Oscars boost ‘GMA’ to best audience ever

ABC’s “Good Morning America” is back on top after falling behind NBC’s “Today” briefly during the Winter Olympics. In fact, the show is in the midst-of a record-setting season.

The morning program averaged 6.3 million total viewers during the week ended March 9, according to Nielsen, the show’s best weekly average since Nielsen’s electronic database started in September 1991. It was No. 1 for the week and up 8 percent from the same week last year.

“GMA” got a big boost from the 7.2 million who tuned in to the Monday show the night after the Oscars aired on ABC.

NBC’s “Today” was second for the week with 5.31 million total viewers and “CBS This Morning” third with 3.11 million.

“GMA” also had a strong week among viewers 25-54, averaging 2.46 million, up 12 percent year-to-year. NBC averaged 2.2 million the demo, CBS 1.01 million.

Season-to-date “GMA” is up 10 percent over last year among total viewers and posting its best season since 1991. The show is also up 12 percent among 25-54s, with its best season average since 2005-06.

It has its largest lead over “Today” among both total viewers and 25-54s in more than 22 years.

The NBC show, which led for more than a decade before ABC slipped ahead a couple years ago, snapped ABC’s long winning streak during the Olympics. And while “Today’s” ratings are still up over last year, it wasn’t able to keep pace with “GMA” once the Games ended.

Tags: cbs this morning, gma, good morning america, morning show ratings, morning shows, today