ABC Ratings Took Major Dive When Megyn Kelly Appeared on Good Morning America

We all know by now that Megyn Kelly opted to sign a comprehensive deal with NBC. It is also clear that competitor ABC News had been one of the top suitors. She even turned down a handsome $100 million package from Fox News to go to the peacock network for far less money. But, could Kelly’s recent appearance on Good Morning America have stopped that network from competing harder for the Fox News host? Mediaite has learned that the minute-by-minute ratings for GMA took a major (and surprising) dive during her segment on November 15 to promote her new book, Settle For More. 

According to sources with access to those all important and specific network ratings, Kelly appeared for approximately 10 minutes at around 7:31 a.m, during that time, the ratings continued to plummet in particular compared to other days. Network execs across the board apparently expected that the Fox News host’s interview would boost the bottom of the 7 o’clock hour especially since she was discussing controversial allegations against her former boss, Roger Ailes. But– that didn’t happen.

“He tried to kiss me three times… and when I rejected that, he asked me when my contract was up,” Kelly recounted to George Stephanopoulos during an exclusive interview.about her first year working as a reporter at Fox. “I wrestled with what to do.” While the interview was certainly interesting, the ratings didn’t pan out for GMA. And, interestingly, this interview came around the same time that Kelly was in contract discussions with other networks including ABC.

Kelly was eager to take the peacock network offer because it allowed more time to spend with her three young children. However, some have been skeptical about Kelly’s ability to maintain a daytime audience, citing the failure of both Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper to do so. She is reportedly slated to take over the third hour of “Today” with her new show. And according to two sources at different networks the downturn in ratings that morning “did not go unnoticed.” With that said, ratings from one morning would not, in and of itself, have changed the competition for the uber-talented Kelly. But with a move that has been called risky and bold, any indicators must have been carefully scrutinized.

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