Who do people really want to see on their TV screen as they make their morning cup of coffee?

The answer is clear, and it's good news for the old-school TV networks that are home to the personalities viewers like most.

Our DailyMail+ America 250 Power List shows one veteran broadcaster reigns supreme.

The top spots were dominated by hosts on NBC and ABC.

However, among Republican viewers watching morning TV there was a different winner - a Fox News star. 

Meanwhile, a CNN representative didn't show up until the bottom half of the list. 

This exclusive polling was conducted by JL Partners and explored viewers' thoughts on morning TV hosts. 

It examined which hosts are most likeable, most influential and who is a good asset for the country.

It also established who viewers like the least – which is bad news for one high-profile morning cable news host.

The most powerful morning show host, for the second year in a row, was Al Roker.

Roker, 70, has been an institution since starting on NBC's Today show in 1996, and continues to be liked and trusted by the nation. The veteran journalist and weatherman shows no signs of hanging up his microphone.

'Well, let's put it this way, I haven't thought about retirement,' he told People earlier this year. 'Somebody at NBC, that might be a different story. I love what I do, I feel good, I love this job, I love doing it.

'At some point I guess I won't be, but I don't feel like that's anytime soon, so I'm just gonna keep going.'

The polling data showed Roker is also considered, by far, the most likeable morning show host, and also the one who is the biggest asset to the United States.

However, among Republican viewers there was a different clear winner.

She finished eighth overall, but Dana Perino, co-anchor of America's Newsroom on Fox News, beat even Roker among Republicans as the most likeable and influential morning host.

Among all viewers, Perino was the highest-placed host from a cable channel.

Overall, the polling showed NBC and ABC held all five top places among viewers. 

After Roker, the top five was completed by ABC's George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts, NBC's Savannah Guthrie and ABC's Michael Strahan.

Guthrie recently returned to Today as investigators continue to search for her mother, Nancy Guthrie, 84, who was reported missing on February 1.

Gayle King was the highest-ranked CBS morning host, and she came in at number seven.

The top-placed CNN morning anchor, in 26th place, was Victor Blackwell, who co-hosts a weekend edition of CNN This Morning.

In 27th and last place was MS Now's Mika Brzezinski, who co-hosts Morning Joe with her husband, Joe Scarborough.

The couple, who have long been critical of President Donald Trump, faced a backlash from some of their own viewers when they met with him at Mar-a-Lago after his election win in November 2024.

Still, there was a glimmer of good news for Brzezinski: the polling showed that, when it came to 'likeability' alone, she was second to last – with Scarborough behind her.