NBC, ABC & CBS Evening News Ratings Show Another David Muir Shocker

Tom Llamas, David Muir, Tony Dokoupil
NBC Nightly News YouTube; ABC World News Tonight YouTube; CBS Evening News YouTube

What To Know

  • ABC’s World News Tonight led the evening news ratings for the week of August 17, showing significant year-over-year growth.
  • NBC Nightly News also saw increases in total viewers and the key demo
  • CBS Evening News was slightly up in total viewers from last week and the year prior.

The evening news ratings for the week of August 17 are in, and ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir continued its swing back to the top, posting some of its highest numbers in five months.

According to national live + same-day big data plus program ratings from Nielsen, ABC World News Tonight averaged 8.462 million total viewers and 1.059 million in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic for the week of August 17. This was up 26,000 viewers from last week’s 8.436 million, though slightly down from 1.162 million in the demo.

Monday’s (August 17) broadcast averaged 9.063 million viewers, marking the show’s most-watched telecast since March 17.

Compared to the same period in 2025, World News Tonight was up 19 percent in total viewers and up 34 percent in the key demo.

NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas averaged 6.634 million total viewers and 1.025 million demo viewers for the week of August 17. This was up from 6.611 million total viewers and 999,000 demo viewers the week prior.

Year over year, Nightly News was up in both total viewers (from 5.665 million last year) and the demo (792,000 last year).

Meanwhile, CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil averaged 3.965 million total viewers and 458,000 demo viewers for the week of August 17. This was up for last week’s 3.785 million total viewers and but down for the 521,000 demo viewers.

Compared to last year, CBS Evening News was up slightly in both total viewers (from 3.775 million last year) and the key demo (478,000 last year).

It should be noted that World News Tonight and Nightly News’ averages are based on three days (Monday-Wednesday), while CBS Evening News’ averages are based on four days (Monday-Thursday).

CBS Evening News, Weekdays, 6:30/5:30c, CBS

World News Tonight, Weekdays, 6:30/5:30c, ABC

NBC Nightly News, Weekdays, 6:30/5:30c, NBC




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  1. F

    Fair & Balanced

    CBS, the same company to kick off Stephen Colbert and cancel 60 Minutes? Are they still a news network? Or just FCC controlled.

  2. R

    rkurtz61

    Let's be honest here. World News Tonight presents almost no "World News." Usually one story at the beginning of the broadcast, then mostly US fluff. I really don't understand how ABC has stood behind this as "World News". Even the silly "America Strong" segments show this. If you want real "World News," watch the BBC. They know what real "World News" is.

  3. G

    Guest

    David Muir is the worst. Hypes stories through the broadcast. Then gives 2-3 seconds for the actual story. Format of that news is trash.

  4. G

    Guest

    Let's go Tony (Dukoupil!) I still think you're the best. Now we need to have others agree also!!

    1. C

      Curbside

      No, I don’t think so.

    2. W

      whynot

      Government-controlled "news" isn't news.