CBS Mornings entered the Memorial Day holiday weekend in a favorable position, as it was the only morning show to gain in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo for the week of May 18.
Additionally, it recorded double-digit growth in the advertiser-coveted demo. This was some much-needed good news for a news network that has been generating a lot of headlines this past week.
NOTE: All three morning shows were retitled on Friday (05/22/26). These telecasts are excluded from the weekly and season averages. ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News’ weekly averages are based on four days (Monday-Thursday).
According to Nielsen’s national live+same-day big data plus program ratings, GMA averaged 2.74 million total viewers and 436,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week of May 18. Compared to the previous week, ABC News’ morning show was down -1% among total viewers and -4% in the demo. When looking at how it performed in the same week in 2025, GMA was up by +3% in total viewers but saw a -3% decline in the demo.
Today continued to hold down first place in total viewers and the demo, with 2.969 million and 562,000 viewers, respectively, for the just-concluded week. The broadcast saw losses of -1% in total viewers and -9% in the A25-54 demo compared to the previous week. When measured against the same week in 2025, Today was up +15% in total viewers but fell by -6% in the demo.
CBS Mornings had 1.897 million total viewers and 322,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week of May 18. Compared to the previous week, CBS News’ morning show was up by +9% in total viewers and +15% in the demo—the only morning show with gains in either of the measured categories. Versus the same week in 2025, CBS Mornings was down -6% in total viewers but grew by +3% in the demo.
*Please note that year-over-year comparisons are based on Nielsen Big Data+Panel (2025) vs. Panel (2025) measurements.
May 18, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
| ABC | NBC | CBS | |
| • Total Viewers: | 2,740,000 | 2,969,000 | 1,897,000 |
| • A25-54: | 436,000 | 562,000 | 322,000 |
Source: Nielsen, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49 National Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings Current Week (w/o 5/18/26), Previous Week (w/o 5/11/26), and Year-Ago Week (w/o 5/19/25). Season to date: Most Current Data Stream: 2025-2026 Season (9/22/25–5/24/26) and 2024-2025 Season (9/23/24–5/25/25). Season averages based on Big Data Plus Panel ratings start with the 2023-2024 season.
