NBC's 'Today' Show Ratings Have Increased Since Matt Lauer's Firing

Lauer was fired from the show after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct.
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NBC’s “Today” show seems to be better off without Matt Lauer.

According to a recent report from Variety, viewers are “flocking” to the morning show since Lauer’s sudden departure in November after multiple women accused the veteran journalist of sexual misconduct. “Today” beat out rival ABC’s “Good Morning America” in the ratings two weeks in a row ― the first two-week winning streak for “Today” since December 2016.

The “Today” show had an average of 1.64 million viewers ages 25-54 for the week ending on Dec. 8, and averaged a whopping 4.58 million viewers overall, Variety reports. “Good Morning America” had an average of 1.38 million viewers ages 25-54 in the same time period, and an overall average of 4.38 million.

For comparison, in the week of Nov. 13, “Today” averaged 1.46 million viewers ages 25-54 and 4.23 million viewers overall.

At the same time, Adweek notes that “Today,” “Good Morning America” and “CBS This Morning” were all down in viewers last week compared to where the three shows were a year before.

Currently, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are co-hosting the morning show, with Kotb taking Lauer’s old spot. Lauer was an anchor for the “Today” show for two decades.

In a statement released Nov. 30, Lauer responded to the allegations against him.

“There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry,” Lauer’s statement said in part. “Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.”

Maybe people prefer anchors who are not sexual predators, or maybe people simply prefer women. Here’s hoping it’s both.

Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are currently co-anchors of the "Today" show.
Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are currently co-anchors of the "Today" show.
NBC NewsWire via Getty Images

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