CBS News Broadcasts Maintain TV Year-to-Date Viewer Growth

CBS News' broadcasts maintained television year-to-date viewer growth, while also earning solid returns with the key news demographic of adults 25-54, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending July 19.

Across-the-board, CBS News' original reporting is drawing more viewers to date when compared to the same point a year ago, including growth for CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY, 60 MINUTES, FACE THE NATION, CBS THIS MORNING, CBS SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLES OSGOOD, 48 HOURS, and CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY. CBS News broadcasts also remain strong with the advertiser-desired adults 25-54 demographic, led by CBS THIS MORNING's double-digit year-to-year percentage growth with the key news audience.

CBS News broadcasts last week featured Margaret Brennan, Nancy Cordes and Major Garrett's work covering the Iran nuclear deal; John Dickerson's interview with Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Energy Dr. Ernest Moniz; two murder investigations by Erin Moriarty for 48 HOURS; Anthony Mason's interview with Beach Boys singer and songwriter Brian Wilson; John Blackstone's interview with plane crash SURVIVOR Autumn Veatch; and Omar Villafranca's reports on THE HUNT for Mexico prison escape and drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Here's a recap of how CBS News' broadcasts performed last week:

The CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY posted the largest year-to-year increase in viewers among the network evening news broadcasts for the week ending July 17. The broadcast delivered 6.49 million viewers (up +4% from 6.22m) and a 1.2/05 with adults 25-54. Television year-to-date, the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY is up +3% in viewers (7.11m from 6.89m) and even in adults 25-54 (1.4/06) compared to last year.

60 MINUTES finished the week as CBS's top-ranked program. 60 MINUTES (R) (7:00-8:01 PM) finished #1 with an audience delivery of 8.09 million viewers (up +2% from 7.93m) and a 1.3/05 with adults 25-54 on July 19. Television year-to-date, 60 MINUTES is delivering 11.38 million viewers (up +1% from 11.22m) and a 2.4/07 with adults 25-54.

FACE THE NATION delivered 2.55 million viewers and a 0.4/02 with adults 25-54 on July 19. Television year-to-date, FACE THE NATION is #1 in viewers and adults 25-54, delivering 3.34 million viewers and an 0.7/04 in adults 25-54 (tied with ABC). Compared to last year, FACE THE NATION is up +5% in viewers (from 3.18m) and even in adults 25-54.
CBS THIS MORNING posted double-digit percentage gains among adults 25-54, viewers, women 25-54 and women 18-49 compared to a year ago for the week ending July 17. CBS THIS MORNING delivered 3.21 million viewers (up +16% from 2.76m) and a 0.8/07 with adults 25-54 (up +14% from 0.7/06). CBS THIS MORNING added +450,000 viewers year-over-year, closing the gap with ABC by 800,000 viewers and with NBC by 500,000 viewers. CBS THIS MORNING cut its viewership gap with NBC to less than one million viewers. Television year-to-date, CBS THIS MORNING is the only network morning news broadcast posting gains in adults 25-54 (+13%, 0.9/07 from 0.8/06) and viewers (+10%, 3.37m from 3.08m) compared to last year.

48 HOURS had two Saturday broadcasts finish #1 in their respective time periods on June 18. The 10:00 PM broadcast was #1 overall for the night with adults 25-54 and viewers. The 10:00 PM broadcast delivered 5.02 million viewers and a 1.2/04 with adults 25-54. Compared to the same night last year, 48 HOURS was up +50% with adults 25-54 and up +64% in viewers. And at 9:00 PM 48 HOURS (R) (S) was #1 in adults 25-54 and viewers. The broadcast posted 3.78 million viewers and a 1.0/04 with adults 25-54. Television year-to-date, 48 HOURS is delivering 5.63 million viewers (up +8% from 5.21m) and is even with a 1.4/04 in adults 25-54 compared to last year.

CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY posted double-digit percentage year-to-year gains in viewers on July 18. The broadcast delivered 1.93 million viewers (up +28% from 1.50m) and a 0.5/04 with adults 25-54. Television year-to-date, CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY is the only Saturday morning network broadcast posting gains in viewers (+9%, 2.10m from 1.92m) compared to last year.