via press release:
For the week of March 12, 2012, “ABC World News with Diane Sawyer” averaged 7.30 million Total Viewers and a 1.6 rating/6 share/1.88 million in Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research.
For the 2nd consecutive week, “World News” cut its weekly margins with “NBC Nightly News” by double-digits among both Total Viewers (-41% - 798,000 vs. 1.35 million) and Adults 25-54 (-50% - 213,000 vs. 424,000), turning in its smallest margins with the NBC newscast in nearly 3 months – since w/o 12/26/11.
Compared to the year-ago week, “World News” slashed its gaps with “Nightly News” by -33% in Total Viewers (798,000 vs. 1.20 million) and by -63% in Adults 25-54 (213,000 vs. 575,000).
Season-to-date, “World News” has narrowed the gaps with “NBC Nightly News” among both Total Viewers (-6%) and Adults 25-54 (-19%), posting its smallest Total Viewer (1.09 million) and news demo margins (371,000) with the NBC program in 3 years – since the 2008-09 season.
“ABC World News” outdrew the “CBS Evening News” by 1.42 million Total Viewers and by 196,000 Adults 25-54, posting its largest Total Viewer lead in 6 weeks – since w/o 1/30/12.
Note: For the first week of Daylight Saving Time, the 6:30p-7p Households using television (HUT) level was down -7% week to week, while the People Using Television (PUT) levels among Adults 25-54 was down -8% and Total Viewers down -8%. “CBS Evening News” aired with low coverage and was broken out on Thu 3/15/12 (79%) and Fri 3/16/12 (79%) due to NCAA Basketball and was retitled “CBS-Evening-Nws;” ratings for both days were excluded from the average. “World News” and “Nightly News” averages were based on 5 days.
“ABC World News with Diane Sawyer” airs at 6:30 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network. Michael Corn is the executive producer of the broadcast. Follow Diane Sawyer and the “World News” team online: @DianeSawyer; @ABCWorldNews; facebook.com/WorldNews.
EVENING NEWS (Week of March 12, 2012)
| Total Viewers | Adults 25-54 | Households | |
| ABC | 7,301,000 | 1.6/6; 1,884,000 | 5.0/10 |
| NBC | 8,099,000 | 1.7/7; 2,097,000 | 5.4/11 |
| CBS | 5,882,000 | 1.4/6; 1,688,000 | 4.0/ 8 |
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 3/12/12, 3/5/11 & 3/12/11. Most Current - 2011-2012 Season (9/19/11 – 3/18/12) and 2010-2011 Season (9/20/11 – 3/19/11).
