Good Morning America tops Today show for first time in 16 years (but NBC star Matt Lauer was on vacation)

The ratings dominance of NBC’s 'Today' show that began in 1995, one of television’s most epic streaks, has ended.



Last week after 16 years, 852 consecutive weeks, of trailing 'Today,' ABC's 'Good Morning America' claimed the highest morning show ratings in the country.



But, lest ABC bigwigs start celebrating too much, 'GMA' won by just 13,000 viewers. And 'Today's' biggest star, Matt Lauer, was on vacation.



Winning team: Good Morning America competed vigorously for viewers last week. Here Robin Roberts interviews 'Ridiculously Photogenic' Zeddie Little and the photographer who made him famous, Will King

Laurer recently inked a $25 million a year contract, New York Magazine reports. It's a figure that would make nearly every sports star except Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriquez blush.



The eye-popping number helps illustrate just how competitive the morning show market has become, especially for NBC which relies on 'Today' as a consistent money-maker while the rest of the network struggles to compete.



'GMA' could have Tim Tebow to thank for the upset.



'Today' actually won in the ratings three of the five mornings last week. But 'Good Morning America' won on Wednesday, when bounced 'Dancing With the Stars' contestant Sherri Shepherd was featured. It also won on Friday, when co-host Robin Roberts traveled to Jacksonville, Florida, to interview Tebow and his mother.

Sarah Palin, who guest-anchored 'Today' on Tuesday helped pushed the NBC show to number one the first week in April, but just narrowly.



Second-best: Savannah Gutherie, Ann Curry, Matt Lauer and Al Roker are part of the 'Today' show team that was on top of the ratings for 16 years

Star attraction: Lauer, who recently signed a reported $25 million a year contract, was on vacation when Today lost the top spot

'Today's' streak was a huge point of pride at NBC as the rest of the network declined. Morning shows are also an important revenue source, and a changing of the guard could have significant financial repercussions.



The 'Today' show earned an estimated $484 million in revenue in 2011, according to Kantar Media, more than 'GMA' ($298 million) and CBS' morning show ($156 million) combined.

NBC this month signed 'Today' co-host Matt Lauer to a contract extension that reportedly makes him the highest-paid on-air talent in television news. Lauer, however, was on vacation last week. David Gregory and Carl Quintanilla subbed for him.

'Good Morning America' averaged 5.147 million viewers for the week, to the 'Today' show's 5.134 million, Nielsen said in its fast national estimate.



ABC was cautious in its response because the final ratings aren't due until Thursday and, occasionally, the numbers shift as Nielsen looks for conflicts in local markets.

Co-host George Stephanopoulos tweeted some celebratory remarks, however.

On Twitter, he thanked 'GMA' viewers 'for giving us a week we'll never forget,' adding, 'What a milestone!'

'GMA' beat 'Today' by 330,000 viewers on Friday, Nielsen said. The week before, 'Today' won on Friday by a margin of 15,000 viewers, a swing that made the difference between winning and losing for the week.

'"Today's" 852-week winning streak had taken on a life of its own and as odd as it is to see it end, we should acknowledge just how remarkable it has been,' said Jim Bell, executive producer of the NBC morning show.

'So as we tip our caps to the team at "Good Morning America," we can take also take a bow ourselves and recognize the work done by countless staffers for so long. It is not an overstatement to call it one of the most incredible achievements in television history, one that is not likely to ever happen again.'

NBC noted that 'Today' still won by 254,000 viewers among 25- to 54-year-olds, the group that its ad sales are based upon. In that demographic, the 'Today' show has won for 884 consecutive weeks.

ABC News President Ben Sherwood, a former executive producer at 'Good Morning America' in the early 2000s, has made winning in the morning a top priority.

