Broadcast News Rebounds in 2011

In 2011, NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams averaged 8.76 million total viewers (up from 8.49 million in 2010), easily outpacing the 6:30 p.m. broadcasts on ABC and CBS. NBC Nightly News enjoyed its biggest year since 2006 when it averaged 8.8 million viewers per broadcast. ABC World News With Diane Sawyer took second place, closing out the year with an average delivery of 7.83 million viewers per broadcast. NBC’s margin of victory over ABC was 12 percent. All told, Sawyer’s ratings improved 5 percent from the year-ago 7.14 million. In a transition year, the CBS Evening News once again brought up the rear, averaging 5.96 million total viewers per night, an increase of 6 percent from 2010. Katie Couric hosted her final broadcast on Thursday, May 19, whereupon Harry Smith kept the anchor desk warm for a few weeks. Scott Pelley’s tenure began on June 6.