ABC's WORLD NEWS Delivers Most-Watched Season in 4 Years

For the week of December 9, 2013, "ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" averaged 8.286 million Total Viewers and a 1.7 rating/6 share/2.043 million in Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research. "World News" was up over the previous week in Total Viewers (+4% - 7.985 million on 12/02/13), turning in its strongest performance of the season (excluding the two-day average of Thanksgiving week - w/o 11/25/13). In addition, "World News" stood as the only evening newscast to grow its overall audience week to week compared "CBS Evening News" (-2%) and "NBC Nightly News" (-3%).

With its best single-day performance of the season on Monday (12/9/13) "World News'" scored its top telecast in both Total Viewers (9.684 million) and Adults 25-54 (2.642 million) in nearly 8 months - since 4/15/13. "World News'" Monday broadcast outdelivered "Nightly News" on the night (9.460 million and 2.588 million, respectively) by +244,000 Total Viewers and by +54,000 demo viewers. Further, "World News" claimed the week's No. 1 Adults 25-54 telecast with its Monday airing.

"World News" decreased its margins with "NBC Nightly News" versus the previous week in both Total Viewers (-36% - 1.013 million vs. 1.587 million) and Adults 25-54 (-7% - 323,000 vs. 347,000).

"World News" cut its year-to-year news demo margin with "NBC Nightly News" also in both in Total Viewers (-5% - 1.013 million vs. 1.070 million) and Adults 25-54 (-38% - 323,000 vs. 524,000). In fact, "World News" has narrowed its Adults 25-54 year-to-year gap with the NBC program by double-digits in 7 of the last 9 weeks.

Season to date, "World News" is up versus the same point last season in Total Viewers (+1%), delivering its most-watched season in 4 years - since the 2009-10 season. In addition, "World News" is narrowing its season margin with "NBC Nightly News" in Adults 25-54 by double-digits (-21%) compared to its season margin from the same point last year. In fact, "World News" is posting its smallest news demo margin (281,000) with the NBC program in 5 years- since the 2008-09 season.

Further, "World News" has significantly widened its Adults 25-54 lead over "CBS Evening News" versus its year-ago season lead by 77% (321,000 vs. 181,000). In fact, outdelivering the CBS program in every week this season, "World News" has increased its year-to-year demo margin in 11 of 12 weeks of the season.

For the week, "ABC World News" beat the "CBS Evening News" by 922,000 Total Viewers and by 166,000 Adults 25-54.

"ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" airs at 6:30 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network. Michael Corn is the executive producer of the broadcast. Follow Diane Sawyer and the "World News" team online: @DianeSawyer; @ABCWorldNews; facebook.com/DianeSawyer; facebook.com/WorldNews.