ABC's GMA Delivers Largest Total Viewing Margin Over 'Today' in 7 Weeks

ABC News' "Good Morning America" ranked as the No. 1 morning newscast in Total Viewers (5.678 million), Adults 25-54 (2.178 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.527 million) for the week of April 21, 2014, according to Nielsen Media Research. "GMA" outdelivered NBC's "Today" (4.802 million, 1.925 million and 1.526 million, respectively) during the week by 876,000 Total Viewers, by 253,000 Adults 25-54 and by 1,000 Adults 18-49. Additionally, GoodMorningAmerica.com on Yahoo! reached 15 million users last month.

"GMA" built on its margins over "Today" from the prior week in both Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 25-54 (+62%), seeing its largest overall viewer lead in 7 weeks - since w/o 3/3/14. Year to year, "GMA" also increased its advantages over "Today" in both Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 (819,000 and 66,000, respectively, on w/o 4/22/13).

"GMA" has ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers in 91 of the last 95 weeks (since w/o 6/25/12), finishing behind "Today" only during the two weeks of the 2012 Summer Olympics and the two weeks of the 2014 Winter Olympics. In Adults 25-54, "GMA" has ranked No. 1 in 27 of the 31 weeks of the season, pacing ahead of the No. 1 finishes at the same point of the 2012-13 Season (24 of 30 weeks*).

"GMA" was up over the previous week (2.133 million and 1.513 million, respectively, on w/o 4/14/14) in Adults 25-54 (+2%) and Adults 18-49 (+1%). "GMA" stood as the only morning newscast to grow week to week in the key adult demos compared to "CBS This Morning" (-5%/-6%) and NBC's "Today" (-3%/-3%).

For the 8th straight week, "GMA" improved year to year (2.092 million and 1.483 million, respectively, on w/o 4/22/13) in Adults 25-54 (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+3%). "GMA" was also the only morning newscast to deliver increases from the year-ago week in the key adult demos as "CBS This Morning" (-12%/-21%) and NBC's "Today" (-5%/-3%) lost viewers.

Season to date, "GMA" stands as the No. 1 morning news program for the 2nd straight year in both Total Viewers and Adults 25-54. "GMA" is leading NBC's "Today" by 654,000 Total Viewers and 115,000 Adults 25-54. In fact, "GMA" has widened its season margins over "Today" versus the same point last season in Total Viewers by 7% (654,000 vs. 612,000) and in Adults 25-54 by 62% (115,000 vs. 71,000). Further, "GMA" is posting its largest Total Viewer season margin in more than 22 years and biggest in Adults 25-54 in 21 years - since at least the 1991-92 season (Nielsen's electronic database started on September of 1991) and the 1992-93 season, respectively.

Growing for the 3rd year in a row, "GMA" is up by double-digits over the same point last season in both Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 25-54 (+12%). In fact, "GMA" is seeing its largest overall season audience in more than 22 years and best Adults 25-54 performance in 8 years - since before the 1991-92 season and the 2005-06 seasons, respectively. "GMA" is also up the most in Adults 25-54 compared to "CBS This Morning" (-1%) and NBC's "Today" (+11%).

During the week, "GMA" nearly doubled the performance of "CBS This Morning" in Total Viewers (+91%), while more than doubling in Adults 25-54 (+132%) and Adults 18-49 (+145%).

WEEK OF 4/21/14 TOTAL VIEWERS ADULTS 25-54 ADULTS 18-49 HOUSEHOLDS
GOOD MORNING America 5,678,000 1.8/14; 2,178,000 1.2/11; 1,527,000 4.2/16
TODAY 4,802,000 1.6/12; 1,925,000 1.2/11; 1,526,000 3.6/13
CBS THIS MORNING 2,975,000 0.8/ 6; 938,000 0.5/ 5; 624,000 2.2/ 8

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 Live + SD weeks of 4/21/14, 4/14/14 and 4/22/13, or as dated. Most Current: 2013-2014 Season (9/23/13 - 4/27/14) and 2012-2013 Season (9/24/12 - 4/28/13). Due to coverage of Hurricane Sandy, w/o 10/29/12 was coded as a breakout and is excluded from the season count and averages.

Emmy Award-winning "GMA," featuring the anchor team of Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Lara Spencer, Amy Robach and Ginger Zee, airs live Mon.-Fri. (7:00-9:00 a.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Tom Cibrowski is senior executive producer.

Need more TV Theatre News in your life? Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...