ABC leads in both total viewers and the Adults 25–54 demo; CBS Evening News posts the weakest numbers across the board
The week of April 6 ratings for America’s three major broadcast evening newscasts are in, and the numbers tell a clear story: ABC held firm at the top, while CBS and NBC both had a difficult week.
ABC World News Tonight, anchored by David Muir, averaged 8.417 million total viewers and 1.067 million in the Adults 25–54 demo for the week. Total viewers dipped 2% from the prior week, while the key demo held flat. More significantly, compared to the same week in 2025, ABC is up 12% in total viewers and 5% in the key demo — a strong year-over-year trajectory that signals sustained audience loyalty.
NBC Nightly News, anchored by Tom Llamas, averaged 6.434 million total viewers and 909,000 in the Adults 25–54 demo. The week-over-week numbers were rough: total viewers fell 4%, while the key demo dropped a steep 13% — a significant single-week loss for the network. On a year-over-year basis, NBC is up 6% in total viewers and 7% in the Adults demo, offering some longer-term consolation.
READ MORE: ABC Still Leads, But CBS & NBC Close the Gap: Big Shifts in U.S. News Ratings Amid Iran Tensions
CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil finished a distant third. The broadcast averaged 3.807 million total viewers and just 477,000 in the Adults 25–54 demo for the week of April 6. Compared to the prior week, total viewers declined 8% and the key demo cratered 16%. Year-over-year, total viewers are up a modest 2%, but the key demo is still down 3% from the same week in 2025 — a troubling sign for advertiser confidence.
“CBS Evening News is facing a structural challenge at this point,” said one senior media analyst. “Swapping anchors doesn’t bring viewers back on its own. The network needs a serious rethink — both in terms of format and digital distribution strategy.”
On April 10, ABC aired live coverage of Artemis II’s return to Earth, with David Muir hosting the hour-long special. The broadcast pulled in 9.77 million total viewers and 2.362 million in the Adults 25–54 demo, leading all networks for the night. Fox News (4.999 million) and CBS News (4.585 million) trailed well behind, while NBC News drew 3.912 million total viewers and 946,000 in the key demo.
The broadcast evening news market continues to face long-term pressure from digital and streaming platforms. Against that backdrop, ABC’s 12% year-over-year audience growth is a notable outlier — proof that the format still holds value when executed well. For CBS, however, persistent declines in the key advertising demo represent an urgent problem. Without a meaningful strategic intervention, the network risks further erosion of its advertiser base and competitive relevance in the daypart.
ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News, and CBS Evening News all air weeknights at 6:30/5:30c on their respective networks.
