CBS Television Distribution's Oprah was back at the
top of the daytime charts during the week ended Oct. 17, moving up 7% to a 4.9,
according to Nielsen Media Research.
Talk in general was syndication's best bet during the week,
with four shows up, six flat and only one -- Sony's Dr. Oz - down. Most
other genres took a hit from Major League Baseball playoffs.
Besides Oprah, the
other improved talkers were NBC Universal's Maury and Warner Bros.' Ellen
DeGeneres, which remained in lockstep, each adding 5% to a 2.0; and CTD's The
Doctors, which was the only daytime strip to hit a new season high, gaining
6% to a 1.7 in households and growing 13% to a 0.9 among daytime's key
demographic of women 25-54.
Holding steady week to week were Disney-ABC's Live! with
Regis and Kelly, CTD's Dr. Phil, CTD's Rachael Ray, NBCU's Steve
Wilkos, NBCU's Jerry Springer and Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams
at a 2.4, 2.3, 1.5, 1.3, 1.3, and 1.1, respectively.
Dr. Oz dipped 4% to a new season-low 2.2.
The final games in baseball's National League's division series
and the American League Championship Series opener provided stronger than usual
competition for some shows in some markets. Among the new first-run entries, CTD's
Swift Justice with Nancy Grace, this season's top-rated first-run
rookie, slipped 7% to a 1.3, after being preempted in a number of cities.
Sony's Nate Berkus recovered 11% from the prior week
to return to a 1.0.
Twentieth's Don't Forget the Lyrics and Litton's Judge
Karen's Court, cleared in just 78% of the country, were flat at a 0.8 and
0.7, respectively.
Among the rookie off-net and off-cable shows, Twentieth's How
I Met Your Mother and Warner Bros.' New Adventures of Old Christine
were unchanged for the week at 2.3 and 1.3, respectively. Debmar-Mercury's Meet
the Browns advanced 9% to a 1.2. Disney-ABC's Ugly Betty improved
14% to a 0.8. Debmar-Mercury's E! True Hollywood Story tumbled 22%
to a new low 0.7, tying Warner Bros.' Entourage, which was flat. Warner
Bros.' Curb Your Enthusiasm dropped 14% to a new low 0.6, while the
off-Bravo Real Housewives held steady at a 0.5.
Magazines all were on par with the prior session, except
CTD's Inside Edition, which fell 3% to a 2.8, and Warner Bros.' TMZ,
which lost 5% to a 1.8. CTD's Entertainment Tonight remained the top
magazine at a 3.9. CTD's The Insider finished in a three-way tie for
third place, with NBCU's Access Hollywood and TMZ all at a 1.8,
while Warner Bros.' Extra, which did not air in Los Angeles due to a
gubernatorial debate on Oct. 12, earned a 1.6 in households and increased 10%
among women 25-54 to a 1.1.
CTD's Judge Judy remained atop the court shows at an
unchanged 4.3. CTD's Judge Joe Brown and Warner Bros.' People's Court
also were even with the prior week at a 2.0. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis
fell 6% to a 1.5. Twentieth's Judge Alex slid 7% to a 1.3. Twentieth's Divorce
Court declined 8% to a 1.2. Warner Bros.' Judge Jeanine Pirro
trailed the field with a flat 0.9.
CTD's Wheel of Fortune remained syndication's top
game and first-run show, inching up 2% to a new season-high 6.6. CTD's Jeopardy!
was flat at a 5.5. Disney-ABC's WhoWants
to be a Millionaire lost 5% to a 2.1. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud
was flat at a 1.5. Twentieth's Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader fell
10% to a 0.9.
Veteran off-net sitcom strips continued to be led by Warner
Bros.' Two and a Half Men, which was up 4% from the prior week to a 5.4.
Twentieth's Family Guy remained at a 3.0. CTD's Everybody Loves
Raymond rallied 4% to a new season-high 2.8. Warner Bros.' My Wife and
Kids declined 8% to a new season-low 2.4, tying Sony's Seinfeld and Warner Bros.' George Lopez, both of which rose
4%. NBCU's The Office saw its business take a 19% downturn to a new
season-low 2.2, tying King of the Hill, which was even with the prior
session at a 2.2.
With multiple runs debuting on Adult Swim during the week,
the weekend edition of Family Guy skyrocketed 105% to a 7.8, topping the
syndication charts. The only show to beat weekend Family Guy was the
syndicated edition of the football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the
New York Jets, which hit an 11.5, and aired on stations in seven markets as
well as on ESPN. Multiple weekend runs of Family Guy will continue until
December, and then move to Monday through Friday.
