PUBLICITY savvy Karl Stefanovic appears to have single-handedly lifted the ratings for the Nine Network’s breakfast show Today.

Stefanovic has pulled off a number of recent stunts which has coincided with a lift in ratings for the Nine Network’s breakfast show.

From selling a suit he wore everyday this year to playing hardball with the Prime Minister and his merry men, Stefanovic’s sideshow Bob tactic is having a positive effect.

media_camera Hard line ... Karl Stefanovic berated embattled Prime Minister Tony Abbott, in an exchange that quickly went viral.

Today’s average audience until December 9 is 20,000 more than the average viewing audience was for the whole of November.

At the same time Today’s arch rival breakfast show Sunrise has had a slight downturn with 22,000 fewer viewers in December than in November.

SEXISM EXPERIMENT: Karl Stefanovic auctions blue ‘sexism’ suit for women’s violence campaign

However, the Seven Network’s Sunrise, with David Koch and Samantha Armytage at the helm, has been the clear winner in the ratings war all year and still has a solid lead over Today.

But the gap between the two shows has started to close since Stefanovic made national and international headlines for selling his Burberry knock-off suit on eBay.

media_camera Feminist crusader? ... Karl Stefanovic made a glaring point about sexism by wearing the same suit every single day for a year — and no one noticed. He then auctioned it off for charity. Picture: John Appleyard

And there should be no discounting the importance of winning the breakfast ratings war and the need for Today to lift its audience numbers.

Until Stefanovic upped the anti by selling his suit online, Today was faring poorly against the tight knit Sunrise team. The gap between the two breakfast shows (7am-9am) had doubled between February and November.

BLAND LANDSCAPE: Karl Stefanovic sounds off on Aussie TV whitewashing

Sunrise averaged 338,000 viewers and Today had 299,000 sets of eyes in February alone, while in November Sunrise leapt to 378,000 viewers and Today dipped to 295,000.

The overall year-to date figures (7am-9am) are heavily in favour of Sunrise with an average of 350,000 viewers per show compared to Today’s 295,000.

media_camera Powerful duo . while Sunrise might still be on top, the Today show hosted by Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic is nipping at its heels. Picture: Chris McCormack.

The breakfast timeslot is the window to the rest of the day’s programming and its where the network’s showcase their prime time shows. Its why Network Ten poured copious amounts of money into the ill-fated Wake Up.

Besides Stefanovic successfully planting himself in the media of late, Sunrise will not be outdone.

ANCHORMAN PARODY: Karl Stefanovic, Sandra Sully, Derryn Hinch and more fight it out to the death in a violent brawl

The ever-single Armytage is fodder for the glossy women’s mags and daily gossip columns. This week Woman’s Day suggested the 37-year-old was dating actor Russell Crowe and earlier in the year she was outed as having a five-hour lunch with Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet.

media_camera Magazine fodder ... Sunrise host Samantha Armytage’s personal life often makes the gossip pages. Picture: Instagram

Armytage is also very open about her life and has spoken about weight issues and tweeted about her recent new hairdo which was labelled a “Lara Bingle bob”.

Now ratings season is over, the publicity machines behind both shows are unlikely to slow down.

NATIONAL TREASURE: 40 reasons to love Karl Stefanovic as the Today show host celebrates his 40th birthday

Sunrise and Today need to retain their loyal viewers and attract new ones over the summer.

So expect more antics from Stefanovic and more talk about Armytage being single, her weight issues and her hair in the coming weeks and months.

Originally published as Karl’s big Christmas gift to bosses