Tom Llamas Leads NBC Nightly News to Top in Key Demo Monday

Recent ratings reveal that NBC Nightly News achieved significant growth in key demographics, specifically the A25-54 and A18-49 age brackets. During the week of January 12, 2026, it was the only evening newscast to record an increase in both categories compared to the previous year. This rise comes at a time when ABC’s World News Tonight faced declines in viewership.

NBC Nightly News Leads in Key Demos

According to Nielsen data, NBC Nightly News led the A25-54 demographic by 91,000 viewers on Monday. The program averaged 964,000 viewers in this key age group, outperforming CBS by 380,000 viewers.

Year-over-Year Comparisons

• NBC Nightly News increased its A25-54 viewership by 16,000 compared to last year.
• ABC’s World News Tonight, in contrast, declined by 14% in A25-54 viewers.
• NBC narrowed the A25-54 gap with ABC by 71% year-over-year.

This trend marks the closest demographic gap between the two networks in six years, indicating a shift in viewer preferences.

Total Viewership Statistics

NBC Nightly News also emerged as the second most-watched television program of the week, achieving an average of 6.679 million total viewers. This figure surpasses CBS by 2.490 million viewers, representing a 59% advantage.

A18-49 Demographic Insights

• NBC averaged 666,000 viewers in the A18-49 demographic, ahead of CBS by 201,000 viewers.
• Nightly News improved its A18-49 audience by 25,000 viewers from the previous year.
• The program narrowed its A18-49 gap with ABC by 56% year-over-year, achieving the closest margin in two years.

With these numbers, NBC Nightly News continues to solidify its position as a leading choice for viewers in these essential demographics. This growth, combined with ABC’s significant losses, illustrates a changing landscape in evening news consumption.

This latest report underscores NBC’s resurgence in viewership, positioning NBC Nightly News favorably in the competitive landscape of evening news broadcasts.