No Ann Curry, No Cry: 'Today' Loses Overall Ratings for Fourth Consecutive Week; 'GMA' Gains Key Demographic

NBC's Today has lost the morning show battle for the fourth week running, losing to ABC's Good Morning America (GMA) in overall viewers and the key 25-54 adult demographic.

GMA's win in the Adults 25-54 demographic is the first time in nearly 17 years, but essentially ties with Today's Adults 25-54 demo with 1.737 million. NBC can claim they main the key demo for the 899^th week, but ABC too can claim the victory.

The Adults 25-54 demographic is important to networks as those are the viewers that advertisers pay to reach.

Both shows issued statements on their respective victories:

According to NBC: 'TODAY' IS THE NO. 1 MORNING PROGRAM IN A25-54 FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 16; TODAY Continues as the No. 1 Morning Program for 899 Straight Weeks in the Key Demo A25-45

According to ABC: For the First Time in 17 Years, "Good Morning America" is #1 in Both Total Viewers and Key Adults 25-54 Demo

According to Nielson Media Research, GMA won the week in total viewers with 4.598 million watching the George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts' program compared to Today's 4.245 million viewers. The gap of 353,000 viewers is the widest victory margin since the May 15, 1995 broadcast of GMA.

GMA outperformed Today on all five broadcasts last week for the second consecutive week.

"I feel like we're on the podium, bending down and getting our gold medals," said GMA co-host Roberts, via satellite, during ABC News' session at the television critics press tour in Beverly Hills, California.

The news is good for Roberts who is planning to go on medical leave later in the summer for a blood disorder that will require a bone-marrow transplant.

Today, co-anchored by Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie, hopes the fourth consecutive loss in overall viewers will be the last time as coverage of the London 2012 Summer Olympics are currently underway for the next three weeks. NBC executives are anticipating their ratings to increase to maintain the Adults 25-54 demographic for the 900^th week.

GMA nearly doubled its ratings compared to CBS This Morning in total viewers, with 4.598 million to 2.341 million viewers.