David Muir remains the undisputed king of the evening network news, while NBC\u2019s Tom Llamas continues to gain ground in the demo on the perennial ratings leader.<\/p>\n
ABC\u2019s \u201cWorld News Tonight\u201d <\/a>finished June as the nation\u2019s most-watched nightly newscast, averaging 7.82 million viewers and narrowly edging out NBC\u2019s \u201cNightly News\u201d in the advertiser-coveted 25-to-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel figures.<\/p>\n Llamas is making the race tighter in the demo.<\/p>\n David Muir\u2019s \u201cWorld News Tonight\u201d remained the nation\u2019s most-watched nightly newscast in June, averaging 7.82 million viewers. ABC via Getty Images<\/p>\n The NBC broadcast averaged 936,000 viewers among adults 25 to 54 during June \u2014 just 11,000 behind ABC\u2019s 947,000 \u2014 marking the closest June gap between the two networks in nine years.<\/p>\n The narrowing margin caps Llamas\u2019 first year as anchor, during which NBC has steadily chipped away at ABC\u2019s demographic advantage.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, Muir has maintained a commanding lead in total viewers, with \u201cWorld News Tonight\u201d averaging 7.82 million viewers in June \u2014 roughly 1.4 million more than \u201cNBC Nightly News,\u201d according to Nielsen.<\/p>\n Tom Llamas\u2019 \u201cNBC Nightly News\u201d came within 11,000 viewers of ABC in the key adults 25-54 demo in June. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cWorld News Tonight\u201d also continues to lead NBC by roughly 1.8 million viewers season-to-date and CBS by 4.3 million viewers<\/a> \u2014 its largest lead over both rivals in more than three decades \u2014 even as sports preemptions and a carriage dispute affecting ABC affiliates disrupted distribution in some markets during June.<\/p>\n Still, NBC touted June as its fifth straight month of year-over-year audience growth across total viewers and key advertising demographics.<\/p>\n The network also said \u201cNightly News\u201d posted its largest June audience in six years and recorded multiple daily demo victories over ABC during the month.<\/p>\n \u201cCBS Evening News\u201d remained a distant third<\/a>, averaging 3.91 million total viewers \u2014 with 564,000 viewers who were 25 to 54 and 373,000 adults in the 18-to-49 demographic during June.<\/p>\n Tony Dokoupil\u2019s \u201cCBS Evening News\u201d remained third in June but showed signs of ratings growth. CBS via Getty Images<\/p>\n Still, CBS says its revamped broadcast anchored by Tony Dokoupil continues to build momentum after launching in January.<\/p>\n According to the network, the program is up 1% in total viewers from May while the 25-to-54 demo has grown 9% from a year ago and 7% from last month, marking its strongest monthly performance in the demographic since January.<\/p>\n The upticks came in spite of tumult at the network, especially on the \u201c60 Minutes\u201d staff.<\/a><\/p>\n