Once again, CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil dipped below the 4 million total viewer mark, the second time it has done so in a three-week span.
Note: The weekly averages of CBS Evening News are based on three days (Monday – Wednesday), while ABC News’ averages are based on four days (Monday – Thursday), and NBC News’ averages are based on four days (Monday-Wednesday, and Friday). CBS News’ Thursday (03/26/26) and Friday (03/27/26) broadcasts were retitled to CBS Evening Nws due to the network’s March Madness coverage. ABC News’ Friday broadcast was retitled to WNT-ABC, and NBC Nightly News on Thursday was retitled to NBC Nitely News. These broadcasts are excluded from the weekly and season averages.
According to national live+same-day big data plus program ratings from Nielsen, ABC World News Tonight averaged 8.629 million total viewers and 1.078 million Adults 25-54 demo viewers for the week of March 23. The evening newscast was down by -2% among total viewers and A25-54 viewers compared to the previous week. Looking at its performance during the same week in 2025* (the week beginning March 24), WNT was up +16% in total viewers and +5% in the demo.
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas finished in second place in total viewers and the demo, averaging 6.329 million and 927,000 viewers, respectively. Compared to the previous week, Nightly News was down in total viewers by -3% and -5% in the demo. When comparing its performance to the same week a year ago, Nightly News was up by +8% in total viewers and +13% in the demo.
CBS Evening News finished the week of March 23 with 3.911 million total viewers and 446,000 viewers in the demo. CBS News’ newscast saw declines of -6% in total viewers and -16% in the demo compared to the previous week. Its year-ago week numbers showed the newscast losing viewers by -2% in total viewers and -18% in the demo—the only broadcast with declines within this yearly comparison.
*Please note that year-over-year comparisons are based on Nielsen Big Data+Panel (2025) vs. Panel (2025) measurements.
March 23, 2026
| ABC | NBC | CBS | |
| • Total Viewers: | 8,629,000 | 6,329,00 | 3,911,000 |
| • A25-54: | 1,078,000 | 927,000 | 446,000 |
Source: Nielsen, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 National Live + Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings. Current Week (w/o 3/23/26), Previous Week (w/o 3/16/26) and Year-Ago Week (w/o 3/24/25). Season to date: Most Current Data Stream: 2025-2026 Season (9/22/25 – 3/29/26) and 2024-2025 Season (9/23/24 – 3/30/25). Most Current Data Stream – 1Q26: 12/29/25 – 3/29/26, 4Q25: 9/22/25 – 12/28/25 and 1Q25: 12/30/24 – 3/30/25.
