coaching!
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K
Why did NBC not report on the “beating” in Cincinnati by the mob of black people during the July 29th broadcast? Time was used to show a proposal in France after the tour which was a nice story BUT certainly not as significant as the attack. This oversight speaks volumes about the network news.
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C
I watched NBC News every night with Lester Holt. Now I don’t watch at all. He is missed.
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G
I cannot watch David Muir. He seems to have a good handle on the English language except for the word veteran. He pronounces it “vet-tran”
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C
I watch on YouTube. Am I being counted?
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R
Firing him? That's an example of killing the messenger. Bad bews!
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O
I am going to miss Lester. He had such a calming voice, but it is time for a younger fresher face. You will be missed, Lester🙏🏾✨🍾
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P
Llamas is a good pick he is going behind so great new men’s Lester and the late Max Robinson
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B
I wonder how they'll do on huge Beach Boy death.
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C
One of the things I liked about Lester Holt was that he stated from the start that he wanted to remain visiting where the news was happening! I hope Llamas will do the same, and not just for special events. Can’t watch CBS, because they have already caved w/60 minutes, and other shows, to help Paramount achieve their merger. Nope, tell me the truth, and don’t cave to the Trump administration. Who cares if an interview was edited? They all are. Same thing w/ABC - they caved over a semantics issue with George Stephanopoulos too. Give me news from a team that has guts, and doesn’t cow-tow to an orange ape’s administration!!!!!
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G
I like Tom. I believe he did an outstanding job. I didn't like the way Lester did the interview with President Biden, very disrespectful. Someday real soon, Lester will be as old as Biden. I don't understand what CBS was thinking taking Norah off and replacing her with that idiot.
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R
Just repeating what Gaddi Schwartz communicates.
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G
Watch none of these 3
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O
He delivers panic in his news report.
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C
I won't watch him because he says "we thank you for that" at the end of every story!!!
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G
Llamas seems far left. Lester didn't voice his opinion as much as this new guy. I'm so tired of hearing everyone's opinion. Could someone, anyone just give us the news. I promise we can figure it out ourselves!
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B
They are all boring
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G
I watch ABC news because they tell me what happened that day. I see ads for CBS news & they are advertising a story like CBS Saturday & Sunday (I love both) do, prerecorded. Evening news should be about what happened that day.
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R
Wow you would think someone reading from a teleprompter was some battle scarred hero. Get a life.
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G
Until these networks explain why they led the false stories to include the Steele dossier, spreading and pushing thenlies from Adam Schiff and the first impeachment the Hunter Biden laptop including selling influence and Biden mental state. I will not watch.
They do nothing but lie with the goal of overthrowing our government to establish a one world government under their control.
They are the disciples of Joesph Goebls propaganda school of reporting with the same goal of world domination and the genocide of the jews.
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R
Lester Holt was a flaming liberal puppet! It's troubling to hear Llamas say that he wants to continue in Holts footsteps! Troubling indeed!
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C
Fox News beats them all and it’s not even mentioned. That is not right.
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R
Anybody here not wearing a hat or orthopedic shoes? The choice between these rascals in the MSM is between whixh Lie leads.
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C
I am glad he retired. It’s because his bias. During The election. He represented the millionaire like himself not to be taxed. His in favor of us lower InComePeople to pay his taxes.
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B
When it comes to ratings none of them come close to fox news
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G
Ms Eileen Davis,
I could not have said it better myself.
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O
I love Lester Holt as a calm journalistic voice of reason. I’ve watched Nightly News since the late 1960’s.
I’ll be watching Muir from now on. Not a fan of Llammas or his delivery. I don’t think his ratings will ever come close to Holts.
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G
More of the same DNC propaganda. NBC Nightly Trump hate. They should be thankful. Without Tump they would have nothing to report!
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O
These are objective news channels. They don’t have to praise Trump or ask him easy questions like Fox News does. If Trump is stepping over his powers, they must say it as it is and not demoniza minorities to excuse him.
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