FANS of the “Today” show who have switched loyalties in recent months are turning to cable news -and not ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

According to a new study by Manhattan-based ad agency Magna Global USA, defecting viewers appear to be watching Fox News Channel (“Fox and Friends“) and CNN (“American Morning“) rather than either of the lighter morning network shows.

But ABC’s Linda McLoof, director of audience research, calls the study “misleading,” particularly because its timeframe encompasses Sept. 11 – which drove up viewership everywhere.

“Naturally, cable news networks are going to benefit in times of catastrophic news,” McLoof says.