"GMA" Hits Season Highs in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 to Win Third Straight Week of February Sweep

Leads NBC by 92,000 Adults 25-54

6.582 Million Viewers Welcomed Robin Roberts Back to the "GMA" Anchor Desk on Wednesday

For the week of February 18, 2013, ABC News' "Good Morning America" stood as the morning's No. 1 news program for the 3rd week in a row in both Total Viewers (6.008 million) and Adults 25-54 (2.195 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. With week-to-week increases (5.489 million and 2.055 million, respectively on w/o 2/11/13) in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 25-54 (+7%) to hit season highs, "GMA" saw its most-watched week in more than 19 years - since w/o 1/17/94. Furthermore, it was "GMA's" 2nd-largest Total Viewer audience overall in more than 21 years - since at least the 1991-92 season; Nielsen's electronic database started on September of 1991. In Adults 25-54, "GMA" saw its best news demo performance in 4 years - since w/o 2/23/09.

"GMA" won the third and final full week the 2013 February sweep, leading NBC's "Today" (4.953 million and 2.103 million, respectively) by +1.055 million Total Viewers and by+92,000 Adults 25-54. In fact, it was "GMA's" largest Total Viewer lead over NBC's "Today" in nearly 19 years - since w/o 5/16/94.

With the week's No. 1 morning telecast on Wednesday (6.582 million and 2.380 million on 2/20/13) , featuring the return of Robin Roberts to the "GMA" anchor desk, "GMA" turned in its most-watched telecast since the royal wedding nearly 2 years ago and 2nd-most-watched in 8 years - since 4/29/11 and 2/28/05, respectively. In addition, "GMA" outdelivered "Today" (4.820 million) on Wednesday by its largest single-day margin (1.762 million, regular telecasts) in nearly 18 years - since 5/18/94.

The ABC morning newscast has ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers in all 21 weeks of the season and in 16 of 21 weeks in Adults 25-54. Further, "GMA" has ranked No. 1 every week in Total Viewers for more than six months (the last 27 weeks) and in 32 of the last 34 (behind "Today" only during the 2 weeks of the Summer Olympics). Further, "GMA's" 27 consecutive weeks at No. 1 stand as its longest stretch in 20 years - since the 1992-93 season, w/o 11/9/92 - w/o 6/28/93. In Adults 25-54, "GMA" ranked No. 1 in 20 of the past 25 weeks.

"GMA" surged on its year-ago numbers (4.871 million and 1.980 million, respectively, on w/o 2/20/12) in both Total Viewers (+23%) and Adults 25-54 (+11%), increasing its Total Viewer audience year to year in all 21 weeks season to date. NBC's "Today" was down from the year-earlier week in both Nielsen measures (-8%/-10%).

Season to date "GMA" stands as the No. 1 morning news program in both Total Viewers and Adults 25-54. In fact, "GMA" is leading "Today" by its largest season margin in overall viewers (+560,000) in more than 21 years, and in the key adult news demo (+66,000) in 21 years - since at least the 1991-92 season and since the 1991-92 season, respectively; Nielsen's electronic database started on September of 1991.

Season to date "GMA" is up in both Total Viewers (+7%) and Adults 25-54 (+2%) versus its year-ago averages, standing as the only morning newscast to grow in the key adult news demo (NBC's "Today" is down -15%/-21%, respectively; CBS' "This Morning" is mixed +8%/flat, respectively). "GMA" is seeing its largest overall season audience in 8 years and best Adult 25-54 performance in 4 years - since the 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons, respectively.

For the week, "GMA" nearly doubled the performance of "CBS This Morning" in Total Viewers (+99%) and Adults 25-54 (+94%), beating the CBS morning program by its largest advantages (2.988 million and 1.065 million, respectively) of the season.

Note: Due to the President's Day holiday (2/18/13), ABC's, CBS' and NBC's Monday telecasts were coded as specials and are excluded from the weekly averages.

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 2/18/13, 2/11/13 & 2/20/12. Most Current - 2012-2013 Season (9/24/12 - 2/23/13) and 2011-2012 Season (9/19/11 - 2/17/12). All averages based on regular telecasts. (*Note: Due to coverage of Hurricane Sandy, w/o 10/29/12 was coded as a breakout and is excluded from the season count) .

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.

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