`Today' and new co-host fall to `GMA' in Week 1

The Associated Press, Monday, July 16, 2012, 10:59am (PDT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- A majority of morning viewers has greeted the arrival of Savannah Guthrie with a yawn in her first week as "Today" show co-anchor.

Nielsen says NBC's "Today" was beaten last week by ABC archrival "Good Morning America" by 357,000 viewers.

"GMA" drew an average of 4.57 million viewers, compared with 4.21 million for "Today," according to preliminary ratings released Monday by the Nielsen Co.

The "Today" show loss suggests lukewarm audience interest in Guthrie. Or perhaps viewers were displaying resentment toward NBC for ousting Ann Curry, who shared co-anchoring duties with Matt Lauer for just a year. She joined the program in 1997.

"Today" was the undisputed morning leader in the ratings since 1995 until this spring, when a resurgent "GMA" snapped its winning streak with several weeks on top.