NBC News Again Wins Across the Board for Coverage of Republican Convention

By: Caryn Robbins Jul. 20, 2016

For the second night in a row, more Americans turned to NBC News for coverage of the 2016 Republican National Convention than any other broadcast television network. According to Nielsen Media Research data, the NBC News coverage (10p-11p) averaged 4.7 million total viewers, outperforming ABC by +2.4 million (+101%) and CBS by +2.1 million (+85%). NBC delivered a 2.9/5 Household rating/share, ahead of CBS' 1.7/3 and ABC's 1.6/3.

In the key news demographic of A25-54, NBC News beat the combined rating of its competitors, ABC and CBS, while also doubling ABC's rating. NBC averaged 1.6 million A25-54 viewers, leading ABC by +814,000 (+109%) and CBS by +772,000 (+97%). In A18-49, NBC also beat the combined ratings of ABC and CBS, averaging a 1.0 rating, beating ABC by +106% and CBS by +97%.

NBC is the only network to grow its audience across the board from day one of the Republican National Convention to day two. NBC News was also the most-watched broadcast network for the first night of the GOP convention. A combined 6.2 million people watched NBC News and MSNBC in the 10p hour on Tuesday night.

Holt anchored NBC News's primetime coverage of the Republican National convention, joined by Savannah Guthrie and Chuck Todd. NBC News correspondents Tom Brokaw, Peter Alexander and Hallie Jackson also contributed to the primetime hour, along with political commentator Nicolle Wallace. Holt will anchor NBC News's primetime coverage from live inside the convention hall through Thursday.