CBS This Morning is still stuck in third place and will likely be there for a while.

But the troubled morning show is starting to show some life and Norah O'Donnell is a big reason for that.

When  O’Donnell joined “CBS This Morning” in 2012, she seemed an odd choice to co-anchor what was then a casual morning show.

Detractors questioned whether two strong women, she and Gayle King, could get along and whether she had the broadcast anchor chops to help lift the flagging show.

But if O’Donnell had any trouble settling in or getting along with her new co-workers, you couldn’t tell by the team’s chemistry or the instant ratings boost. While it’s still mired in third place, behind the “Today” show and “Good Morning America,” “CBS This Morning’s” ratings since O’Donnell joined co-hosts King and Charlie Rose continue to climb; currently they’re up 11% over last year.

“Our show was like turning around a battleship,” O’Donnell says. “Now it’s just trying to pick up speed.”

The NY Daily News says that his week the New York State Broadcasters Association will name O’Donnell Broadcaster of the Year. “She represents the best in the next generation of news reporters and anchors,” says Association President David Donovan.

“I am extremely competitive,” says O’Donnell, unapologetically. “I grew up playing sports, and I’m in the news business where you’re always working to scoop somebody. “Good journalists are not just always curious; they’re also always competitive. I like to win. I want to win.”

It will likely be a loooongtime before CBS This Morning wins the ratings, but at least they are headed the right direction.