“World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (8.642 million), Adults 25-54 (1.028 million) and Adults 18-49 (759,000) during the week of Feb. 23, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.
- “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (6.788 million, 989,000 and 689,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+27%/+1.854 million), Adults 25-54 (+4%/+39,000) and Adults 18-49 (+10%/+70,000).
- “World News Tonight” increased its Total Viewer lead over “NBC Nightly News” by its largest margin in 4 weeks and by double digits both week to week (+46% – 1.854 million vs. 1.272 million) and year to year (+22% – 1.854 million vs. 1.522 million).
- For the 6th week running, “World News Tonight” grew its Total Viewer audience year to year (+6%/+479,000 – 8.642 million vs. 8.163 million).
- For the 3rd consecutive week, “World News Tonight” (8.642 million, 1.028 million and 759,000, respectively) doubled the “CBS Evening News” audience (4.170 million, 504,000 and 380,000, respectively) and outdelivered the program by triple digits in Total Viewers (+107%/+4.472 million), Adults 25-54 (+104%/+524,000) and Adults 18-49 (+100%/+379,000).
- “World News Tonight” increased its advantage over the “CBS Evening News” versus the same week last year in Total Viewers (+18% – 4.472 million vs. 3.778 million) and Adults 25-54 (+11% – 524,000 vs. 470,000).