Paramount’s Entertainment Tonight marked its 500th consecutive win in access during the week ended Feb. 5, which encompassed the first two weekdays of the sweeps.
According to Nielsen’s national live-plus-same-day barter rankings, ET and its sister magazine, The Insider, were the only two magazines to post gains. ET earned a 5.4, 2% above the previous week and year, while The Insider (2.8) rose 4% for the week and 8% for the year.
King World’s second-place magazine, Inside Edition, finished at a 3.6, down 5% for the week and year. NBC Universal’s decade-old Access Hollywood (2.8) tied the sophomore The Insider, with its 2.8 unchanged for the week and up 4% for the year.
Telepictures’ Extra was fifth at 2.4, even for the week and higher by 9% for the year.
Also in access, Buena Vista Television’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was the only game show to increase for the week, up 6% to a 3.5, but down 3% from the previous year. King World and Sony’s top-rated Wheel of Fortune (9.1) and Jeopardy (7.4) were also off a bit in both comparisons.
Of the top off-net access sitcoms, all were still getting healthy numbers but showing some signs of age. Everybody Loves Raymond finished up 2% to 6.7 for the week but down 11% for the year; Seinfeld was unchanged at 6.0, down 5% from a year ago; and Friends gained 4% to 5.3, off 9% from last year.
Daytime court shows were weaker overall during the week, while in talk, King World’s top-rated Oprah rose 4% to 7.6 while dipping 1% for the year; Paramount’s Dr. Phil at 5.5 also finished up 4% and was even for the year; BVT’s Live with Regis & Kelly held at 3.4 but fell 6% from last year; NBC U’s Maury was 3% higher at 3.0 but off 3% for the year; and Telepictures Ellen, at a 2.6, picked up 4% for the week and 8% for the year, the biggest improvement of any talker from the same week in 2005.
