For the 19th week running, ABC's “World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program in Total Viewers (8.462 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of Aug 17, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.
- “World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (8.462 million), Adults 25-54 (1.059 million) and Adults 18-49 (816,000).
- “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (6.634 million, 1.025 million and 730,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+28%/+1.828 million), Adults 25-54 (+3%/+34,000) and Adults 18-49 (+12%/+86,000), seeing its largest overall viewer lead in 6 weeks — since w/o 7/6/26.
- “World News Tonight” widened its margins by double digits over “NBC Nightly News” on the same week last year in Total Viewers (+44% – 1.828 million vs. 1.266 million) and Adults 18-49 (+87% – 86,000 vs. 46,000).
- “World News Tonight” was up week to week in Total Viewers (+26,000 – 8.462 million vs. 8.436 million) to deliver its most-watched week in 5 weeks — since w/o 7/13/26.
- “World News Tonight” turned in double-digit gains on the same week last year in Total Viewers (+19%/+1.350 million – 8.462 million vs. 7.112 million), Adults 25-54 (+34%/+270,000 – 1.059 million vs. 789,000) and Adults 18-49 (+51%/+277,000 –816,000 vs. 539,000), posting year-to-year increases for the seventh straight week.
- On Monday (8/17/26), “World News Tonight” scored its most-watched telecast (9.063 million) in 5 months — since 3/17/26.
- “World News Tonight” (8.462 million, 1.059 million and 816,000, respectively) more than doubled its lead over “CBS Evening News” (3.965 million, 458,000 and 334,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+113%/+4.497 million), Adults 25-54 (+131%/+601,000) and Adults 18-49 (+144%/+482,000).
