Week of Aug. 23 Morning Show Ratings: GMA Is Most-Watched Morning Show During Difficult Week

By A.J. Katz 

Good Morning America and Today split the weekly ratings race, as has been the norm for years now.

What hasn’t been the the norm, however, is that news broke on Wednesday that GMA’s former executive in charge is being sued by a former producer for sexual assault.

The aforementioned executive being accused of assault, former senior ep Michael Corn, is denying all charges.

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Nevertheless, according to live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen, the ABC morning show remains No. 1 in total viewers, averaging 3.23 million for the week of Aug. 23.  That represents +1% growth from the previous week. The program also averaged 795,000 adults 25-54, which is less than +1% from the previous week. Compared to the same week one year ago, however, GMA shed -3% in average total viewers, and -12% in the A25-54 viewers.

ABC’s morning show is increasing its advantage over NBC’s morning show from the same point last season to its largest in four years — since the 2016-2017 season.

Speaking of NBC’s morning show, Today, which has had issues of its own in the past, averaged 3.15 million total viewers and 898,000 adults 25-54. That’s +2% in average total viewers and +4% among the key A25-54 set vs. the previous week. However, compared to the same week one year ago, Today shed -3% of its average total audience, and -9% of its adults 25-54 audience.

Today has been the No. 1 morning show in the key demo for 308 of the past 313 weeks.

Third-place CBS This Morning, which also has had problems in the past, averaged more than 2.48 million total viewers and 533,000 adults 25-54 for the week of Aug. 23. That’s -2% in average total viewers, but +4% in adults 25-54 from the previous week. It’s -2% average total viewers and -10% adults 25-54 from the year-ago week.

Nielsen live-plus-same-day numbers for the week of Aug. 23:

ABC NBC CBS
• Total Viewers: 3,231,000 3,149,000 2,484,000
• A25-54: 795,000 898,000 533,000

 

 

 

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54. Live + SD Current Week (w/o 8/23/21), Previous Week (w/o 8/16/21) and Year-Ago Week (w/o 8/24/20). Most Current: 2020 -2021 Season (9/21/20 – 8/29/21) and Most Current: 2019 -2020 Season (9/23/19 – 8/30/20). *Beginning 8/31/20, national ratings also include Out of Home (OOH) viewing. Averages based on regular telecasts. 

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