ABC’s Good Morning America was the nation’s No. 1 morning news program for the week of March 20, marking two straight weeks at the top in both total viewers and the key A25-54 demo.
It was also a week where all three broadcast morning shows posted week-to-week audience gains in total viewers, while CBS Mornings was the only program that registered week-to-week growth among the A25-54 demo.
For the week of March 20, 2023, according to live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen, GMA averaged 3.24 million total viewers and 700,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo.
GMA gained +2% in total viewers but dropped -5% in the A25-54 demo compared to the previous week. When looking at GMA’s performance relative to the same week in 2022, the program dropped -1% in total viewers and dropped double digits percent in the A25-54 demo (-13%).
NBC’s Today came in second place in both categories with 2.82 million total viewers and 698,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week of March 20.
Compared to the previous week, Today +2% in total viewers and shed just -1% in adults 25-54. When looking at the numbers versus the same week in 2022, Today was down in total viewers by -2% and dropped by -15% in the A25-54 demo.
CBS Mornings trailed the other two morning shows with an average of 2.32 million total viewers and 492,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week of March 20. On the heels of announcing Vladimir Duthiers as a “featured host” of the morning show, CBS Mornings can also celebrate the fact that it was the only show to register week-to-week growth in both total viewers and in the A25-54 demo at +6% and +2% respectively, versus the previous week. Looking at the same period in 2022, the morning show was down in total viewers and A25-54 by -5% and -2%, respectively.
Nielsen live-plus-same-day numbers for the week of March 20, 2023:
| ABC | NBC | CBS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 3,236,000 | 2,824,000 | 2,316,000 |
| • A25-54: | 700,000 | 698,000 | 492,000 |
Meanwhile, on the quarterly news front, GMA and NBC’s Today shared the spoils in the Nielsen ratings race for the first quarter of 2023.
GMA was the top morning show in total viewers, while Today was the top show among A25-54.
GMA was the only morning show to record viewer gains in total viewers compared to the previous quarter, while all three-morning shows declined in both categories compared to the same quarter one year ago.
According to the most current data from Nielsen, GMA remained the most-watched morning show in Q1 for the 10th time in the last 11 years, averaging 3.285 million total viewers and 742,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo. ABC’s morning offering gained +2% in total viewers and held flat in A25-54 compared to Q4 2022. When compared to Q1 2022, GMA shed -3% and -9% in total viewers and the A25-54 demo, respectively.
NBC’s Today took second place in total viewers with 2.9 million viewers average, but remained in first place in the key A25-54 demo with 748,000 viewers average, edging out GMA by just +6,000 A25-54 viewers.
Compared to Q4 2022, Today dropped by -2% both in total viewers and adults 25-54. When compared with Q1 2022, NBC’s morning offering dropped by -8% in total viewers and by -14% in the A25-54 demo.
CBS Mornings remained the No. 3 morning show in both total viewers and A25-54 during Q1 2023, averaging 2.41 million total viewers and 521,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo. Compared to Q4 2022, CBS Mornings dropped by -9% in total viewers and -4% in A25-54, while compared to Q1 2022, the broadcast shed -4% in total viewers and -5% in A25-54.
Nielsen averages for Q1 2023:
| ABC | NBC | CBS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 3,285,000 | 2,897,000 | 2,408,000 |
| • A25-54: | 742,000 | 748,000 | 521,000 |
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 Live + SD Current Week (w/o 3/20/23), Previous Week (w/o 3/13/23) and Year-Ago Week (w/o 3/21/22). Most Current Data Stream: Season 2022-2023 (9/19/22 – 3/26/23), Season 2021-2022 (9/20/21 – 3/27/22). Most Current Data Stream – 1Q23: 12/26/22 – 3/26/23, 1Q22: 12/27/21 – 3/27/22 and 4Q22: 9/19/22 – 12/25/22. Beginning 8/31/20, national ratings also include Out of Home (OOH) viewing. Averages based on regular telecasts.