By David Bauder, Media Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Reflecting a hunger for information about the coronavirus outbreak, last Thursday's episode of ABC's "World News Tonight" had more viewers than anything that aired in television's primetime last week.
That edition of the David Muir-anchored broadcast reached 10.8 million viewers, slightly more than an original episode of "NCIS," the Nielsen company said. Collectively, the ABC, NBC and CBS evening newscasts on Thursday — which all air prior to the 8 p.m. start of television's traditional primetime — reached 26.3 million people.
CBS' "60 Minutes," which featured a Scott Pelley report on how New Rochelle, N.Y., is dealing with its hot spot of infected patients, and the CNN debate between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders also finished in Nielsen's top five last week.
Television networks will be watching closely in the next few weeks to see how viewership is increased by all of the people left housebound by the virus. It's usually the opposite as spring approaches and improving weather send people outdoors and away from their TVs.
CBS was the week's most popular network, averaging 6.2 million viewers in prime time. ABC was second with 5.2 million, NBC had 3.7 million, Fox had 3 million, Univision had 1.4 million, ION Television had 1.3 million, Telemundo had 1.1 million and the CW had 700,000.
The three news networks dominated cable viewership last week. Fox News Channel averaged 3.54 million viewers in prime time, CNN had 2.85 million, MSNBC had 2.3 million, TBS had 1.13 million and HGTV had 1.12 million.
"World News Tonight" averaged 9.9 million viewers for the week. NBC's "Nightly News" was second among the evening news programs with 8.5 million viewers and CBS had 6.1 million.
For the week of March 9-15, the week's 20 most popular programs, their networks and viewership:
1. "NCIS," CBS, 10.76 million.
2. "60 Minutes," CBS, 10.44 million.
3. Democratic Presidential Debate, CNN, 9.9 million.
4. "Young Sheldon," CBS, 8.89 million.
5. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 8.74 million.
6. "The Bachelor," (Tuesday, 8 p.m.), ABC, 8.55 million.
7. "FBI," CBS, 8.31 million.
8. "Blue Bloods," CBS, 8.14 million.
9. "The Bachelor" (Monday, 8 p.m.), ABC, 7.75 million.
10. "American Idol," ABC, 7.47 million.
11. "The Masked Singer," Fox, 7.25 million.
12. "Hawaii Five-0," CBS, 7.11 million.
13. "Survivor," CBS, 6.92 million.
14. "Station 19," ABC, 6.65 million.
15. President Trump Address, CBS, 6.57 million.
16. "Hannity" (Wednesday), Fox News, 6.44 million.
17. "Mom," CBS, 6.442 million.
18. "NCIS: New Orleans," CBS, 6.345 million.
19. "Bull," CBS, 6.32 million.
20. "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 6.28 million.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More