Week of December 29
The period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve feels like no man’s land. No one knows what to make of it. That includes the evening news shows. For instance, NBC News does not have any weekly averages. None of its telecasts were categorized as regular telecasts.
Note: The weekly averages for ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News are based on different periods: ABC News’ average covers two days (Monday-Wednesday). It’s Wednesday (12/31/25) broadcast was preempted, coded as a special on Thursday (1/1/26), and retitled to WNT-ABC on Friday (1/2/26). NBC News’ broadcast was retitled to NBC Nitely News on Monday (12/29/25), Tuesday (12/30/25), and Friday, and was coded as specials on Wednesday and Thursday. CBS News’ averages are based on three days (Monday, Tuesday, and Friday).
According to national live+same-day big data plus program ratings from Nielsen, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir averaged 7.730 million total viewers for the week of December 29. It saw a -2% decline in total viewers and a -5% decline in the A25-54 demo, which had 883,000 viewers. Looking at its performance to the same week in 2024* (the week beginning December 30), WNT was up +11% in total viewers and flat in the demo.
CBS Evening News had 4.046 million total viewers and 486,000 viewers in the demo for the week of December 29. The broadcast was down -1% in total viewers but up +6% in the demo compared to the previous week. Its year-ago week numbers were down by -9% in total viewers and -24% in the demo.
*Please note that year-over-year comparisons are based on Nielsen big data+panel (2025) vs. panel (2024) measurements.
| ABC | NBC | CBS | |
| • Total Viewers: | 7,730,000 | – | 4,046,000 |
| • A25-54: | 883,000 | – | 486,000 |
Fourth Quarter 2025
Examining the quarterly ratings, World News Tonight with David Muir remained the top-rated broadcast during the fourth quarter of 2025. NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas was the evening newscast to see growth in both total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo. Meanwhile, CBS Evening News was the only broadcast to post quarter-to-quarter losses in either measured category.
According to Nielsen Media Research, World News Tonight finished the fourth quarter with 7.862 million total viewers and 974,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo. When put against the third quarter, WNT grew by +9% in total viewers and was flat in the demo. Compared with the year-ago quarter (Q4 2024*), ABC News’ broadcast ratings grew by +4% in total viewers but fell by -9% in the demo.
NBC Nightly News averaged 6.224 million total viewers and 848,000 A25-54 viewers during the just-concluded quarter. The newscast was up +12% in total viewers and +8% in the demo when compared to the prior quarter—it was the only broadcast with double-digit growth in either of the measured categories. Checking its performance relative to the year-ago quarter, it was up +3% in total viewers but down -5% in the A25-54 demo.
