TODAY Tops GMA By More Than One Million Viewers

NBC News' "Today" continues as the dominant morning news program topping GMA by more than one million viewers. Last week's win marks "Today's" 754th consecutive week in first place. Below are the highlights for the week ending May 23.

Highlights:
 TODAY averaged 5.228 million total viewers, a +24% (+1,008,000) advantage over GMA and +99% (+2,596,000) over Early Show.
 TODAY posted its biggest total viewer gap over GMA in eight weeks (since the week of March 22, 2010).
 TODAY has now won 754 consecutive weeks in both homes and total viewers.
 In rating A25-54, TODAY led GMA by +43% (+6 tenths) and Early Show by +122% (+1.1 ratings points).
 TODAY had its biggest non-Olympics A25-54 (000) advantage since the week of October 19, 2009.
 In rating A18-49, TODAY outperformed GMA by +78% (+7 tenths) and Early Show by +167% (+1 full ratings point).
 TODAY posted its biggest advantages over GMA in rating W18-49 since the week of November 30, 2009 and rating A18-49 since the week of August 18, 2008.
 TODAY has now won 815 weeks in rating A18-49 and 786 weeks in rating A25-54.
 Week-to-week, TODAY posted a +2% (+109,000) delivery gain in total viewers and widened its advantage over GMA in homes, total viewers, rating W/A18-49, and rating W/M25-54.
 TODAY grew in rating W18-49 (+5%) and rating W25-54 (+4%) versus the same week last season.
 TODAY also saw increased advantages versus its season-to-date average in rating W/M/A18-49 and rating M/A25-54.
 Season-to-date, TODAY is the only morning news program to post any demo increase (up +4% in rating W25-54) and tops second-place GMA by +27% (+1,179,000) in total viewers and +41% (+738,000) in A25-54 (000).
 TODAY has widened its advantages over both GMA and Early Show this season in homes, total viewers, rating W/A18-49, and rating W/A25-54 compared to the same period last season.

TODAY II (9 a.m. hour) & TODAY III (10 a.m. hour) Highlights:
 TODAY II topped CBS Early Show in homes (+15%), total viewers (+11% or +294,000), rating W/A18-49 (+29%/+17%) and rating W25-54 (+20%).
 Season-to-date, TODAY II is up in total viewers (+1% or +38,000) and rating M18-49 (+20%) while also increasing +1% in A25-54 (000).

 TODAY III averaged 1.714 million total viewers and a 0.6 A25-54 rating.
 Week-to-week, TODAY III increased +1% in A18-49 (000).
 TODAY III posted year-to-year gains in homes (+8%), total viewers (+4%, or +67,000), rating W25-54 (+14%).
 TODAY III was also up versus its 2Q10 to date averages in rating W/A25-54 (+14%/+20%) and grew +1% in A18-49 (000).
 Season-to-date, TODAY III is up in homes (+7%) and total viewers (+5%, or +87,000) and rating W25-54 (+13%).

With record-breaking numbers in its digital platforms, "Today" continued a strong online showing with more than 16.7 million online streams. The highest ever recorded, this marks a top rated performance in online video streams for "Today." TODAYshow.com's stories, blog, message boards and live votes were also popular with users.

Jim Bell is the executive producer of "Today" (Monday - Friday, 7-11 a.m.).

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