Here’s a bit of a surprising development: NBC’s Today is the No. 1 morning show in all relevant categories, including total viewers, for the second straight week.
This marks Today’s first back-to-back weekly total viewer wins since the Pyeongchang Olympics in February. Today has finished ahead of its ABC counterpart in the key A25-54 demo for 149 straight weeks and running its best streak in over six years. Additionally, season to-date, Today’s A25-54 demo lead over GMA is +60 percent, and the show is posting its closest total viewer margin versus GMA in 7 years.
Today’s ratings remain down year-over-year, despite the wins. The program was -4 percent in total viewers and -12 percent among adults 25-54 vs. the comparable week last year.
ABC’s Good Morning America finished in second place across the board for the second consecutive week. The program was -5 percent in total viewers, but only -6 percent in the key A25-54 demo from last year. Cause for concern? Not yet. GMA is still the No. 1 morning newscast in total viewers, leading Today by +86,000 to take the top spot at this point of the season for the 7th year in a row.
CBS This Morning continues to see declines from its impressive 2017 ratings performance. The broadcast was -16 percent in total viewers and -17 percent among adults 25-54 vs. the comparable week last year.
Averages for the week of Oct. 29, 2018:
| Network | ABC | NBC | CBS |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 3,995,000 | 4,004,000 | 2,960,000 |
| • A25-54: | 1,267,000 | 1,364,000 | 776,000 |
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 10/29/18, 10/30/17. Most Current: 2018 -2019 Season (9/24 – 11/4/18) and 2017-2018 Season (9/25 – 11/5/17). Averages based on regular telecasts.