Welcome to No. 1, David Muir.
ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’ finished the week of Sept. 29 in a place that it hasn’t been in six years — on the top of the heap in the key 25-54 news demo, the 18-49 demo most important to advertisers and in total viewers.
That final audience accomplishment is really the big news here: “World News Tonight” hasn’t topped in total viewers over a full week in five years — which was early in Muir’s predecessor Diane Sawyer’s tenure at the desk.
“World News Tonight With David Muir” bested its broadcast news competition from NBC and CBS for the week in all three categories, the first time it has won all three categories for a week since Feb. 2008, when Charlie Gibson was hosting the newscast.
For the week of Sept. 29, “World News Tonight With David Muir” averaged 8.4 million total viewers, with 2.2 million in the 25-54 demo and 1.5 million among the 18-49 set.
Also read: ABC ‘World News Tonight’ Maintains Ratings Dominance with New Anchor David Muir
“NBC Nightly News,” meanwhile averaged 8.3 million total viewers, with 1.9 million in the 25-54 demo and 1.4 million in the 18-49 demo.
“CBS Evening News” took third place, with 6.6 million total viewers, 1.6 million in the 25-54 demo and 1.1 million in the 18-49 demo.
Compared to the comparable week a year ago, “World News Tonight” was up 10 percent in total viewers, 16 percent in the 25-54 demo and 13 percent among the 18-49 demo.