The results of the November sweeps are in, and, although network prime is down an average of 492,000 households from last year, many syndicated strips are on the rise, with syndie viewing up by 619,000 households.
In talk, King World's The Oprah Winfrey Show
and Dr. Phil
and Buena Vista's Live With Regis and Kelly
all saw double-digit improvement from last November. Oprah
gained 14% to 7.2 rating, its best November sweeps since 1997. Dr. Phil
jumped 27% to 5.7, and Live With Regis and Kelly
surged 11% to 3.9.
In fourth place, Universal's Maury
was unchanged at 3.2. Universal's The Jerry Springer Show
was down 7% to 2.5, tying Paramount's Montel Williams, which was off 4%. Sony's Ricki Lake
lost 13% to 1.4, and both King World's Martha Stewart Living
and NBC Enterprises' recently canceled John Walsh Show
dropped 15% to 1.1. Rounding out the top 10 veterans was Twentieth's Good Day Live, also at 1.1.
Warner Bros.'The Ellen DeGeneres Show
topped the new first-run strips in its first November sweeps at 1.6, up 14% from its September debut. Warner Bros.'The Sharon Osbourne Show
was right behind at 1.5. Buena Vista's Wayne Brady
(up 11% from its debut), NBC Enterprises'Starting Over
(up 25%) and King World's Living It Up! With Ali & Jack
(unchanged) averaged 1.0.
Among magazines, Paramount's Entertainment Tonight
won its 53rd consecutive sweeps period at 6.3, up 3%. King World's Inside Edition
was up 9% to 3.7, its best November sweeps since 1997. In third place, NBC Enterprises' Access Hollywood
was up 14% to 3.2, that show's best November sweeps in its eight-season history. Warner Bros.'Extra!
dropped 7% to 2.7, while Warner Bros.'Celebrity Justice
was off 8% to 1.2.
Among game shows, Buena Vista's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire
had the biggest year-to-year increase of any strip, 29% to 3.6, third behind King World's Wheel of Fortune, which was down 2% at 9.3, and King World's Jeopardy!, off 3% at 7.3. King World's Hollywood Squares
fell 12% to 2.3 and was in fourth place, but Tribune's Family Feud
and Sony's Pyramid
rose 18% and 11%, respectively, and tied at 2.0.
