By Zach Johnson
For the past year, ABC News' Good Morning America has been counting down to its 50th milestone anniversary — and today, Monday, November 3, it was finally time to celebrate.
"It's crazy that it's finally here," said Simone Swink, who has been with Good Morning America since 2010 and is now its senior executive producer. "We brought people back. We showcased some great moments, as well as a few surprises, which was really fun."
As much as the celebration was for viewers, it was also for the GMA team.
"We've got people who work during the day, overnight, and in the early morning, so it's very hard to be all in one place at the same time," Swink said. "Monday was one of the only days of the year — or maybe the decade — that everybody who works on GMA was able to be in one place at one time to take a moment and say, 'We did it — and we did it together."
Co-anchor and Disney Legend Robin Roberts added, "Few programs get to enjoy this kind of history, and a legacy like ours takes a village, year after year. Our 50th anniversary broadcast is a homecoming — a celebration for the entire GMA family, in front of and behind the cameras who help us say those three perfect words: 'Good morning, America.'"
Setting the Stage
Planning for Monday's 50th anniversary episode began "well over a year ago," Swink said — although one could argue it's been decades in the making.
Good Morning America launched on November 3, 1975, with actors David Hartman and Nancy Dussault as its co-hosts. Future anchors included Sandy Hill (1977–1980), Joan Lunden (1980–1997), Charles Gibson (1987–1998, 1999–2006) Lisa McRee (1997–1999), Kevin Newman (1998–1999), and Disney Legend Diane Sawyer (1999–2009), in addition to the current GMA anchor team of Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan.
Monday's anniversary episode featured appearances by many of the aforementioned anchors, who returned to pay tribute to the Emmy® Award-winning daily morning show. "David has the original GMA set chair in his home, which he sat in when he joined us today," Swink said. "It was a special moment, and I know that David was so excited about it."
Over the years, viewers have often told the anchors, correspondents, and meteorologists that they feel like extended family members, and those relationships are taken very seriously. "All of the anchors talk about what a privilege it is to be the person who says, 'Good morning, America,'" Swink said. "It's an intimate time to be welcomed into people's homes and to help them start their days. I think that creates a special connection."
"Morning television is often a habit, an essential part of your day. So, if you're seeing the same group of people every morning in your kitchen, or in your living room, you feel like you know them," Swink continued. "And to a great extent, you do. Morning television is very personal. People on the air share milestones. We have a great clip of Joan introducing her baby for the first time, and all our viewers were there for Robin's, not one, but two harrowing medical journeys. You really get to know people through that, because they're not only bringing you the news and helping you start the day, but they're also bringing their whole selves to [each broadcast]. That connection is unique in television."
Indeed, each anchor has been encouraged to add a personal touch to their reporting.
"Before GMA and in sports, I was always answering the questions. Now, I'm asking them," Strahan, a former New York Giants player, said. "My favorite interviews were ones where I felt I was heard and I was respected, and so that personal experience shapes my approach."
Best in the Business
depth reporting, and compelling storytelling. Not only that, but GMA provides much-needed entertainment, whether on the Oscars® red carpet or on the Super Bowl® field. It's that curated mix, and the personal connections between its talent and viewers, that makes GMA so popular. In fact, it finished the 2024-2025 season as the most-watched morning newscast for the 13th straight year, averaging over 2.6 million viewers a day, per Nielsen.
"The only thing harder than getting to No. 1 is staying at No. 1," Swink said. "But we have a tremendous team, on-air and off-air, that cares about doing the best show each day. That care shows on-air, and the viewers connect with that."
And it goes beyond the anchor team, Swink added.
"Tory Johnson is on GMA every day with 'Deals & Steals.' You know you're going to get a deal with her, but we have stacks of letters she got during the pandemic — and after — from people who run American small businesses saying, 'I'm still in business because Tory Johnson and GMA put me on. I was able to give viewers a deal, keep my doors open, and meet payroll, and I'm still a thriving American small business," she said. "That's a big deal."
Cheers to Another 50 Years
As Good Morning America celebrates its past, it's also looking toward its future.
"I hope GMA is not just the No. 1 linear brand that connects with millions of viewers every day — which I believe it will be — but No. 1 across all platforms," Swink said. "The industry is evolving, and how people connect with us is evolving and changing. And I love that we can meet them where they are, whether it's on linear, on social, or on Disney+ and Hulu."
GMA — which recently moved into a state-of-the-art studio at The Walt Disney Company's New York City headquarters, 7 Hudson Square — will continue to take a viewers-first approach. As Stephanopoulos, who became a co-anchor in 2009, said, "It's both a privilege and responsibility to help our viewers start their day, so I hope that GMA continues to bring people the news — but also that the show continues to put a smile on people's faces, too."
Good Morning America airs live Monday-Friday from 7-9 a.m. ET on ABC.
