CBS's FACE THE NATION Delivers Best 4Q Audience in At Least 29 Years

By: Caryn Robbins Dec. 28, 2016

CBS News' FACE THE NATION, America's #1 Sunday morning public affairs program with viewers, delivered its best fourth quarter audience in at least 29 years, according to Nielsen most current ratings for the 2016 period. The broadcast finished the quarter with double-digit percentage growth in both viewers and adults 25-54.

In the fourth quarter 2016, FACE THE NATION delivered 3.86 million viewers and 0.8/04 in adults 25-54, the demographic that matters most to those who advertise in news. The broadcast finished the quarter #1 in viewers and tied for second in adults 25-54. Compared to fourth quarter 2015, FACE THE NATION was up +10% in viewers (from 3.52m) and up +14% in adults 25-54 (from 0.7/03). Editor's Note: FACE THE NATION's second half-hour was broadcast contiguously across 58.7% of the CBS affiliates.

FACE THE NATION aired a special telecast on Sunday due to the Christmas holiday, so there is no comparison to the same week last year. The Christmas show opened with an interview with THE LATE SHOW'S Stephen Colbert. In a 66 year CBS News tradition, John Dickerson hosted a CBS News correspondent year in review panel, with CBS News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Margaret Brennan, Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett, Homeland Security and Justice Department Correspondent Jeff Pegues, Chief Legal Correspondent Jan Crawford, National Security Correspondent David Martin and Congressional Correspondent Nancy Cordes.

Mary Hager is the Executive Producer of the Emmy award-winning FACE THE NATION, one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television.