CBS News’ commitment to original reporting is fueling television season-to-date audience growth and strong key news demo performances for all broadcasts, according to Nielsen most current ratings.

CBS News’ morning, evening, primetime and Sunday broadcasts are all averaging more viewers now than at this point a year ago, according to Nielsen, including the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY, 60 MINUTES, FACE THE NATION, CBS THIS MORNING, CBS SUNDAY MORNING WITH CHARLES OSGOOD, 48 HOURS and CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY.

CBS News broadcasts last week featured reports by Ben Tracy covering wildfires in the northwest; Jericka Duncan’s reporting on the aftermath of the attacks on military recruiting centers in Chattanooga; John Dickerson’s interviews with Republican presidential candidates former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA); Susan Spencer’s investigation into the death of a Wall Street genius in Costa Rica; Tracy Smith’s look at couples who met early, split up and found true love together later in life; Steve Kroft’s report on how the FBI tracked down Boston gangster Whitey Bulger; and Gayle King’s profile of actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

Here’s a recap of how CBS News’ broadcasts performed last week:

The CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY delivered 6.06 million viewers and a 1.1/05 with adults 25-54 for the week ending July 24. Television year-to-date, the broadcast is delivering 7.08 million viewers (up +3% from 6.87m) and a 1.4/06 with adults 25-54, which is even with a year ago.

60 MINUTES (R) was CBS’s top program for the week. 60 MINUTES (R) (7:00-8:01 PM) was #1 with adults 25-54 and viewers. The broadcast delivered 7.91 million viewers and a 1.3/04 on July 26. Compared to the same night last year, 60 MINUTES was up +4% in viewers, even in adults 25-54. Television year-to-date 60 MINUTES is delivering 11.3 million viewers (up +1% from 11.1m) and a 2.4/07 with adults 25-54.

FACE THE NATION delivered 2.77 million viewers and a 0.6/03 with adults 25-54 on July 26. Television year-to-date, FACE THE NATION is up +5% in viewers (3.32m from 3.17m) and even with adults 25-54 (0.7/04). Editor’s Note:FACE THE NATION’s second half-hour was broadcast contiguously across 76.3% of the CBS affiliates.

CBS THIS MORNING was the only broadcast network morning news program to post year-to-year viewership gains and maintain its reach with key news demographics for the week ending July 24. CBS THIS MORNING delivered 3.12 million viewers, up +15% from 2.71m, and was even with adults 25-54 (0.7/07), women 25-54 (0.8/07) and women 18-49 (0.5/05) compared to a year ago. CBS THIS MORNING gained +410,000 viewers compared to the same week last year and closed the viewership gap with ABC by 1.09 million viewers and with NBC by 430,000 viewers. Television year-to-date, CBS THIS MORNING is up +10% in viewers with 3.36m (from 3.06m) and even in adults 25-54 (0.8/07) and women 18-49 (0.6/06) compared to last year. 

CBS SUNDAY MORNING on July 26 was the #1 Sunday morning news program with adults 25-54 and viewers. CBS SUNDAY MORNING delivered 4.65m viewers and a 0.9/06 in adults 25-54.  Television year-to-date, CBS SUNDAY MORNING is up +1% in viewers (5.92m from 5.86m) compared to last year. 

48 HOURS (R) (10:00-11:00 PM) on July 25 was #1 with adults 25-54 and viewers. The broadcast was also the night’s most-watched program. 48 HOURS delivered 4.16 million viewers and a 1.0/04 with adults 25-54. Compared to the same night last year, 48 HOURS was up +25% in adults 25-54 and up +22% in viewers. Television year-to-date, 48 HOURS is up +8% in viewers (5.60m from 5.17m) and even in adults 25-54 (1.4/04) compared to last year.

CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY delivered 1.75 million viewers and a 0.4/04 in adults 25-54, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for July 25. Television year-to-date, CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY is up +9% in viewers (2.09m from 1.91m) and even in adults 25-54 (0.5/04) compared to last year. 

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Press Contacts:

Kelli Halyard                212-975-6795                       kee@cbsnews.com    

Richard Huff                 212-975-3328                      HuffR@cbsnews.com