Good Morning America is finishing the third quarter of 2022 as the top-rated morning show, not just in Total Viewers but also among the key Adults 25-54 demo and even the rarely-cited A18-49 demo. GMA won Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 the previous quarter for the first time in seven years. However, the last time GMA won Total Viewers, A25-54 and A18-49 during any quarter was Q4 2012—and the last time the program won a third quarter in all of those measurements was Q3 1994. Yes, that’s 28 years ago.
For the 2021-2022 broadcast TV season, GMA ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 10th year in a row, more than doubling its lead over NBC’s Today from last season to its largest margin of victory since 2014-2015.
In addition, GMA slashed its season margin with Today in Adults 25-54 by more than half (-63% – 31,000 vs. 84,000) to its closest performance since 2014-2015—and won the aforementioned demo 16 of the final 20 weeks of the season.
That said, GMA (like Today and CBS Mornings) lost viewers from the prior quarter and from the prior season. GMA also finished No. 2 this past week behind Today in the key A25-54 demo, marking back-to-back weeks in second place—after what had been a lengthy stretch at No. 1. Something worth keeping an eye on.
Nevertheless, Good Morning America has momentum at this moment—and the show’s co-anchors Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos and Michael Strahan, along with executive producer Simone Swink, provided their thoughts on the show’s success.
GMA ep Simone Swink
“This past year, we’ve been focused on being right where our viewers are—the latest news headlines are our North Star for the first part of the broadcast—but making sure we are also a relatable, relevant and often fun show for the rest of the two hours is vital,” Swink told TVNewser. “We want people to want to wake up with us—to join us before they start their day. And I think this season, we’re seeing that people across generations want to say ‘good morning’ with us. We have a great team at the desk onscreen and a hard-working, smart team off-screen in our control room and working 24 hours a day to put on the best show seven days a week.”
ABC News president Kim Godwin dispatched Roberts to Ukraine around Memorial Day weekend for an exclusive one on one interview with First Lady Olena Zelenska. Speaking through a translator, Ukraine’s First Lady implored the west not to become accustomed to their suffering. On the airing of this interview, Good Morning America opened from London and the Jubilee, Times Square and from Ukraine.
“Whether we are venturing across the country or telling stories from around the world that make us laugh or bring us to tears, the Good Morning America team is always committed to delivering compelling stories and interviews,” Roberts told TVNewser. “We understand our responsibility to viewers and we’re incredibly grateful for their trust.”
Everyone knows Stephanopoulos for his highly-publicized interviews with government officials, including a recent one with vp Kamala Harris. However, one interview that stuck out to the GMA team was his sit-down with Alec Baldwin, the actor’s first major interview since the tragedy on the set of Rust. The duo had a candid conversation last December about the events of the day. Baldwin discussed the emotional toll he has faced since the incident, his meeting with late Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins’ husband and son—and how the ordeal has affected Baldwin’s own life.
Stephanopoulos praises the GMA’s ability to take risks like with the Baldwin interview, telling TVNewser, “I couldn’t be more proud of our team—always willing to take chances and working around the clock to meet the moment.”
Strahan had a big year at GMA as well. He traveled to Iceland, where he came face to face with local wildlife and highlighted the effects of climate change on the country. Oh, and there was that time earlier in the TV season (December 2021) when he went to space on Jeff Bezos‘ Blue Origin.
Strahan praises the team atmosphere at GMA as a major reason for its success.
“The success of this show is a collective effort, from our executive producer Simone Swink and other talented leaders, to the producers, correspondents and crews across the world, bringing the stories of communities to everyone’s home,” Strahan told TVNewser. “I’m so thankful to be part of this team.”