NBC, ABC & CBS Evening News Ratings Show Narrowing Lead

NBC Nightly News has inched up on ABC World News Tonight in the ratings as CBS Evening News’ losing streak only continues.

Anchored by Tom Llamas, NBC Nightly News averaged 6.642 million total viewers and 1.018 million viewers in the Adults 25–54 demographic for its Monday–Thursday editions the week of October 12, according to the latest Nielsen national live+same-day big data and program ratings cited by TVNewser. Those numbers are up from last week — 2 percent in total viewers and 1 percent in the demo — and up from the same week last year — 20 percent in total viewers and 32 percent in the demo — landing the NBC newscast in second place.

Despite NBC Nightly News’ gain, however, ABC’s World News Tonight, anchored by David Muir, still came in first place in that Monday-to-Thursday span. The program averaged 8.356 million total viewers, up 2 percent from last week and 12 percent from last year, and 1.133 million demo viewers, down 1 percent from last week but up 18 percent from last year.

Over on CBS, Tony Dokoupil and his CBS Evening News came in third place those four days. The program averaged 4.219 million total viewers, flat from last week but up 14 percent from last year — and 655,000 demo viewers — up 7 percent from last week and 28 percent from last year.

At least Dokoupil, an alum of CBS Mornings, feels like he’s hitting his stride with CBS Evening News. “At the beginning, I felt like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview about his new CBS News podcast, Great Question. “I was naively walking into this new neighborhood, and it took me a little while to realize all the ways in which it’s not the morning show.”

He added, “A lot of people didn’t know my work or who I was. Different people are watching, and they have different ideas about what works, and everything I think flows from that. But now, 10 months in, I understand it, I love it.”

ABC World News Tonight With David Muir, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, ABC

NBC Nightly News With Tom Llamas, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, NBC

CBS Evening News With Tony Dokoupil, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, CBS