Press Release

January 3, 2020

Media relations
Fonda Berosini
Disney Entertainment, Networks
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WABC-TV Is the Most Watched in New York and the US

‘Eyewitness News’ and ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’ Finish 2019 as Ratings Leaders

WABC-TV, the flagship ABC-owned television station in New York, announced that it is once again the most-watched television station in the New York television market and the United States in 2019, finishing the year with a 2.7 rating/8 share in DMA Households from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday–Sunday for the full calendar year. With an average quarter-hour audience of 245,000 viewers all year long, ABC7 boasts the largest audience of any television station in the nation. WABC also leads the market among local broadcast station websites and has the highest engagement on Twitter and Instagram while also boasting the strongest Video Engagement and Video Views across all platforms. Channel 7 continues to expand its digital presence with initiatives such as The Vault, a look into its extensive archives that has amassed 1.3 million views on YouTube and 42,000 hours watched.

The station produces the nationally syndicated morning show “Live with Kelly and Ryan” which averages 2.8 million viewers a day across the country and is the No. 1 daytime entertainment talk show in Households and all key demographics. In the New York market, the program finished 2019 as the time-period winner in Households and Women 25-54 with a 71% advantage, while attracting more than twice as many Women 18-49 as any competing station. This year, hosts Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest traveled to Los Angeles for the annual “After Oscar Show” and also recorded a series week of programs in Las Vegas. “Kelly and Ryan’s Best Halloween Show Ever” was daytime’s most-viewed Halloween-themed talk show on Oct. 31 in Total Viewers and key demographics. The viral video-themed show also performed better than last year’s episode nationally in Households and Women 25-54. Now in its 32nd year, the program continues to find new ways to engage audiences. This season, the show began an “I in Live” segment where the co-hosts feature a fan of the day.

WABC-TV’s market-leading “Eyewitness News” franchise continued to lead the market in 2019. Here are some highlights from a year that saw the “Eyewitness News” team travel across the nation and the globe to cover news of interest to viewers in the tri-state:

  • “Eyewitness News This Morning,” which saw the return of New York broadcasting legend Sam Champion to WABC, had a 64% lead among DMA Households and a 60% edge among Adults 25-54.
  • “Eyewitness News at Noon” ranked No. 1 with a 29% lead among DMA Households, a 57% advantage among Women 25-54 and a 50% edge among Adults 25-54.
  • “Eyewitness News First at 4” attracted more than twice as many DMA Households as its only local news competitor. It also attracted nearly three times as many Adults 25-54 while also winning the time period overall in key demos.
  • “Eyewitness News at 5,” which bade farewell to longtime co-anchor Diana Williams, was No. 1 among DMA Households and attracted twice as many Adults 25-54 as its nearest competitor.
  • “Eyewitness News at 6” delivered a DMA Household rating that is 65% higher than its closest competitor. It also held a commanding 167% lead among Adults 25-54. With 462,000 viewers on a nightly basis, “Eyewitness News at 6″ is the most-watched local newscast in the country.
  • “Eyewitness News at 11” was No. 1 among DMA Households by 34% and among Adults 25-54 by 100%.
  • “Eyewitness News This Morning” on Saturday and Sunday ranked No. 1 in DMA Households and Adults 25-54
  • “Eyewitness News at 11” on Saturday and Sunday was No. 1 in DMA Households and Adults 25-54 among newscasts that aired at 11:00 p.m.
  • WABC-TV’s consumer unit, 7 On Your Side, recovered more than $1 million for local viewers in 2019, the sixth consecutive year it has topped the million-dollar mark.

ABC News programming:

  • “Good Morning America” decisively remains the top choice in its time period for tri-state area viewers. The program ranked No. 1 for the year among DMA Households, Adults 25-54 and Women 25-54 with year-to-year growth in each area.
  • “The View” ranks No. 1 for the year among DMA Households, Women 18-49 and Women 25-54.
  • “GMA3: Strahan, Sara & Keke” wins its 1:00 p.m. time period in Women 25-54 and Women 18-49 with strong growth in both areas.
  • “World News Tonight with David Muir” attracts more DMA Households and Adults 25-54 than its two network news competitors combined.

Entertainment:

  • “General Hospital” continues to lead its time-period competition among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54.
  • Syndicated programs “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” continue to be No. 1 in Prime Access in DMA Households with wide leads in most key demographics. The programs attract more DMA Households than their five competing stations combined.
  • In prime time, ABC introduced “mix-ish,” “Kids Say the Darndest Things” and “Stumptown,”which joined successful shows including “black-ish,” “The Good Doctor,” “Modern Family,” “The Goldbergs,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “A Million Little Things” and “Shark Tank.”

WABC also began reimagining its community outreach efforts in 2019. The station committed to participating in more – and more diverse – community initiatives including new events like the Lunar New Year celebration, Veteran’s Day Parade, “Following in my Father’s Footsteps” – which celebrates fathers and daughters, a “Bone Marrow Drive” in the “Live with Kelly and Ryan” studio, and an Opioid town hall in partnership with sister station WPVI.

The station also launched a “BeKind” campaign. The station has produced more than 100 original content stories, creating a Facebook community to help foster awareness and conversation around these stories. WABC also elevated its pre-existing partnerships by adding Eyewitness News talent to all Disney corporate social responsibility campaigns such as the Magic of Storytelling, Choose Kindness and Foster More campaign.

In addition to its renewed community efforts, the stations slate of award-winning local specials performed well in 2019:

  • WABC-TV’s coverage of TCS New York City Marathon reached 1 million viewers locally and averaged 371,000 viewers per quarter-hour during the race coverage. Marathon coverage online saw about a 6% increase in site traffic and a 25% increase in app traffic over Marathon Sunday last year. Live streams on abc7NY.com had more than 115,000 views, with over a quarter million unique users visiting the station’s digital platforms on the day of the race.
  • Coverage of the “National Puerto Rican Day Parade” attracted an average of 171,000 viewers with a big imprint online that included 20,000 views across our platforms and YouTube with nearly 300,000 reached on Facebook.
  • The “NYC Pride March” attracted 261,000 viewers, more than some prime programs that evening. WABC’s coverage topped 200,000 cross-platform views online and reached 164,000 people on Facebook. WABC also led the market in social engagement across multiple platforms. For the month leading up, Channel 7’s Pride content attracted more than 90,000 unique visitors to our site and app.
  • A live preview program from “The New York International Auto Show” reached an average of 221,000 viewers, up 18% from last year.
  • WABC-TV’s first-ever coverage of the Veterans Day Parade was a huge success, reaching 542,000 viewers in the tri-state area with more than 14,000 views online.
  • WABC-TV’s coverage of the Women’s World Cup Parade was the most viewed in the market on Facebook with more than 225,000 views. Megan Rapinoe’s full speech also generated the station’s most-viewed YouTube video with more than 117,000 views.
  • Channel 7 offered up extensive coverage of The Jimmy Awards this year and the content saw more than 15,000 views across platforms.
  • WABC-TV commemorated the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and Long Island’s important role with a local special that attracted 237,000 viewers and three original videos that generated nearly 13,000 views across platforms.
  • The “Columbus Day Parade,” “United Airlines NYC Half Marathon,” “Operation 7: Save-A-Life” fire safety campaign, “Hidden Heroes,” breast cancer awareness, Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, two editions of “Broadway Backstage,” coverage of the “Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach,” a well-received weather special, three Localish specials and “Protect Our Children”rounded out Channel 7’s mission to reflect the large and diverse community it serves.

Source: NY Nielsen LPM Live+SD Overnights 1/1/19-12/31/19; Nielsen Npower; Live +SD; 12/31/18 – 12/29/19; Instagram; Facebook, Twitter, Hitwise, Omniture.