Sawyer’s First Week Solid, But ‘World’ Still Trails ‘Nightly’

ABC newscast second behind NBC; CBS distant third

The numbers are in for Diane Sawyer’s first week in the “World News” anchor chair, and they’re solid, if unspectacular.

Sawyer drew an average of 8.56 million total viewers, 2.27 million in the coveted 25-to-54-year-old demographic, according to Nielsen.

But Sawyer, who anchored Monday through Thursday, still trailed Brian Williams and NBC’s “Nightly News” which drew 9.37 million total viewers, 2.84 million in the 25-54 demo. (Williams anchored three days last week, Monday-Wednesday.)

CBS’s “Evening News With Katie Couric” was a distant third: 6.16 million total viewers, and 1.83 million in the demo.

Sawyer’s replacement at Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos, fared a tad better during his first week, ratingswise.  “Good Morning America” averaged 4.6 million total viewers and 1.93 million in the 24-54 demo – its best performance of the season, ABC said.

More to read:

Diane Sawyer Provides Ratings Bump for ABC
Liveblogging Diane Sawyer’s ‘World News’ Debut

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