'Get Up' and 'First Take' Enjoyed Historic January Ratings
By Kyle Koster
All of the NFL's postseason drama helped yield historic ratings for ESPN's marquee morning programs as the network announced this morning that each show enjoyed January records.
- Get Up with Mike Greenberg, averaged 445,000 viewers. An increase of 2 percent vs. 2022 (the previous most-watched Jan. on record).
- First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim, averaged 561,000 viewers. A 12 percent increase from 2022.
Reaction Mondays have continued to be a major eyeball-driver for each program as Get Up drew an average of 544,000 viewers and First Take earned an average of 685,000 viewers.
Anyone who works in media understands the Monday bump and savors all the content to the max because a sports desert looms after Sunday's Super Bowl. It is imperative to put up huge numbers and ride all the emotions and elation. ESPN has done an excellent job all year in putting its foot on the gas pedal and driving conversation, even if some of the First Take histrionics involving Stephen A. Smith and the Dallas Cowboys can be a bit much.
More interest in these shows means more interest in the other 20 hours of the day as each are utilized to shuffle in as many new voices from different properties as possible. Positive signs for arguable the network's most important debate zones.