Disney-ABC Television big syndication morning franchise got a shot in the arm with the first day of its revamped "Live with Kelly and Michael".
The first episode of the show on Tuesday featuring Kelly Ripa and new host Michael Strahan rocketed to a Nielsen preliminary 3.9 household rating/13 share -- some 44% higher
than its ratings of a year ago. It also gained in other demographic group -- women 18-34 were up 83%; women 18-49 gained 70% and women 25-54 added 64%.
After a long period of tryouts of other possible permanent hosts, Strahan, former New York Giants footlball player and later on-air NFL TV analyst, was named. He replaced Regis Philbin, who had been with the show 23 years from 1988 to 2011.