NBC's TODAY Posts Week & Quarter Ratings Gains

NBC's TODAY continues to gain momentum and deliver solid ratings growth. For the week of March 24, TODAY narrowed the total viewer and key demo A25-54 gaps with GMA for the third straight while, while posting its narrowest margins in a month. TODAY was the only morning show to deliver total viewer growth week-to-week, while also posting its largest total viewer and key demo numbers in three weeks.

For the first quarter 2014, TODAY posted the biggest growth among the morning news programs and narrowed the gap with GMA by 22% (150k). TODAY also delivered across-the-board gains in total viewers and all demos.

Additionally, the third and fourth hours of TODAY delivered ratings highs for the first quarter. The third hour (TODAY II) posted an eight-year high in total viewers, its best since 2006. The fourth hour (TODAY III) notched its best ever first quarter delivery in total viewers.

TODAY HIGHLIGHTS:

Week of March 24

· TODAY narrowed both the P2+ and A25-54 viewers gaps versus GMA for the third consecutive week; posted narrowest margins in four weeks (since week of 2/24/2014)
· TODAY narrowed the demo gap by 46% and the P2+ gap by 28% week-to-week
· TODAY was the only morning news program to increase its P2+ audience week-to-week
· TODAY grew its P2+ and A25-54 viewer deliveries for the second week in a row, hitting its best levels in three weeks (since the week of 3/3/2014)
· TODAY tied GMA for #1 in rating W25-54 for the first time in five weeks (since week of 2/17/2014 - second week of Sochi Olympics)
· TODAY won its 40th consecutive week in rating A18-49

1Q 2014

· TODAY posted across-the-board growth in total viewers (+14%, or +680,000), rating W/M/A18-49 (+13%/+25%/+17%), and rating W/M/A25-54 (+9%/+18%/+12%)
· Versus 1Q'13, TODAY posted the largest P2+ growth among the morning news programs and narrowed the gap with GMA by 22% (150,000)
· TODAY also widened its advantages versus CBS year-over-year in total viewers and all 18-49 and 25-54 demo ratings
· TODAY has been #1 in Rating Adults 18-49 for 79 consecutive quarters

TODAY II & III 1Q 2014

TODAY II (Third Hour)

· TODAY II averaged 3.953 million total viewers and a 1.1 A25-54 rating (1.310 million viewers)
· TODAY II posted an eight-year high for 1st quarter in total viewers (best since 2006)
· TODAY II outperformed The View in total viewers during 1st quarter for the 4th straight year, posting its biggest lead (+657,000) since 2006
· TODAY II has also outdelivered the CBS Morning News program in 1Q among total viewers for the 14th consecutive year
· Versus 1Q'13, TODAY II increased in total viewers (+20%, or +659,000), rating W/M/A18-49 (+10%/+25%/+14%) and rating W/M/A25-54 (+15%/+17%/+10%)

TODAY III (Fourth Hour)

· TODAY III averaged 2.537 million total viewers and a 0.8 A25-54 rating (916,000 viewers)
· TODAY III notched its best ever 1Q delivery in total viewers
· TODAY III was up year-over-year in total viewers (+21%, or +446,000), rating W/A18-49 (+14%/+20%), and rating W/M/A25-54 (+10%/+33%/+14%)
· TODAY III tied The View for the first time during a 1st quarter in rating W/A18-49 and rating A25-54
· The overnight edition of TODAY III averaged 716,000 total viewers and 370,000 A25-54 viewers. Both were the late night edition's best 1Q deliveries ever. P2+ was up +17% (+106,000) while A25-54 was up +30% (+85,000) versus 1Q'13 levels.

Ratings Data

Week of 03/24/2014

NET HH HH P2+ A25-54 RTG A25-54 (000)

NBC 3.8 14 5283 1.8 2180

CBS 2.3 8 3038 0.9 1020

ABC 4.3 16 5771 1.9 2267

Don Nash is the executive producer of TODAY (Monday-Friday, 7-11 a.m.).