Coverage surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine played a role in stronger-than-normal Nielsen ratings for the Sunday public affairs shows on February 27.
ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, which has experienced a superb season to-date relative to recent seasons, averaged the most adults 25-54 and largest total audience this past Sunday.
As per live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen, ABC’s Sunday show averaged 3.39 million total and 842,000 adults 25-54.
This Week outperformed its CBS Sunday rival Face the Nation by its largest margin (+222,000) in two years—since Feb. 9, 2020. ABC’s Sunday show also delivered its biggest Adults 25-54 leads over Face the Nation (+290,000) in more than four years and over NBC’s Meet the Press in more than six years–since Jan. 7, 2018 and Dec. 27, 2015, respectively, based on regular telecasts.
This Week, which managed to win February sweeps in the demo, hasn’t been No. 1 in the measurement this late in a broadcast season in 28 years—since the 1993-94 season.
Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan (half-hour) averaged 3.17 million total viewers this past Sunday. Despite finishing second place behind ABC in total viewers, Face the Nation is the most-watched Sunday show, season-to-date, for the third consecutive year and is also leading NBC in the key A25-54 demo for the first time in seven years. However, CBS’ Sunday show continues to skew older than the Sunday competition and finished third this past Sunday among adults 25-54 behind both ABC and NBC.
Speaking of NBC, Meet the Press with Chuck Todd ranked No. 2 among adults 25-54 ahead of CBS and third in average total viewers this past Sunday, behind ABC and CBS.
Fox News Sunday guest-moderated by Harris Faulkner averaged 1.33 million total viewers and 304,000 A25-54 viewers on Fox TV. FNC repeats were preempted for live coverage, so the show only aired on the broadcast network this week.
How did the broadcast’s four major Sunday shows perform relative to comparable weeks?
Versus the Feb. 20, 2022 broadcast, This Week gained +18% in total viewers and +23% in adults 25-54. Face the Nation gained +9% in total viewers and +10% in adults 25-54. Meet the Press gained +23% in total viewers and +14% in adults 25-54. Fox News Sunday gained +23% in total viewers and +15% in adults 25-54.
The Sunday shows have been seeing audience losses on an annual basis. Did that remain the case this past Sunday, despite coverage of this significant breaking news story? Not quite. This Week gained +12% in total viewers and a whopping +50% in adults 25-54 vs. the Feb. 28, 2021 broadcast. Face the Nation, on the other hand, shed -6% in total viewers and -11% in adults 25-54. Meet the Press shed -4% in total viewers and -2% in adults 25-54. Fox News Sunday gained +2% in total viewers, but lost -4% of its adults 25-54 relative to the year-ago broadcast.
Feb. 27, 2022 Sunday Show Ratings (Nielsen live + same-day):
| Network | Program | Total Viewers | A25-54 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | This Week | 3,388,000 | 842,000 |
| CBS | Face the Nation (1/2 hr) | 3,166,000 | 552,000 |
| NBC | Meet the Press | 3,131,000 | 651,000 |
| Fox TV | Fox News Sunday | 1,329,000 | 304,000 |
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI (Total Viewers and Adults 25-54); Live + SD for 2/27/22, 2/20/22 and 2/28/21 or as dated. Most Current: 2021 -2022 Season (9/20/21 – 2/27/22) and 2020 -2021 Season (9/21/20 – 2/28/21).