ABC Broadcast Grows Week-to-Week Among Total Viewers Despite Lower HUT Levels For the Week, “World News” Is Up 500,000 Among Total Viewers Compared to Its Season-to-Date Average. “World News” Extends its Viewing Advantage Over CBS to Largest Lead in 11 Months
For the week of December 21st, “ABC World News with Diane Sawyer” averaged 8.56 million Total Viewers and a 1.8/7 among Adults 25-54. Despite HUT levels dropping 8% in the time period week-to-week, the broadcast grew 70,000 among Total Viewers. Additionally, in Diane Sawyer’s first week as anchor, “World News” was up 500,000 (+6%) among Total Viewers compared to its season-to-date average.
EVENING NEWS (Week of December 21, 2009)
Total Viewers Adults 25-54 Households
ABC 8,560,000 1.8/7; 2,270,000 5.7/11
NBC 9,370,000 2.3/8; 2,840,000 6.1/12
CBS 6,160,000 1.5/5; 1,830,000 4.1/8
On Monday, December 21, Sawyer’s first day, the broadcast averaged 8.97 million Total Viewers and 2.41 million Adults 25-54. Monday’s delivery was up 520,000 (+6%) among Total Viewers and even in the key demo compared to the program’s season-to-date average on Mondays.
Week-to-week and year-to-year, “World News” increased its Total Viewing advantage over CBS’ “Evening News.” Last week, the gap between the two programs stood at 2.4 million Total Viewers, a 4% weekly increase. This marks ABC’s largest advantage over CBS in 11 months (week of 11/17/08). Additionally compared to this week last year, ABC’s Total Viewing lead over CBS grew 24% larger.
Last week’s “World News” featured Diane Sawyer’s exclusive interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which was conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark following the UN conference on climate change. The broadcast also included extensive coverage of the health care reform bill, which passed the U.S. Senate.
Please note: Diane Sawyer anchored “World News” Monday-Thursday. The ABC broadcast is based on a three-day average (Monday-Wednesday); ratings on Thursday were excluded due to the Christmas holiday and the broadcast was preempted on Friday for NBA coverage. NBC’s “Nightly News” and CBS’ “Evening News” are also based on a three-day average, Monday-Wednesday.
Jon Banner is the executive producer of “ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.”
(source: data and information provided by ABC. – Nielsen, NTI (Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 12/21/09, 12/14/09, and 12/22/08). Season-to-date: Live +7 (where available) & Live +SD for 9/21/09-12/27/09 & 9/22/08-12/28/08.)
