A week after drawing second place in the multiple key measurements, Good Morning America edged out a win over Today last week among Total Viewers (+84,000), a measurement it has become accustomed to winning over the past eight-plus years.
According to the most current data from Nielsen, an average of 3.2 million Total Viewers and 847,000 Adults 25-54 tuned into GMA this past week, the week of Aug. 10, 2020.
The ABC morning show was -3% in Total Viewers and -5% in demo viewers from the prior week (Aug. 3). The show trended even relative to the year-ago week (Aug. 12, 2019). It was -14% in Total Viewers and a whopping -21% in the demo.
It’s worth noting that GMA ended Today’s 189-week winning streak among Adults 25-54 that week in 2019. Going into this week, a year-over-year ratings slide was likely.
GMA is the most-watched morning news show for the eighth straight year, and is increasing its advantage over Today versus last season by its largest advantage since the 2016-2017 season.
Today came up short in Total Viewers this past week, averaging 3.11 million. That’s just -84,000 less than its ABC counterpart, but +614,000 more than CBS This Morning. Today also averaged 903,000 Adults 25-54, +56,000 more than GMA and +322,000 more than CBS This Morning.
Today has earned either an outright win or a first-place tie in the A25-54 measurement for 240 of the past 242 weeks. Today has won the morning show race in the A25-54 demo outright 239 of the past 242 weeks, and has been No. 1 in the mornings among Adults 25-54 for 59 consecutive months.
Compared to the prior week (Aug. 3), Today slumped -6% in the A25-54 demo and -9% in Total Viewers. Compared with the year-ago week, trend was even worse: -12% in Total Viewers and -15% in the A25-54 demo.
CBS This Morning remained in third place this past week, averaging 2.58 million Total Viewers and 581,000 A25-54 viewers.
Compared to the prior week (Aug. 3), CTM was flat in Total Viewers and -1% in A25-54 demo viewers. Compared to the year-ago week, the broadcast was -6% in Total Viewers and -20% in demo viewers.
The morning shows had a bad week, ratings-wise. No other way to put it.
Live-plus-same-day numbers for the week of Aug. 10:
| ABC | NBC | CBS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 3,195,000 | 3,111,000 | 2,581,000 |
| • A25-54: | 847,000 | 903,000 | 581,000 |