Good Morning America's work-shy and absent stars blamed as bosses hold crisis talks over tanking ratings
Good Morning America's absent stars have been blamed for tanking ratings in crisis talks held by panicking bosses.
Executive producer Simone Swink warned staff that the show is underperforming compared to its NBC rival the Today show, Status reports.
The GMA boss reportedly reminded employees they must be present in the office for a full four days each week during a meeting on Monday.
Anchors George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, and Michael Strahan have not escaped unscathed either, with the healthy amount of time off afforded by their contracts also coming under scrutiny.
Each of the hosts is entitled to a staggering 100 days off a year as part of their contracts according to an industry observer.
Despite earning up to $18 million a year each from the gig, the massive PTO entitlement means the anchors are often seen apart.
This is problematic for breakfast television where experts say viewers value consistency - such as seeing the same faces regularly.
Viewers were quick to remark when Roberts was absent from her usual role two weeks ago, which was thought to be due to her taking time off to celebrate her birthday.
Good Morning America's absent stars Michael Strahan, Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos have been blamed for tanking ratings in crisis talks held by panicking bosses
ABC News' new president Almin Karamehmedovic is said to have expressed concerns the show is not making for compelling viewing
However the beleaguered show's issues stem even further back to former news producer Kim Godwin's tenure, which coincided with the scandal of Amy Robach and TJ Holmes' affair that was exposed in an agenda-setting DailyMail.com exclusive.
The network is widely thought to have bungled its handling of the controversy and been left with a 'talent crisis'.
The situation has not gone unnoticed by ABC News' new president Almin Karamehmedovic, who is said to have privately expressed that he doesn't find the show compelling in its current format.
Karamehmedovic is also relatively untested in the world of morning TV. His efforts have reportedly so far been focused on the World News program since GMA has typically been ahead of Today.
However, under Karamehmedovic ratings have slumped. GMA has trailed behind Today for the last four weeks and is expected to lose the crown again when ratings are released tomorrow.
The NBC program has been outperforming in terms of both total viewers and the 25-54 demographic which is coveted by advertisers.
The anchors reportedly get an astonishing 100 days of PTO, meaning they often appear apart
GMA is still in the lead when ratings season-to-date are considered. However both programs are seeing a decline consistent across morning television.
Over the last few weeks GMA anchor Strahan has been dealing with backlash after a gaffe on Veteran's Day when he failed to put his hand to his heart for the national anthem.
The outrage only intensified when the anchor responded angrily when confronted by a DailyMail.com reporter.
