First ‘CBS Evening News’ Broadcast from New D.C. Home Gets Highest Audience Since Norah O’Donnell’s Debut

Ted Johnson

Click here to read the full article.

UPDATED: Norah O’Donnell’s first broadcast of CBS Evening News from her permanent home in D.C. posted its highest audience numbers since its July debut.

The broadcast on Monday drew 6.8 million total viewers and 1.4 million viewers among those in the key 25-54 demographic, according to fast national numbers from Nielsen. The broadcast was the first on a new set from O’Donnell’s new home at the network’s D.C. bureau. CBS promoted the move on 60 Minutes on Sunday.

More from Deadline

The telecast drew its highest audience since the show launched in July, and the numbers for Monday were 25% higher than the season to date average of 5.4 million viewers, according to CBS. The show also was the most watched telecast among 25-54 viewers since her launch on July 15.

Other networks said that they also were up for the night, as snowstorms across the country led the newscasts.

CBS Evening News still trails ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. In the recent November sweeps period, World News Tonight had 8.95 million total viewers, compared with 8.16 million for NBC Nightly News and 5.78 million for CBS Evening News. Compared with the same period last year, World News Tonight was up 3%, NBC Nightly News was down 4%, and CBS Evening News was down 8%.

But CBS executives say they are encouraged by week-to-week ratings growth. Last week, CBS Evening News averaged 6 million viewers and 1.2 million viewers in the 25-54 demographic.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.