"CBS This Morning" posted its best fourth-quarter ratings in 29 years, according to Nielsen Research.

The morning news program hosted by Charlie Rose, Norah O'Donnell and Gayle King was the only network morning broadcast to post growth in the key 25–54 demographic that advertisers covet most, gaining 6 percent in viewers.

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Overall, CBS's morning audience averaged more than 1 million more viewers in the fourth quarter of 2016 than in the same quarter in 2011, with 3.68 million viewers tuning in.

The ratings increases still weren't good enough to launch CBS out of third place in the morning news race, however.

ABC's "Good Morning America" took the top spot in total viewers with 4.66 million viewers. NBC's "Today" was close behind with 4.57 million., followed by CBS with 3.68 million.

In the key demographic, NBC won with 1.78 million viewers, followed by ABC with 1.53 million and CBS with 1.11 million.

CBS recently re-signed co-host Gayle King to a reported three-year, $16.5 million contract.