Morning Show Ratings: Week of Oct. 14

Good Morning America and Today show split the morning news ratings race for the week of Oct. 14. ABC was No. 1 in average total audience, while NBC averaged the most adults 25-54, per usual.

GMA outdelivered Today last week by an average of +116,000 total viewers, widening its lead from the year-ago week by 23%. The ABC morning show is the most-watched of the big three at this point of the season for the 8th consecutive year.

GMA is also cutting its margin with Today season to-date by 56% in Adults 25-54 (73,000 vs. 166,000), posting its closest performance in the demo since the 2015-16 season.

However, both shows are down vs. 2018 (as is CBS This Morning); it’s really just that GMA is losing less of its TV audience than Today. Not necessarily a reason to celebrate.

While GMA is indeed closing the gap with Today in the A25-54 demo, the NBC morning show still reigns supreme in that category. Last week’s win over GMA in the demo (1.17 million vs. 1.10 million) marks 197 out of 199 weeks that Today has been in first place in that category.

Today was also the No. 1 morning show on Friday in all relevant categories, including average total viewers.

Yes, CBS This Morning remains in third place, but it’s actually holding onto more of its audience from 2018 than GMA and Today are holding on to their’s; particularly its A25-54 audience.

When compared with the same week in 2018, CBS This Morning was -3% in the A25-54 demo, and -6 % in total viewers. Today show was -13% in the key A25-54 demo, despite winning the category, and -8% in total viewers. GMA was -7% in total viewers, and -11% among adults 25-54.

Week of Oct. 14, 2019:

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 Live + SD, 2018-2019 Current Week (w/o 10/14/19), and Year-Ago Week (w/o 10/15/18).  Most Current: 2019 -2020 Season (9/23 – 10/20/19) and 2018 -2019 Season (9/24 – 10/21/18).  Averages based on regular telecasts.