If you’ve ever sat down at 6:30 PM and wondered why David Muir’s face seems to be everywhere, you’re not alone. It’s actually a statistical juggernaut. For a long time, talking about abc world news ratings was kind of boring because the answer was always the same: ABC wins. Period. But lately, things have gotten a little weird in the world of Nielsen boxes and broadcast towers.
Honestly, the numbers are massive. We are talking about nearly 8 million people tuning in every single night. In an era where everyone is supposedly on TikTok or arguing on X, that many people watching a linear TV broadcast is almost unheard of. It’s the kind of audience that makes advertisers drool.
The Current State of ABC World News Ratings
Right now, as we hit the start of 2026, ABC's "World News Tonight with David Muir" is still sitting on the throne, but the seat is getting a little warm. For the week of January 5, 2026, the show pulled in 8.078 million total viewers. That’s a huge number. To put it in perspective, it beat NBC by about 1.3 million people and absolutely crushed CBS by nearly 4 million.
But here is the catch.
While ABC is winning the "total people" game, they just got a serious wake-up call in the demographic that actually pays the bills: Adults aged 25-54. For the first time in six years, "NBC Nightly News" (now hosted by Tom Llamas) actually beat ABC in that specific age group during a full week. It was close—992,000 viewers for NBC versus 989,000 for ABC—but in the world of TV executives, that’s a seismic shift.
It's a dogfight.
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ABC has held the top spot in total viewers for 10 straight years. That is a decade of dominance. You don’t just stumble into that kind of success; it’s built on a specific brand of "anchor trust" that David Muir has cultivated. People like his vibe. It’s polished, it’s fast-paced, and it feels steady.
Why Does ABC Keep Winning Total Viewers?
Consistency is king. While CBS has been throwing everything at the wall—including a massive overhaul with Tony Dokoupil and bringing in Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief—ABC has basically stayed the course.
People crave routine.
When the world feels like it’s falling apart, there’s a certain comfort in seeing the same person in the same suit telling you the same kind of stories at the same time. ABC’s strategy has been to focus heavily on "human stories" and boots-on-the-ground reporting. According to recent industry shifts, viewers are moving away from "talking head" analysis and moving toward original investigations. ABC leaned into this early.
The Battle of the Big Three: How They Compare
If you look at the landscape today, the gap between the networks is wider than it’s been in decades.
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ABC is averaging around 7.88 million viewers season-to-date.
NBC is trailing with about 6.26 million.
CBS is way back at 4.04 million.
Actually, the lead ABC has over CBS is the largest it’s been since at least 1991. That’s 35 years. CBS is having a rough time, frankly. They’ve lost about a million viewers since their recent leadership change, and while they are seeing some growth on YouTube and digital clips, the "big screen" in the living room isn't reflecting that yet.
The interesting part? NBC is the only one really gaining ground on the leader. Tom Llamas has managed to narrow the gap with David Muir by about 15% compared to last year. He’s younger, he’s energetic, and he’s pulling in those 25-54-year-olds that ABC used to own.
Is Linear TV Dying?
Well, sort of, but not as fast as you’d think.
Yes, overall evening news viewership dropped by about a million people between 2024 and 2025. That sounds bad. But 18 million people are still watching one of the "Big Three" every night. That is a bigger audience than almost anything else on television besides the NFL.
The "vibe" of the news is changing too. By 2026, we’re seeing more interactive ad formats. You might see a QR code on the screen during a segment on a new tech gadget, or a "tap-to-shop" prompt if you're watching on a smart TV. ABC has been surprisingly quick to adapt to this, which helps keep their abc world news ratings stable even as the older generation—their bread and butter—starts to age out.
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What This Means for You (The Actionable Part)
If you're a media buyer, a student of journalism, or just someone who likes to know who’s winning the culture war, here is the bottom line:
- Trust is the only currency left. ABC’s 10-year streak isn't about the graphics; it’s about the fact that people trust David Muir more than the alternatives right now.
- The "Demo" is shifting. If you want to see where the news is going, watch NBC. Their recent win in the 25-54 category suggests that younger audiences are looking for a slightly different tone—perhaps a bit more "digital-first" in its presentation.
- Watch the Digital Pivot. CBS is losing on TV but winning on YouTube. This is a deliberate trade-off. They are betting that the future isn't a 6:30 PM appointment, but a series of viral clips shared at 10:00 PM.
To stay ahead of these trends, keep an eye on the weekly Nielsen "Big Data + Panel" reports. The old way of measuring TV (just the boxes) is gone. Now, they track everything from streaming to "out-of-home" viewing in bars and airports.
The battle for the top spot is no longer a foregone conclusion. While ABC is the current heavyweight champion, the 2026 ratings show that the "untouchable" David Muir is finally facing a real challenge from NBC. The next six months will determine if ABC can hold onto its crown or if we’re witnessing the end of an era.
Check the ratings every Tuesday morning when the full weekly sweeps come out. That’s where the real story is told.