ABC's "Good Morning America" viewership is crumbling and NBC's "Today" now leads in the ratings, but both morning shows are suffering blows as more and more consumers turn to the Internet to get their news.
Since overtaking "Today" for the No. 1 morning show spot three years ago, "GMA" has slipped.
The Associated Press reported that, in the key demo of 25-to-54-year-olds, "Today" reigns supreme.
"'GMA' is losing viewers, most rapidly among a younger demographic that advertisers eagerly seek, where NBC has wrested back the lead from its rival," AP's TV writer David Bauder reported. "The search is on for those missing viewers, many of whom ABC executives suspect have turned off morning television altogether, and for ways to lure them back."
But both morning shows are showing a decline.
"Good Morning America's" daily viewership is down 11 percent from last season — and, most significantly, down 19 percent among that coveted 25-to-54-year-old group — according to Nielsen figures reported by the AP.
Though still ahead, the "Today" show is down 4 percent from last season.
AdWeek pointed out that, during the week of Nov. 16, it was only CBS's "This Morning" that saw any viewer growth at all — 3 percent. "GMA" was down 14 percent and "Today" was down 5 percent in that time period.
ABC attributes at least part of GMA's challenge to retain and grow viewers to shifts in how people get their news. Morning television usage was at 40.7 million viewers three years ago, and it has dropped closer to 38 million since then as people turn to their smartphones, the AP reported.
"We never take for granted the position that we're in and we work every day to bring our viewers a smart, innovative show to start their day," Michael Corn, senior executive producer of "GMA," said in a statement quoted by the AP. "We are laser focused on this mission and making 'GMA' essential to our viewers."
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