ABC News GOOD MORNING AMERICA opened the 2012-13 season as the No. 1 morning news program in both Total Viewers (4.957 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.937 million) for the week of September 24, 2012, according to Nielsen Media Research. This marks the first time in 20 years that “GMA” has won premiere week in Total Viewers, and in 21 years in the key adult news demo – since the premiere weeks of the 1992-93 and 1991-92 seasons, respectively.
“GMA” outperformed “Today” (4.149 million and 1.683 million, respectively) by +808,000 Total Viewers and +254,000 Adults 25-54, representing “GMA’s” largest premiere week advantages over “Today” in more than 21 years – since at least premiere week of the 1991-92 season; Nielsen’s electronic database started on September of 1991. Looking at all weeks in Adults 25-54, “GMA” registered its largest demo lead over “Today” in more than 18 years – since w/o 8/8/94.
Compared to premiere week of the 2011-12 season (4.843 million and 1.868 million, respectively, on w/o 9/19/11), “GMA” improved in both Total Viewers (+2%) and Adults 25-54 (+4%). In fact, the ABC morning news program saw its most-watched premiere week in 7 years and strongest in Adults 25-54 in 5 years – since the premiere weeks of the 2005-06 and 2007-08 seasons. Further, “GMA” stood as the only morning news program to grow on both measures over the opening week of last season, as “CBS This Morning” was mixed (+3%/-4%), while “Today” dropped by double digits (-21%/-28%).
Solidifying itself as the No. 1 morning news program during premiere week, “GMA” topped the “Today Show” in all 5 head-to-head telecasts of the week in both Total Viewers (Mon: +636,000, Tues: +934,000, Wed: +1.070 million, Thurs: +968,000 and Fri: +435,000) and Adults 25-54 (Mon: +305,000, Tues: +180,000, Wed: +357,000, Thurs: +358,000 and Fri: +73,000). Further, “GMA” owned the No. 1 morning telecast during premiere week in both Total Viewers (5.134 million – 9/25/12) and Adults 25-54 (2.041 million – 9/24/12), as well as owning the Top 5 morning telecasts of the week in both measures.
“GMA” nearly doubled the performance of “CBS This Morning” during premiere week in Total Viewers (+96%), while doubling it in Adults 25-54 (+108%).
For the month of September 2012, “Good Morning America” won September 2012 in Total Viewers (5.096 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.918 million), according to Nielsen Media Research, delivering its first monthly win in the key adult news demo in more than 18 years – since August 1994.
“GMA” beat “Today” (4.289 million and 1.748 million, respectively) during the month by +807,000 Total Viewers and +170,000 Adults 25-54, “GMA’s” largest monthly lead over “Today” more than 21 years and biggest demo advantage in more than 18 years – since at least September 1991 and June 1994, respectively.
Finally, in August, Goodmorningamerica.com reached 24M users and served over 99 million page views. It is the #1 morning news website and beats MSNBC’s Today by millions of users every month. This summer visitors spent +16% more time on Goodmorningamerica.com compared to Today.
WEEK OF 9/24/12 TOTAL VIEWERS ADULTS 25-54 HOUSEHOLDS
ABC 4,957,000 1.6/12; 1,937,000 3.7/14
NBC 4,149,000 1.4/11; 1,683,000 3.2/12
CBS 2,526,000 0.8/ 6; 932,000 1.9/ 7
September 2012 TOTAL VIEWERS ADULTS 25-54 HOUSEHOLDS
ABC 5,096,000 1.6/12; 1,918,000 3.8/15
NBC 4,289,000 1.5/11; 1,748,000 3.3/12
CBS 2,399,000 0.7/ 6; 881,000 1.9/ 7
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 9/24/12, 9/17/12 & 9/19/11, or as dated. Most Current for September 2012 (8/27 – 9/30/12).
Emmy Award-winning “GMA,” featuring the anchor team of
Robin Roberts,
George Stephanopoulos,
Sam Champion,
Lara Spencer and
Josh Elliott, airs live Mon.-Fri. (7:00-9:00 a.m., ET) on ABC.
Tom Cibrowski is senior executive producer.
