'GMA' Tops Guthrie's 'Today' Debut

ABC show wins out in total viewers and demo on July 9

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/10/2012 1:11:26 PM

ABC's Good Morning America ranked first on Monday, July 9, the day that NBC debuted its new anchor team of Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie.

GMA outdrew Today by a margin of 356,000 total viewers (4.425 million vs. 4.069 million) and 6,000 adults 25-54 (1.68 million vs. 1.674 million), according to Nielsen fast affiliate numbers.

The preliminary numbers are subject to change when final ratings are released next week, but if they hold up it will be the first Monday that GMA has ranked No. 1 in both total viewers and the demo since February 2006, as well as a symbolic win for the program as Today reshuffles its anchor lineup.

GMA tied Today in total viewers the week of June 25, Ann Curry's last as co-anchor; it was the first time the ABC program could lay claim to the top spot since the week of May 21.