NBC’s Today show continued its hot streak this past week as the most-watched morning show, extending its streak to five consecutive weeks at the top of the heap across all relevant measurements, ahead of both CBS and ABC.
Today is also coming off its first November sweeps win in total viewers since 2011.
Despite the notable wins, Today, like its competitors, continues to post year-over-year audience losses. The program was -2 percent in total viewers and -4 percent among adults 25-54 vs. what it drew during the Thanksgiving holiday-shortened week in 2017.
The No. 2 morning show this past week, ABC’s Good Morning America was -4 percent in total viewers and -10 percent in adults 25-54 vs. the comparable week in 2017. Despite the year-over-year dropoff across the board, GMA remains the most-watched morning show for the 2018-’19 broadcast season to-date, to take the top spot at this point of the season for the 7th year in a row.
CBS This Morning was -15 percent in total viewers and -14 percent in adults 25-54 vs. the comparable week last year, which was a chaotic one low-lighted by the firing of Charlie Rose from both CBS News and PBS for inappropriate sexual misconduct spanning decades.
Some additional context – due to the Thanksgiving holiday, ABC’s and NBC’s weekly averages are based on two days (Monday-Tuesday), while CBS’s weekly average is based on three days (Monday-Tuesday and Wednesday).
The averages for the week of Nov. 19, 2018:
| Network | ABC | NBC | CBS |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 4,182,000 | 4,219,000 | 3,284,000 |
| • A25-54: | 1,224,000 | 1,439,000 | 856,000 |
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 11/19/18, 11/12/18 and 11/20/17. Most Current: 2018 -2019 Season (9/24 – 11/25/18) and 2017-2018 Season (9/25 – 11/26/17). Averages based on regular telecasts.