Overview
- New Nielsen data for the week ending March 13 shows the Tony Dokoupil–anchored broadcast averaging about 3.83 million viewers and roughly 468,000 adults 25–54, with Friday’s retitled episode excluded.
- Rivals widened their leads, with ABC’s World News Tonight at approximately 8.48 million total viewers and 1.03 million in the key demo, and NBC Nightly News at about 6.51 million and 946,000.
- Quarter-to-date, adults 25–54 are down around 15% year over year, even after early weeks of the relaunch peaked near 4.6 million total viewers.
- CBS points to season-to-date momentum, saying the program is up roughly 7% in total viewers and 10% in the 25–54 demo versus the season’s average.
- Operational strains mounted as roughly 60 CBS News 24/7 unionized staffers held a 24-hour walkout over contract terms and as unnamed insiders speculated to the New York Post—an assertion CBS disputes—that executive producer Kim (Karen) Harvey could be replaced if ratings fail to rebound.