After one week of new-season premieres, Disney-ABC’s FABLife remains the top-rated new strip in households, closely followed by Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily.
Lifestyle panel FABLife – cleared on all eight ABC owned stations, some of the country's strongest – scored a 1.0 rating/3 share primary-run household average across 54 metered markets, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The Tyra Banks-starrer finished first or second in its time period in five of its top eight markets and posted its best large market gains on KGO San Francisco, where it took the station’s year-ago 3 p.m. time period up 50% from last year at this time to a 1.2/5 and on WLS Chicago, where it boosted the 1 p.m. time slot 20% to a 1.8/6.
True crime strip Crime Watch Daily, cleared on Tribune-owned stations, averaged a 0.8/2 across 55 metered markets.
The show’s strongest performance came on KTVI St. Louis, where it improved its 2 p.m. time period by 32% over last year to a 2.5/8. The show also upped year-ago time periods on WGN Chicago at 3 p.m. by 23% to a 1.6/5, and on WXIN Indianapolis at 3 p.m. by 10% to a 2.3/6.
NBCUniversal’s Crazy Talk, which is mainly cleared on independent stations, averaged a 0.3/1 across its 56 metered markets.
The show’s best performance came on WRTV Indianapolis, where it grew its 12:30 p.m. time period 25% to a 1.5/4. It also strengthened WKBI Louisville, where it brought its 2 a.m. time slot up 120% to a 1.1/4 and WMOR Tampa, where it took 4 p.m. up 100% to a 1.0/3.
Meanwhile, in the week ended Sept. 13, Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael launched its 28th season on Labor Day, Sept. 7, and moved up 8% from the prior week to a first place 2.7, the show’s best opening week in three years. Compared to last year’s premiere week, Live climbed 4% from a 2.6.
With that number, Live tied with CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil, which also climbed 8% to a 2.7. Dr. Phil premiered its 14th season on Sept. 14, and those national ratings come in next week.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres packed its 13th season premiere week with big names, including Caitlyn Jenner and Hillary Clinton, and ratings exploded as a result, growing 53% from the show’s previous week of reruns to a second-place 2.6.
Among women 25-54, Live and Ellen tied at a 1.4, followed by Dr. Phil at a 1.3.
NBCUniversal’s Steve Harvey opened its fourth season during the week, and gained 20% to a 1.8 in households, tying NBCU’s unchanged Maury for fourth place.
CTD’s Rachael Ray and NBCU’s Jerry Springer each rallied 8% to a 1.3, tying NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which was flat. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz eased 8% to a 1.2. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams was flat at a 1.1. NBCU’s Meredith Vieira rolled out season two with a new format, and held steady at a 0.9, tying CTD’s The Doctors, which was flat. Warner Bros.’ The Real retreated 11% to a 0.8.
CTD’s Judge Judy, entering its 20th season, dipped 1% to a 6.9 to lead all of syndication for the 12th week in a row, with ratings 19% higher than any strip in any genre.
Season-premiere week of Warner Bros.’ People’s Court added 6% to a 1.8, tying repeats of CTD’s Hot Bench, which slipped 5%. The new season of Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis started up 15% to a 1.5. Twentieth’s Divorce Court season opener rose 8% to a 1.4. MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court declined 8% to a 1.1, while Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.8.
Top-tier magazines were mostly in the minus column during the lower-rated Labor Day week, although NBCU’s Access Hollywood and Warner Bros.’ Extra both held steady at a 1.6 and 1.4, respectively. CTD’s Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition tied for first place at a 2.7, dropping 4% and 7%, respectively. Warner Bros.’ TMZ sagged 6% to a 1.7. Twentieth’s Dish Nation fell 10% to a 0.9. Trifecta’s OK! TV reversed its prior week loss, to add 50% — or one-tenth of a ratings point — to a 0.3.
On Monday, Sept. 21, the day after the primetime Emmy awards posted record low ratings, the entertainment magazines largely spiked with next-day coverage of the red-carpet event.
ET came out ahead, averaging a 3.8/7 in households for its primary runs in the weighted metered markets, outperforming last September by 19%, which didn’t include last year’s Emmys because they aired on NBC in late August. NBCU’s Access Hollywood clocked a 2.3/5, up 15% from last year at this time. Warner Bros.’ Extra scored a 2.0/4, up 11% over last September. CTD’s The Insider improved 8% to a 1.4/3.
Two shows that don’t closely cover the Emmys also both saw gains: Inside Edition averaged a 2.9/6, up 12%, whileTMZ climbed 7% to a 1.5/3.
In game’s final week before their premieres, Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud returned to the top of the game show heap for the 11th time in the past 14 weeks with a 2% gain to a 5.8. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune slowed 5% to a second-place 5.7, while CTD’s Jeopardy! also weakened 5% to a 5.5. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire recovered 7% from its all-time low to a 1.6.
Compared to last year at this time, Feud was the only show to improve, jumping 16% from the same week last season. Wheel was down 2%, Jeopardy! was off 4% and Millionaire was down 20%.
Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game, which starts its sophomore season on Sept. 21, perked up 9% to a 1.2.
MGM’s video variety show RightThisMinute was unchanged at a 1.4 for the third week in a row.
Warner Bros.’ off-net sitcom leader, The Big Bang Theory, softened 4% to a 5.2. Twentieth’s Modern Family faded 6% to a 3.3. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved up 4% to a 2.8. Twentieth’s Family Guy slumped 9% to a 2.1, tying Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which was steady. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother was unchanged at a 1.8. SPT’s Seinfeld sank 6% to a 1.7, tying Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show, which remained at a 1.7. Warner Bros.’ The Middle skidded 6% to a 1.5, while Twentieth’s King of the Hill was flat at a 1.4.
