CBS, NBC & ABC News’ Latest Ratings Show Big Swings Amid Iran Conflict
What To Know
- Evening news ratings for the week of March 30 showed improvement for CBS and NBC.
- CBS News also had a big win on the night of April 1 when Donald Trump gave a primetime address.
- ABC still won the week, but NBC closed in on its competitor in the key Adults demo.
CBS and NBC saw success in evening news ratings for the week of March 30, with increased numbers compared to the week before. Both networks were still behind ABC, but NBC fell short in the key demo by the closest margin it has since early February.
For the week of March 30, ABC World News Tonight brought in an average of 8.598 million total viewers and 1.071 million in the Adults 25-54 demo. Compared to the previous week, the broadcast hosted by David Muir was flat among total viewers and down 1% in the key demo, and compared to the same week in 2025, the show was up 13% in total viewers and up 2% in the Adults demo.
Following not too far behind was NBC Nightly News, hosted by Tom Llamas, which drew in an average 6.703 million total viewers and 1.046 million in the 25-54 demo. This put NBC just 25,000 viewers behind ABC in the key demo. Nightly News was up 6% in total viewers and up 13% in the Adults demo compared to the previous week, and up 8% in total viewers and up 15% in the demo compared to the same week last year.
Finishing in third place of the three networks was CBS Evening News. The Tony Dokoupil-led show ended the week averaging 4.149 million total viewers, with 571,000 in the key demo. This put the broadcast up 6% in total viewers and up an impressive 28% in 25-54 viewers compared to one week earlier. In comparison with the same week in 2025, CBS Evening News was up 6% in total viewers and up 2% in the Adults demo.
CBS saw a big win on the evening of Wednesday, April 1, during Donald Trump‘s primetime address about the Iran War. With 4.914 million total viewers and 1.343 million Adults in the key demo watching, CBS beat both ABC and NBC in the ratings during the speech.
During the same 9/8c to 9:30/8:30c time slot on April 1, ABC brought in 3.473 million total viewers and 803,000 adults in the key demo, while NBC had 4.419 million total viewers and 860,000 in the Adults demo.
CBS Evening News, Weekdays, 6:30/5:30c, CBS
ABC World News Tonight, Weekdays, 6:30/5:30c, ABC
NBC Nightly News, Weekdays, 6:30/5:30c, NBC
Conversation25 Comments
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J
CBS, the new Fox News
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R
CBS was first in the ratings for the Trump speech because it interrupted the most popular show on Wednesday night television: "Survivor"
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R
I switched to ABC because I don’t like the new owners of cbs that tell you what you can say or not because of Trump same goes with NBC not as bad as cbs
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S
I think that every time Trump opens his mouth he’s lying. He’s not gonna do anything. Iranian people know that say they ain’t gonna do anything. Trump ain’t gonna do nothing but run his mouth.
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T
Do any of these MSM media ever directly challenge the fundamental premises of any of our Forever Wars?! No. because our wars are great Info-tainment, that, and because they are owned tools of the ruling Establishment...
Just look at these anchors (actors?) in the thumbnail image for this story, they're even wearing the same uniform!
"God created wars so that Americans would learn geography.”
Mark Twain
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D
We can't get ABC news because of the Scripps, xfinity contract. Get it back on cable please.
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R
My wife and I have BOTH been tuning to Tom Llamas NightlyNews. We could never agree on who to watch and would constantly flip channels. Ever since Tom came on full time we've agreed on who to turn to and the channel jumping has stopped. He is so refreshing. And he did what we think is the best interview that anyone has ever done of any sitting President, going back to the Carter era.
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V
I also have switched to NBC and Tom llamas. I seen the trust NBC in the news department. And Tom is just street shooter.
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S
CBS rating could have been much better if Dish & CBS wasn't in a contract dispute!! My household haven't seen nothing in 4 weeks or better!!! Just Sad 😔
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C
Dish in our area are in a dispute with ABC and NBC- A little ironic isn't it ? I think something else is going on here- politics working here
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J
What did Mort Sahl once day about network news anchors (?): just a bunch of guys with hairspray. After growing up with Cronkite, Chancellor, Huntley-Brinkley, Howard K. Smith, and Harry Reasoner, our choice is the clown show of Dokoupil, Llamas, and Muir. Take your pick.
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J
All these sucky networks NEED TRUMP to survive hahahahaha!
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E
YouTube TV has been screwing up recordings of ABC's nightly newscasts for the last month, by mislabeling them as yesterday's broadcast and burying them in the recordings queue. I've jumped over to NBC because of this and I'm sure many others have too
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J
Its still all fake America last propagandia news.
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A
As Annie Hall would say, "La dee da, la dee da..."
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M
ABC N NBC the flip-flop ! hate Trump doesn’t matter they’ll lie and cheat against Trump. No matter what depends if you hate Trump. You watch the hate news cause that’s all they do. They’ll find something wrong no matter what he does it’s pathetic.
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M
Trump lover eat bricks!!
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T
What about all the alternatives on the internet, especially YouTube? There are no $30M a year "keepers of the official narrative" (lookin' at YOU, Rachel) anchors there that have a following, but plenty of ex-military and government or academia with stellar credentials and credibility who are compensated by YT based on formal followers. That's an ALTERNATIVE, with all caps..!
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C
I watch Fox News. Best ever
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P
I use to watch NBC but not só much anymore. I don't care to watch Samantha and I refuse to watch the 10:00 broadcast. I will admit it has improved the past couple of months.
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T
Only liberals would be happy that we're at war and their ratings are going up reporting about it!!!!
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C
this liberal is not happy about Iran..I couldgive a crap about ratings...Trump will be in prison after his time in office..I'm rally happy about that though.
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C
Sure Jan.
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W
Trump started the war. Liberals have nothing to do with his mess.
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C
Congratulations! You win the Worst Comment of the Day Award!
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