Improves Across the Board Gaps vs. ‘ABC World News Tonight’ Vs. Last Year
For 4Q’22, ‘Nightly News’ Grows Across the Board Vs. Last Quarter
For December, ‘Nightly News’ Also Marks Largest Total Viewership In Nearly a Year
Dec. 28, 2022 – Throughout 2022, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt ranked as a top 5 weekly program in all of television for the majority of the year, averaging nearly 7 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Nightly News also made across-the-board ratings gains versus ABC World News Tonight compared to last year.
NBC’s flagship evening newscast averaged 1.154 million A25-54 viewers and 805,000 A18-49 viewers for the year.
For the fourth quarter, Nightly News grew across the board by double-digits compared to the prior quarter, and saw the largest increases compared to the other evening newscasts versus 3Q’22.
For December, Nightly News marked its largest total viewership in nearly a year (since Jan 22) and hit a 9-month high in the key demos with 1.258 million A25-54 viewers and 875,000 A18-49 viewers.
Additional highlights below, including for the week of December 19, 2022.
2022 Highlights on Broadcast & Digital
- NBC Nightly News with Lester ranked as a top-5 most-watched weekly program on TV for the majority of weeks in 2022 (L+SD, excluding sports, specials, and syndication), averaging 6.772 million total viewers.
- Nightly News made across the board ratings gains vs. ABC World News Tonight in 2022, including by 8% in the key A25-54 demo, 2% in total viewers and 11% in A18-49.
- The Saturday edition of Nightly News ranked as the #1 weekend evening newscast in total viewers for the 27th consecutive year with 5.262 million viewers. Sunday’s edition was also the #1 weekend evening newscast in the key A25-54 demo for 2022 for the second year in a row with 837,000 viewers.
- Nightly News topped CBS Evening News in the key A25-54 demo for the 29th consecutive year; in A18-49 for the 34th straight year; and in total viewers for the 28th straight year.
- Across digital, Nightly News full episodes & clips delivered more than 710 million video views across digital platforms in 2022, its third straight year of reaching more than 700 million views.
- Nightly News also reached more than 50 million video views in nearly every month this year, and on YouTube, average episodes reached nearly 800,000 video views and over 600,000 video viewers.
4Q’22
- Nightly News grew across the board compared to the prior quarter: +13% in total viewers, +19% in A25-54, and +20% in A18-49. Nightly News also saw the largest increases compared to the other evening newscasts.
- Nightly News ranked as the 6th most-watched program in all of TV for the quarter, excluding specials, sports & syndication. The newscast averaged 6.952 million total viewers, 1.177 million A25-54 viewers and 814,000 A18-49 viewers.
- Compared to 3Q’22, Nightly News improved by 26% in A25-54 and A18-49 viewers.
- Compared to 4Q’21, Nightly News improved in A25-54 viewers vs. ABC by 12%.
- On Digital, Nightly News delivered its 2nd straight quarter of growth with more than 182 million video views. On YouTube, Nightly News full episodes saw 822,000 video views and 653,000 viewers on average.
December 2022
- Nightly News marked its largest total viewership in nearly a year (since Jan 22) with 7.349 million total viewers, ranking as the #5 most-watched program in all of TV for the month, excluding specials, sports & syndication.
- Nightly News hit a 9-month high in the key demos with 1.258 million A25-54 viewers and 875,000 A18-49 viewers.
- Nightly News increased its viewership across the board vs. the prior month, up +213,000 in total viewers, +37,000 in A25-54 viewers and +22,000 in A18-49 viewers.
- Nightly News marked its most narrow A25-54 gap vs. ABC since July 2020 and its most narrow A18-49 gap vs. the network since February 2022.
- Compared to November, Nightly News improved in A25-54 viewers vs. ABC by 16% and in A18-49 viewers by 1%.
- Vs. 2021, Nightly News improved in A25-54 viewers vs. ABC by 27% and in A18-49 viewers by 21%.
- Nightly News continues to beat CBS in the total viewers and the A25-54 demo for the 195 consecutive months.
- Across Digital, Nightly News full episodes & clips delivered nearly 60 million video viewers, its 6th straight month with more than 50 million monthly viewers.
Week of December 19, 2022
- Nightly News is the #2 most-watched program in all of TV last week in total viewers & A25-54 with 7.845 million viewers and 1.360 million A25-54 viewers, excluding specials, sports & syndication.
- Nightly News increased viewership across the board in week-over-week measurements, including by +6% in total viewers, +7% in A25-54 and +4% in A18-49.
- Nightly News increased viewership across the board in year-over-year measurements, including by +8% in total viewers & A25-54 and by +7% in A18-49.
- In week-over-week, Nightly News improved its total viewership gap vs. ABC by 16%.
- In year-over-year, Nightly News improved competitively across the board vs. ABC by 2% in total viewers, 5% in A25-54 and 17% in A18-49.
- Across digital, Nightly News delivered 14.2 million video views and 1.5 million hours viewed on & off platforms, including clips and full episodes.
- On YouTube, weekday episodes reached 834,000 views and 666,000 viewers.
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2022 BROADCAST YEAR
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 1,154 | 805 | 6,772 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 807 | 553 | 4,889 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 1,416 | 975 | 8,092 |
4th QUARTER 2022
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 1,177 | 814 | 6,952 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 807 | 539 | 4,978 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 1,369 | 952 | 8,234 |
DECEMBER 2022
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 1,258 | 875 | 7,349 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 832 | 574 | 5,308 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 1,433 | 1,011 | 8,701 |
WEEK of DECEMBER 19-25, 2022
NOTE: For the week of Dec 19, Nightly News and World News Tonight were based on 3-day averages: Nightly was retitled on Wed & Fri, while World News Tonight was retitled on Mon & Fri. CBS Evening News was based on a 4-day average (Mon-Thurs).
| Program | P25-54 | P18-49 | P2+ |
| Imps | Imps | Imps | |
| NBC NIGHTLY NEWS | 1,360 | 954 | 7,845 |
| CBS EVENING NEWS | 870 | 637 | 5,552 |
| ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT | 1,562 | 1,108 | 8,903 |
Nielsen Ratings now reflect the addition of Out of Home (OOH) viewership that began being measured on Aug. 31,2020 across only 44 markets tracked by Nielsen Media Research. NBC Nightly News, World News Tonight and CBS Evening News’ ratings are comprised of telecasts with regular titling and include afternoon and overnight airings on owned stations. Digital ratings sourcing: Adobe Analytics and Partner Portals; YouTube Analytics Portal.
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