ABC News’ ‘World News Tonight with David Muir’ ranks #1

During Month of September, ABC’s evening newscast had reports from David Muir on child refugees along Syrian border, Martha Raddatz on a war ship during strikes over Syria, and Richard Besser in Liberia covering Ebola outbreak. “World News Tonight” wins total viewers for the first time in 264 weeks.

ABC News’ ‘World News Tonight with David Muir’ Ranks #1 in total viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 for the first time since 2008.

“World News Tonight” is the only program to increase in total viewers from last year (+10%) and is up the most from last month (+5%). “World News Tonight” finishes first among adults 25-54 for nine consecutive weeks. It is the only broadcast to improve among adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 compared to last year (+16%/+13%) and gains the most from last week (+10%/+17%).

ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” scored an across-the-board win in total viewers (8.416 million), adults 25-54 (2.204 million), and adults 18-49 (1.528 million), for the week of September 29, 2014, based on ‘Live’ ‘+Same Day’ data from Nielsen Media Research. This marked the first time in more than 6 1/2 years that “World news Tonight” won the week in all three key demos. Additionally, “World News Tonight” snapped “NBC Nightly News’” 263-week total viewer winning streak. In fact, the ABC evening newscast turned in its largest overall viewer lead (+166,000) over “Nightly News” (8.250 million) in 6 years.

In addition, “World News Tonight” out-delivered “Nightly News” (1.937 million and 1.416 million, respectively) in adults 25-54 (+267,000) and adults 18-49 (+112,000). This comes after “World News Tonight” won among adults 25-54 for the month of September. During the month, Muir reported from the Syrian border on child refugees, Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz reported from a United States war ship in the Gulf during airstrikes over Syria and Chief Health and Medical Editor Richard Besser returned to Liberia getting a first look at the Ebola isolation wards.

“World News Tonight” was up over the previous week (8.029 million, 2.002 million and 1.301 million for w/o 9/22/14) in Total Viewers (+5%), Adults 25-54 (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+17%), setting a new 6-month high in all key measures – since w/o 3/24/14. In addition, grew the most week to week compared to “CBS Evening News” (+4%/+6%/+11%) and “NBC Nightly News” (+1%/+7%/+5%).

For the 2nd time in the 2 weeks of the new season, “World News Tonight” improved on the year-ago week (7.673 million, 1.907 million and 1.347 million, respectively, on w/o 9/30/13) in Total Viewers (+10%), Adults 25-54 (+16%) and Adults 18-49 (+13%). “World News Tonight” was also the only evening newscast to build year to year in any measure as “CBS Evening News” (flat/-2%/-1%) was mixed, while “NBC Nightly News” (-3%/-13%/-10%) saw across-the-board losses.

Season to date, “World” stands as the No. 1 evening newscast in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, leading NBC’s “Nightly News” by 4,000 Total Viewers, by 229,000 Adults 25-54 viewers and by 34,000 Adults 18-49. In fact, this marks the first time in 7 years that “World News Tonight” ranks as the top evening newscast during the season in any of the three measures – since the 2007-08 season.

Through the first two weeks of the season, “World News Tonight” is improving versus the first two week of last season in Total Viewers (+10%), Adults 25-54 (+12%) and Adults 18-49 (+9%). Delivering increases for the 2nd season in a row, “World News Tonight” is posting its best overall viewer start to a season in 9 years and strongest in the key adult news demo in 5 years – since the 2005-06 and the 2009-10 seasons, respectively. “World News Tonight” is up the most in all three demos compared to “CBS Evening News” (+1%/+1%/+4%) and “NBC Nightly News” (flat/-10%/-7%).

For the week, “World News Tonight” led the “CBS Evening News” by 1.802 million Total Viewers, by 602,000 Adults 25-54 and by 381,000 Adults 18-49.

ABC “World News Tonight with David Muir” airs at 6:30 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network. Almin Karamehmedovic is the executive producer of the broadcast. Follow David Muir and the “World News Tonight” team online: @DavidMuir; @WNTonight; facebook.com/DavidMuirABC; facebook.com/WorldNewsTonight.

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 Live + SD weeks of 9/29/14, 9/22/14 and 9/30/13. Live+SD: 2014-2015 Season (9/22 – 10/5/14) and 2013-2014 Season (9/23 – 10/6/14). All averages based on regular telecasts.