Observed Signal · Feb 6, 2026 · Ratings Report · Source: Feedspot/RSS · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
ABC and NBC News Ratings Surge, CBS Declines
ABC's World News Tonight and NBC's Nightly News increased both total viewers and Adults 25-54 demo during the week of January 26, 2026, while CBS Evening News declined. Nielsen national Live+Same-Day Big Data+Panel ratings show ABC averaged 9.244 million total viewers and 1.182 million A25-54 viewers, marking week-over-week and year-over-year gains. NBC averaged 7.150 million total viewers and 1.040 million A25-54 viewers, posting modest weekly and annual changes. CBS averaged 4.538 million total viewers and 623,000 A25-54 viewers and recorded declines versus the prior week and year-ago period. The report cites Nielsen NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54/18-49 national Live+Same-Day Big Data Plus Panel program ratings for the current week (w/o 1/26/26).
Weekly national Nielsen ratings affect linear TV audience trends and ad inventory valuation, but this is routine ratings reporting rather than a platform or policy shift.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- For the week of January 26, 2026, ABC World News Tonight averaged 9.244 million total viewers and 1.182 million Adults 25-54 viewers (Nielsen Live+Same-Day Big Data+Panel).
- NBC Nightly News averaged 7.150 million total viewers and 1.040 million Adults 25-54 viewers for the same week.
- CBS Evening News averaged 4.538 million total viewers and 623,000 Adults 25-54 viewers and was the only evening broadcast to register across-the-board declines.
- Week-over-week changes (current vs. previous week w/o 1/19/26): ABC +3% total viewers and +9% A25-54; NBC +4% total viewers and +4% A25-54; CBS -7% total viewers and -8% A25-54.
- Year-over-year comparisons (current week vs. w/o 1/27/25): ABC +11% total viewers and +4% A25-54; NBC +3% total viewers and -5% A25-54; CBS -6% total viewers and -9% A25-54.
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Week of April 20 Evening News Ratings Summary
Nielsen's national Live+Same-Day Big Data+Panel ratings for the week of April 20, 2026 show ABC's World News Tonight leading with gains week-over-week while NBC Nightly News and CBS Evening News declined. ABC averaged 8.537 million viewers and led growth (+4% total viewers, +5% Adults 25-54). NBC averaged 6.168 million viewers and fell -4% in total and -12% in the A25-54 demo week-over-week. CBS averaged 3.771 million viewers and 467,000 in A25-54, marking three consecutive weeks below 4 million total viewers and below 500,000 in the A25-54 demo. Data and comparisons are from Nielsen; year-over-year and season-to-date notes use differing network daypart averaging windows as disclosed by the publisher.
World News Tonight Gains Viewers Amid NBC's Olympic Decline
For the week of Feb. 16, 2026, ABC's World News Tonight averaged 8.867 million total viewers and 1.138 million Adults 25–54 viewers, marking week-over-week gains of +2% (total viewers) and +3% (A25-54). NBC Nightly News averaged 7.595 million and 1.18 million in the demo, remaining No. 1 in Adults 25–54—helped by NBC’s Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics coverage—but fell -3% (total) and -5% (demo) versus the prior week. CBS Evening News averaged 4.168 million total viewers and 475,000 in the demo, flat in total viewers and up +4% in the demo week-over-week. Year-over-year comparisons showed mixed results: ABC was +7% (total) and -1% (demo); NBC was +13% (total) and +16% (demo); CBS was -10% (total) and -26% (demo). Nielsen national Live+Same-Day Big Data+Panel ratings were the source. ABC and CBS weekly averages exclude their Feb. 20 broadcasts because the shows were retitled and omitted from weekly/season averages.
NBC and CBS Gain in April 13 Evening News Ratings
Adweek's TVNewser reports national Nielsen live+same-day Big Data+Panel ratings for the week of April 13, 2026. ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir remained the most-watched evening newscast in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo but declined week-over-week. NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas and CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil posted gains in the A25-54 demographic. Nielsen averages for the week show ABC at 8.175 million total viewers and 1.01 million A25-54; NBC at 6.441 million and 943,000 A25-54; CBS at 3.804 million and 482,000 A25-54. Week-over-week changes: ABC -3% total/-5% demo; NBC flat total/+4% demo; CBS flat total/+1% demo. The report notes NBC’s weekly averages exclude a retitled Friday broadcast and provides year-over-year comparisons versus the same week in 2025.
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