Ratings for the “Today” show have been higher than rival “Good Morning America” for the second week in a row following the departure of Matt Lauer amid allegations of sexual harassment and assault.
It marks the first time the show has beaten “GMA” since December 2016, both in total viewers and in the coveted 25-to-54-demographic, Variety reported.
For the week ending Dec. 8, “Today” had about 1.64 million viewers in the 25-54 age group, and 4.58 million viewers overall. “GMA had 1.38 million viewers 25-54 and 4.38 million overall, Variety said.
Besides the Lauer firing, which was announced to viewers on Nov. 29, “GMA” broadcasts in Los Angeles were pre-empted by news coverage of the wildfires nearby throughout the week, which could have impacted viewership, Variety noted.
Viewership was also down a bit from 4.9 million for the week ending Dec. 1, while “GMA” was up in overall viewership over the same period, suggesting that the surge may not be a permanent one, Variety reported.
Currently, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are co-hosting “Today,” but it is not known whether that arrangement will be permanent.
Ratings for the Megyn Kelly-hosted third hour of the program, which had lagged after she took over the slot, have also increased in recent weeks to 2.7 million viewers in December as Kelly has taken on the topic of the sexual harassment scandals affecting Hollywood and Washington, D.C. in recent months.
Twitter had plenty of opinions about the ratings bump and Lauer’s ouster.
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