#1 in Key Demo and A18-49 for 14 Straight Sweeps
Only Broadcast to Grow Total Viewer Audience Year-Over-Year
NEW YORK (November 27, 2018) – NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt ranked #1 for the November 2018 sweep period according to Nielsen Research data, finishing #1 in the key news demo for 14 consecutive sweep periods and 40 of the last 43 sweeps.
The broadcast averaged 1.9 million A25-54 viewers, leading ABC World News Tonight by +79,000 viewers (+4%) and CBS Evening News by +608,000 viewers (+47%). Compared to the sweep period in July, Nightly News increased its key demo advantage over ABC nine-fold and the broadcast’s November sweep advantage over CBS was the highest in six years (+23% vs November 2017).
Among A18-49, Nightly News averaged 1.3 million viewers for the sweep period, topping ABC by +72,000 (+6%) and CBS by +398,000 (+44%). Nightly News is now #1 in A18-49 for 14 straight sweeps and 44 of the last 45 sweeps and increased its advantage over ABC by more than 14 times vs. the July 2018 sweep.
Nightly News averaged 8.5 million total viewers for the November 2018 sweep, leading CBS Evening News by +2.3 million viewers (+36%). Nightly News improved its lead over CBS by +32% (+574,000) from the November 2017 sweep and delivered its biggest November sweep total viewer win over CBS since 2011. Nightly News was the only broadcast to grow its total viewer audience year-over-year, grew the most in total viewers vs. the July 2018 sweep, and narrowed the margin against ABC.
November 2018 Sweep Highlights:
- Nightly News averaged 1.9 million A25-54 viewers, leading ABC World News Tonight by +79,000 (4%) and CBS Evening News by +608,000 (+47%).
- Nightly News has finished #1 in the demo for 14 consecutive sweep periods and 40 of the last 43 sweeps.
- Compared to the sweep period in July, Night News increased its key demo advantage over ABC nine-fold.
- Nightly News averaged 1.3 million A18-49 viewers for the sweep period, topping ABC by +72,000 viewers (+6%) and CBS by +398,000 viewers (+44%).
- Nightly News has been #1 in A18-49 for 14 straight sweeps and 44 of the last 45 sweeps.
- Nightly News averaged 8.5 million total viewers for the November sweep, leading CBS Evening News by +2.3 million viewers (+36%).
- Nightly News was the only broadcast to grow its total viewer audience year-over-year, grew the most in total viewers vs. the July 2018 sweep, and narrowed the margin against ABC.
November 2018 Sweeps:
| Total Viewers | A25-54 Rating | A25-54 Viewers | A18-49 Rating | A18-49 Viewers | |
| NBC | 8.497 | 1.57 | 1.892 | 1.01 | 1.296 |
| CBS | 6.239 | 1.06 | 1.284 | 0.70 | 0.898 |
| ABC | 8.685 | 1.50 | 1.813 | 0.95 | 1.224 |
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ABOUT NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt is the most-watched evening newscast in America among the key news demo for the past 21 seasons. The broadcast provides the very latest on the day’s top stories, going beyond the headlines to add context and analysis to the most pressing issues of our time. NBC Nightly News reaches more than 24 million people every week through its broadcast and millions more through NBCNews.com, the Nightly News app, and social media platforms. Lester Holt is the anchor, and Jenn Suozzo is the executive producer.
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For more information contact:
TJ Ducklo
NBC News
212-664-1913
Rachel Zuckerman
NBC News
212-664-3996
