ABC NEWS OUTPERFORMS NBC NEWS ON ELECTION NIGHT BY 2.67 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS
Led by Charles Gibson, �Vote 2006� Was Up 53% Among Total Viewers and 27% in the Key Demo Rating Compared to Mid-Term Election Coverage 4 Years Ago
ABC News averaged 9.67 million Total Viewers and a 3.3 among Adults 25-54 during its 90-minute primetime election special last night. Led by Charles Gibson, ABC�s �Vote 2006� drew 2.67 million more Total Viewers than NBC�s coverage � an impressive 38% advantage.
ABC News was up 53% among Total Viewers and 27% in the Adult 25-54 demo rating compared to its mid-term election special in 2002. Compared to Tom Brokaw�s coverage in 2002, Brian Williams and NBC News dropped 7% among Total Viewers and 18% in the key demo rating, despite higher coverage in 2006 (98% in �06 vs. 94% in �02).
ABC News strongly outperformed NBC News in the two half-hours the networks went head-to-head. Please note: Data for CBS News will be available later this afternoon. A revised release will be issued at that time.
Anchored by Mr. Gibson, �Vote 2006� featured analysis and reports from Chief Washington Correspondent George Stephanopoulos, �Nightline� co-anchor Terry Moran, Senior Political Correspondent Jake Tapper, Chief White House Correspondent Martha Raddatz, GMA Weekend co-anchor Kate Snow, ABC News Political Commentator Cokie Roberts, Political Director Mark Halperin, George Will, and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile.
ABC�s �Vote 2006� aired live from 9:30-11:00 p.m., ET and PT.
PRIMETIME COVERAGE (NOVEMBER 7, 2006)
Total Viewers A25-54 (rating)
ABC 9,670,000 3.3
NBC 7,000,000 2.7
Source: Nielsen Fast Nationals, NTI
[EDITOR'S NOTE: What follows is the afternoon update with the final national Nielsen ratings.]
Quick Take for Tuesday, November 7, 2006 � Final Ratings
ABC Marks is Ninth Straight Week as Tuesday�s Most-Watched Network,
Up by 3.2 Million Viewers and 18% in Adults 18-49 from Same Night Last Year
Tuesday�s Most-Watched TV Program for the Ninth Week in a Row,
ABC�s �Dancing with the Stars� Attracts its Largest Audience This Season
ABC News� �Vote 2006� is the No. 1 Choice for Election Coverage, Outdelivering
NBC and CBS Coverage by Wide Margins in Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49
Tuesday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)
ABC ranked No. 1 on Tuesday in Total Viewers (14.6 million), marking its 9th straight week as the night�s most-watched TV network. The Net also won the evening among Women 18-49 (5.3/13) and Kids 2-11 (1.9/8). ABC delivered a solid second on the evening among Adults 18-49 (3.9/10).
� Versus the year-ago night, ABC�s November Sweep delivery was up by 3.2 million viewers and by 18% in Adults 18-49 (11.4 million & 3.3/8 on 11/8/05). On average this season, the Network�s Tuesday night performance has increased by 32% in Total Viewers (15.2 million vs. 11.5 million) and by 23% in Adults 18-49 (4.3/11 vs. 3.5/9) over the same point last season.
�Dancing with the Stars Special Recap� (8:00-8:30 p.m.)
ABC's special recapping the third season, �Dancing With the Stars Recap� won its time period with an average audience of 18.2 million viewers and a 4.8 rating, 13 share in Adults 18-49.
�Dancing with the Stars� (8:30-9:30 p.m.)
The regular installment of ABC's �Dancing with the Stars� stood as Tuesday�s most-watched TV show for the 9th consecutive week. With an average audience of 22.0 million viewers and a 5.9 rating, 14 share among young adults, �DWTS� was up week to week with the series� largest audience of the season and its second-highest Adult 18-49 number. In fact, it was the third-biggest audience ever for the ABC unscripted series, behind only its previous two season finales.
�ABC News Vote 2006� (9:30-11:00 p.m.)
During the final half of the evening, ABC News� �Vote 2006� was the definitive No. 1 choice for election night coverage. ABC News� election night coverage outdelivered second-place NBC�s coverage (�Decision 2006 Special� 10:00-11:00 p.m.) by 2.4 million viewers (8.6 million vs. 6.2 million), by 22% in Adults 25-54 (2.8/7 vs. 2.3/6) and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/6 vs. 1.9/5).
Source: Nielsen Media Research (Preliminary, Live+SD), 11/7/06
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