More People Watch Portions of CBS NEWS During Premiere Week Than Any Other Broadcast News

More people watched portions of CBS News' major news programs during premiere week than watched any other broadcast network's news offerings, according to Nielsen's most current ratings for the week ending Sept. 27, 2015. An estimated 55.9 million people watched some of CBS News broadcasts in the first week of the new season, more than 9 million people ahead of its closest network competitor.

Indeed, unmatched interviews with top newsmakers and original reporting from around the globe helped propel CBS News' major broadcasts to strong premiere week performances, with adults 25-54 and total viewers, according to Nielsen.

The Network's news strength was across the board, with the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY posting the largest year-to-year gain with viewers among the broadcast evening newscasts; 60 MINUTES finishing as the #1 news program on television; CBS THIS MORNING being the only morning newscast to post year-to-year audience growth; and time period wins by 48 HOURS and CBS SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLES OSGOOD.

CBS News strong audience numbers were driven by Charlie Rose's interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Scott Pelley's interview with Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump for 60 MINUTES, which were featured across multiple CBS News broadcasts. Likewise, major contributors to the overall performance were House Speaker John Boehner's first sit down interview following his surprise retirement with John Dickerson on FACE THE NATION; on-the-ground reporting following Pope Francis' historic trip to America on the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY; 48 HOURS' in-depth reporting on the murder of a college student and that case's ties to others; and CBS SUNDAY MORNING reports on millennials and former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Here's a recap of how CBS News broadcasts performed last week, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings:

The CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY posted the largest year-to-year gain in viewers among the network evening news broadcasts for the week ending Sept. 25. The broadcast delivered 6.55 million viewers (+3% from 6.38m) and a 1.2/05 with adults 25-54. Editor's Note: Ratings for the CBS EVENING NEWS represent a four-day average (Monday-Wednesday, Friday) due to THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. The CBS year-ago comparison also represents a four-day average.

60 MINUTES was premiere week's #1 newsmagazine on any network and landed at #7 on Nielsen's Top 10. The 48th season kick-off broadcast delivered 15.04 million viewers and a 3.7/10 with adults 25-54.

FACE THE NATION delivered 3.13 million viewers and a 0.6/03 with adults 25-54 on Sept. 27. Editor's Note: FACE THE NATION's second half-hour was broadcast contiguously across 57.4% of the CBS affiliates and FACE THE NATION was delayed in New York City.

CBS THIS MORNING was the only network morning newscast to post year-to-year growth for the week ending Sept. 25. The broadcast delivered 3.30 million viewers (+10% from 3.00m) and a 0.8/07 with adults 25-54. CBS THIS MORNING gained more than a quarter of a million viewers (+300,000) compared to the same week last year and closed the viewership gap with NBC by almost half a million (490,000) viewers, and cut the deficit with ABC by 1.12 million viewers. Less than 1 million viewers separate CBS THIS MORNING from NBC (970,000).

CBS SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLES OSGOOD opened its 38th season as the #1 Sunday morning news program with adults viewers and adults 25-54 on Sept. 27. The broadcast delivered 5.20 million viewers and a 1.1/06 with adults 25-54.

48 HOURS The 28th season premiere at 10:00 PM was Saturday's #1 primetime program with viewers, and the #1 non-sports broadcast with adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 on Sept. 26. At 10:00, 48 HOURS; regular time period, the broadcast was #1 with an audience of 5.25 million viewers and a 1.4/04 with adults 25-54. At 9:00 PM, the first part of a two-hour broadcast, was #1 in the time period with viewers. The hour delivered 4.16 million viewers, a 1.1/04 with adults 25-54.

CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY delivered 1.97 million viewers and a 0.4/03 with adults 25-54 on Sept. 26.

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