Week of April 13 Morning News Ratings: CBS Has Only Morning Show to Grow

Why It Matters

CBS’s modest rebound signals a potential shift in advertiser interest toward its younger‑adult audience, while the overall dip across the morning‑news landscape pressures networks to innovate content and talent strategies.

Key Takeaways

• CBS Mornings up 3% total viewers, 19% demo week‑over‑week
• Today stays No. 1 despite 4% total‑viewer drop
• GMA flat in viewers, down 2% in Adults 25‑54
• All three shows down ~25% YoY in total viewers
• Hoda Kotb’s fill‑in helped keep Today above 3 million

Pulse Analysis

The Nielsen week of April 13, 2026, paints a mixed picture for the three major U.S. morning news programs. While NBC’s Today retained its top‑spot with just over 3 million total viewers and 629,000 Adults 25‑54, it slipped 4% from the previous week. ABC’s Good Morning America held steady in total audience but lost 2% in the coveted demo, and CBS Mornings, with 1.8 million viewers, was the sole program to register week‑to‑week growth, climbing 3% overall and 19% among adults 25‑54. However, each show suffered steep year‑over‑year declines, ranging from 26% to 27% in total viewers, underscoring a broader audience erosion.

Advertisers watch these shifts closely because the Adults 25‑54 segment drives premium ad rates. CBS’s incremental gains suggest its recent content tweaks and talent lineup may be resonating with younger viewers, offering a foothold for brands targeting that demographic. Meanwhile, Today’s continued dominance, bolstered by Hoda Kotb’s temporary reunion with Savannah Guthrie, kept the program above the 3 million‑viewer threshold, preserving its leverage in rate negotiations despite the modest dip. Networks are likely to double‑down on personality‑driven segments and cross‑platform extensions to arrest the downward trend.

The year‑over‑year slide across all three programs signals structural challenges: cord‑cutting, streaming competition, and shifting morning routines are eroding traditional broadcast audiences. To counteract this, networks are experimenting with digital‑first integrations, shorter news briefs, and lifestyle‑focused content to capture fragmented viewership. As the industry recalibrates, the modest week‑to‑week rise for CBS Mornings may serve as a bellwether for successful audience‑re‑engagement tactics, while the overall decline warns that legacy morning news must evolve rapidly to stay relevant.