5's "Good Day NY" Beats 4's "Today"

[DToTheJ]

Of note: Dave Price left the show right before the February sweeps period.
http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/good-day-new-york-beats-today-during-february-sweep/

[TimeIsTight]

This has also ramped up the speculation again that Matt Laurer's days at the Today Show are numbered.  Losing the top spot in New York, only throws salt in the wound from Today's national slide from the top of the pile.

Laurer took vacation time during the February sweeps to match his kid's school vacation.  That makes him a better family guy, but, in the eyes of the NBC suits, possibly, not a real "team player."  Ever since word got out that he may have been pushing for Ann Curry's exit from the show, Laurer apparently hasn't been "Mr. Popularity" with some formerly loyal morning viewers.

Even perennial morning ratings basement dweller CBS This Morning, has been posting double digit percentage gains in some demos, and they probably came at Today's expense.  In a way, CBS is breaking away from the pack and targeting an audience more interested in harder, and more current, news.  More journalistic nourishment and less morning show junk food, and it seems to be working.  What is not working, like it used to, is Today, its NYC audience is not only going over to its main rival GMA, but its getting peeled off on one end by CBS, and the other by Fox 5. 

[Joseph_Gallant]

This phenomenon is not restricted to New York.

In quite a few markets, a local morning news show (usually, but not always) on a Fox-owned or affiliated station is the most-watched TV show in the market between 7 and 9 .M. on weekdays.

Expect NBC to ease Lauer off of "Today" by Summer (with the company giving him a syndicated daytime talk/variety show to start in 2014), likely to be replaced by..............Ryan Seacrest!

[liradioisbad]

I remember hearing in the late 90's Good Day also was number one overall in NYC. Probably right before Channel 11's morning show started and took some of their audience.

[DToTheJ]

And it's the success of the morning show on WNYW and other Fox stations that likely inspired competing outlets to start their own - hard to believe 11 was airing cartoons in mornings 20 years ago:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR101620/