Network news ratings battle heats up amid coronavirus with ‘World News Tonight’ adding unique second half hour

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Amid the plethora of news generated by the coronavirus pandemic, the networks have upped their news games.

American TV networks have started adding additional airings of their evening newscasts in select markets.

ABC World News Tonight” however, stands out in that it’s offering a second unique live half hour broadcast with expanded reporting rather than just running a taped version of the earlier newscast or a new live with minimal updates.

The second “part” of “World News Tonight” started Monday, March 30, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. eastern and airs in select markets, an ABC News source confirmed.

The network is still airing its normal half hour at 6:30 p.m. eastern as normal as well — and also, like CBS and NBC, runs a repeat of this broadcast overnight in select markets that counts toward the show’s total ratings.

ABC also airs the 6:30 p.m. eastern live feed in the mid afternoon in select western markets, which also count toward the overall ratings.

NBC News has been airing a repeat of “NBC Nightly News” in select markets for several weeks at 7:30 p.m. eastern but the broadcast isn’t updated as significantly as ABC’s edition airing at the same time, according to insiders.

That additional airing helped boost ratings for “Nightly” in recent weeks.

ABC is leading off the second edition with a summary of the day’s coronavirus developments but then switches gears with new reports, many of which are culled from affiliate stations across the country.

The initial plan, according to a network source, is to run the second edition of “WNT” in select markets for a week.

For the week of March 23, 2020, which is before “World News Tonight” added the second unique half hour, Nielsen data shows “Nightly” coming in second with about 10.8 million viewers across all airings, with “World News Tonight” coming in first with 11.92 million.

During this time period, NBC was running a repeat of “Nightly” at 7:30 p.m. in some markets.

“CBS Evening News” trails with 7.42 million across all airings.

ABC was edged out in the adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 demos by NBC with 2.78 million watching “WNT” and 2.92 million watching “Nightly.”

For the first quarter of 2020, ABC is ahead in the 18-49 demo with about 2 million viewers compared to NBC’s 1.9 million. For the 18-49 demo, the two networks are neck and neck with 1.364 million watching ABC and 1.369 million NBC.

Ratings watchers insiders ABC are also closing tracking season to date ratings, which indicate ABC may beat NBC in the demos for the first time in 12 years.

Full ratings data for the week with ABC’s new second half hour was not available as of this writing.

ABC has also turned over its 1 p.m. eastern timeslot, normally occupied by “GMA3,” to a daily hourlong special on coronavirus.

“World News Tonight” anchor David Muir, meanwhile, is working from home for most of the day, venturing to the mostly deserted studio late in the afternoon, where he broadcasts with only a floor manager and writer in the room — socially distanced from each other of course.