ABC claims GMA gain on Today

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ABCFor the 1st Quarter 2012, ABC News’ “Good Morning America” averaged 4.931 million Total Viewers and a 1.7/12/1.997 million in Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research.  “GMA” improved on the previous quarter (4Q11) in both Total Viewers (+2%) and Adults 25-54 (+5%), drawing its most-watched quarter in over 4 years and best Adults 25-54 quarter performance in 3 years – since 4Q07 and 1Q09.


“GMA” was up on the year-ago quarter (1Q11) by +1% in Total Viewers and by +7% in Adults 25-54.  The ABC morning news program drew its most-watched 1st quarter in 5 years and best news demo audience during a 1st quarter in 3 years – since 1Q07 and 1Q09, respectively.

“GMA” decreased its margins with “Today” versus the previous quarter (4Q11) in both Total Viewers (-23% – 457,000 vs. 590,000) and Adults 25-54 (-23% – 388,000 vs. 501,000).  Cutting its margins with “Today” in both measures for the 5th quarter in a row, “GMA” posted its smallest gaps with “Today” during any quarter in nearly 7 years – since 2Q05 and 3Q05, respectively.  Further, 1Q12 saw “GMA’s” smallest Total Viewer margin with “Today” during a 1st quarter in 17 years and narrowest in Adults 25-54 in 16 years – since 1Q95 and 1Q96, respectively.

During 1Q12, “GMA” nearly doubled the performance of CBS, which included a revamping of its morning news program, by +97% in Total Viewers (4.931 million vs. 2.498 million) and by +94% Adults 25-54 (1.997 million vs. 1.031 million).  Looking at all quarters, 1Q12 represented “GMA’s” largest Total Viewer lead (2.433 million) over CBS in almost 7 years and strongest news demo advantage (966,000) in 5 years – since 3Q05 and 1Q07.

Week of March 19, 2012

ABC News’ “Good Morning America” drew 4.842 million Total Viewers and a 1.6 rating/12 share/1.967 million Adults 25-54 for the week of March 19, 2012. “GMA” was up over the previous week in both Total Viewers (+2%) and Adults 25-54 (+3%).

For the 7th week running, “GMA” improved on its year-ago news demo performance by +5%.  The ABC morning program was the only morning newscast to grow in Adults 25-54 year-to-year, as both NBC’s “Today” (-15%) and CBS’ “This Morning” (-16%) each delivered double-digit declines.

On Monday (3/19/12) and Friday (3/23/12), “Good Morning America” ranked as the No. 1 morning newscast, outdrawing NBC’s “Today” in Total Viewers by 48,000 (4.974 million vs. 4.926 million) and by 13,000 (4.838 million vs. 4.825 million), respectively.

“GMA” cut its gaps with “Today” from the prior week by -48% in Total Viewers (137,000 vs. 262,000) and by -26% in Adults 25-54 (212,000 vs. 286,000).  In fact, “GMA” posted its smallest margins with “Today” in nearly 5 years in Total Viewers and almost 4 years in Adults 25-54 – since w/o 8/13/07 and w/o 7/14/08, respectively.

“GMA” slashed its year-to-year margins with “Today” by more than two-thirds in both Total Viewers (-74% – 137,000 vs. 535,000) and Adults 25-54 (-70% – 212,000 vs. 697,000).  “GMA” has narrowed its year-ago news demo margin with the NBC program by double-digits in the last 12 weeks, and in 26 of 27 weeks this season.

Season to date, “GMA” narrowed its gaps in both Total Viewers (-37%) and Adults 25-54 (-42%) versus its year-ago season gaps.  In fact “GMA” is posting its smallest Total Viewer (528,000) and Adults 25-54 (449,000) margins with “Today” in 16 years – since the 1995-96 Season.

“GMA” more than doubled the performance of “CBS This Morning” in Total Viewers (+105% – 4.842 million vs. 2.364 million) and Adults 25-54 (+104% – 1.967 million vs. 966,000).

Season to date “GMA” is the only morning program to grow in Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 25-54 (+8%) versus its year-ago averages (NBC’s “Today:” -1%/-7%, respectively; CBS’ “This Morning:” -10%/-12%, respectively). “GMA” is seeing its largest overall season audience in 5 years, since 2006-07.

Emmy Award-winning “GMA,” featuring the anchor team of Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, Sam Champion, Lara Spencer and Josh Elliott, airs live Mon.-Fri. (7:00-9:00 a.m., ET) on ABC. Tom Cibrowski is senior executive producer.

1st QUARTER, 2012   TOTAL VIEWERS      ADULTS 25-54       HOUSEHOLDS
ABC                   4,931,000        1.7/12; 1,997,000    3.6/13
NBC                   5,388,000        2.0/14; 2,385,000    4.1/15
CBS                   2,498,000        0.9/ 6; 1,031,000    1.9/ 7

 

WEEK OF 3/19/12     TOTAL VIEWERS      ADULTS 25-54       HOUSEHOLDS
ABC                   4,842,000        1.6/12; 1,967,000    3.6/14
NBC                   4,979,000        1.8/13; 2,179,000    3.8/14
CBS                   2,364,000        0.8/ 6;   966,000    1.8/ 7

(Source: ABC)