Season-to-Date, "GMA" is Posting its Smallest Total Viewer and Demo Margins with NBC's "Today" in 16 Years

"GMA" Only Morning Program Versus Competition to Grow in Demo Year-to-Year

ABC News' "Good Morning America" attracted 4.871 million Total Viewers and 1.6/11/1.980 million Adults 25-54 for the week of February 20, 2012.  "GMA" posted its 3rd consecutive week of year-ago growth in Adults 25-54 (+6%), standing as the only morning newscast to be up year-to-year in the key news demo (NBC's "Today" -4%; CBS' "This Morning" -16%).

"GMA" cut its week-to-week margins with "Today" for the 2nd week in a row in Total Viewers (-14% - 519,000 vs. 606,000) and Adults 25-54 (-13% - 370,000 vs. 427,000) , delivering its smallest news demo margin with "Today" in over 3 years - since w/o 11/17/08 .

Year-to-year, "GMA" narrowed its news demo margin by double-digits with "Today" (-37% - 370,000 vs. 583,000) for the 8th straight week.  In fact, "GMA" has slashed its year-ago Adults 25-54 gap with the NBC program by double-digits in 22 of 23 weeks this season.

Season to date, "GMA" narrowed its gaps in both Total Viewers (-33%) and Adults 25-54 (-39%) versus its year-ago season gaps.  In fact, "GMA" is posting its smallest Total Viewer (579,000) and Adults 25-54 (476,000) margins with "Today" in 16 years - since the 1995-96 Season.

"GMA" bettered the "CBS This Morning" by +88% in Total Viewers (4.871 million vs. 2.593 million) and by +93% in Adults 25-54 (1.980 million vs. 1.024 million).

Season to date "GMA" is the only morning program to grow in Total Viewers (+6%) and Adults 25-54 (+9%) versus its year-ago averages (NBC's "Today:" flat/-6%, respectively; CBS' "This Morning:" -10%/-12%, respectively). "GMA" is seeing its largest overall season audience in 4 years, since 2007-08.

*Note : Due to the President's Day holiday (2/20/12), ABC's, CBS' and NBC's Monday telecasts were coded as specials and are excluded from the weekly averages.

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. James Goldston is senior executive producer and Tom Cibrowski is executive producer.

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 2/20/12, 2/13/12 & 2/21/11.  Most Current:  2011-2012 Season (9/19/11 - 2/26/12) and 2010-2011 Season (9/20/10 - 2/27/11).     

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