'GOOD MORNING AMERICA' CHALLENGES 'TODAY' RATINGS CROWN; SAWYER OVER COURIC IN KEY CITIES
ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA has caught and passed NBC's TODAY show in many of the nation's top cities, new numbers from NIELSEN RESEARCH reveal.
The morning war is set to intensify this fall after GMA topped TODAY in the number one market, New York City, on Monday morning with a 4.5 rating/15 share over NBC's 3.6/12.
[GMA nearly doubled TODAY's audience in Philly 8.4/25 to 4.0/12, and easily wins Chicago 4.4/15 to TODAY's 2.6/9].
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According to overnights for 55 cities, GMA scored a 4.1/14 to TODAY's 4.6/16.
"A small two share now separates the two shows!" a top ABC source tells DRUDGE. "This may very well be the season we take it."
When she took over the morning anchor chair "temporarily" back in 1999, ABCNEWS Diane Sawyer privately set a goal to dethrone TODAY in top cities, a source close to the star said Monday.
With Sawyer still in the chair at GOOD MORNING AMERICA more than 4 years later, her personal goal appears to be realized.
Developing...
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