Impeachment hearings in the week ended Jan. 26 created yet another week of low viewership across syndication, with many shows seeing their ratings broken out of their overall averages due to preemptions.
That said, NBCUniversal’s rookie Kelly Clarkson, which is renewed for season two, managed to grow 8% to a five-week high 1.4, live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That put Clarkson in fourth place among all 14 talkers.
Clarkson also climbed 17% among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54 to a 0.7, its best number in the demo since the week of Sept. 30.
Disney’s Tamron Hall, which also is renewed for a second season, ran into numerous preemptions and backtracked 9% to a 1.0 from a season high 1.1 set in the prior week.
SPT’s Mel Robbins, which will end production in the spring, fell back 20% to a 0.4.
Related: Rookie Talker 'Mel Robbins' Will Not Return for Season Two
NBCU’s Judge Jerry, starring Jerry Springer, was in repeats on four of the five days and eased 10% to a 0.9.
The other two new courts, MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court and Trifecta’s Protection Court, remained at a 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.
Fox’s renewed game show, 25 Words or Less starring Meredith Vieira, lost 9% to a 1.0, while SPT’s off-GSN game show America Says, which will not return for season two, stayed put at a 0.7 for the eighth straight week.
Among the daytime vets, Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan rallied 5% to a 2.1 to tie for the talk lead Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, which improved 11%.
CBS Television Distribution’s usual leader Dr. Phil, which did not have episodes broken out from its average by Nielsen during the low-rated week, gave back 23% to a 2.0.
Among women 25-54, Dr. Phil, Live and Ellen all tied for first with a 0.9.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams was unchanged at a 1.3. CTD’s Rachael Ray rose 9% to a new season-high 1.2. NBCU’s Maury moved down 8% to a 1.1. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos weakened 9% to a 1.0. SPT’s Dr. Oz delivered an 11% drop to a 0.8. Warner Bros.’ The Real registered a 0.6 for the third straight week. CTD’s The Doctors declined 20% to a 0.4, tying NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer, which was steady.
CTD’s Judge Judy ran into heavy preemptions and backed off 16% to a 5.7, although it still topped the courts for the 1,218th consecutive week.
CTD’s Hot Bench banged out a 5% gain to a 2.1, joining Live and Ellen as daytime’s second highest-rated shows behind Judy.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court recovered 8% to a 1.4. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis and Fox’s Divorce Court were flat at a 0.9 and 0.7, respectively. Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence stood pat at a 0.4.
In access, most of the top magazines lost ground as they consolidated recent gains. Warner Bros.’ TMZ and Extra were the only shows out of the top six magazines to avoid losses.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight topped the category for a third straight week, although it dipped 3% to a 2.8. CTD’s Inside Edition eroded 11% to a 2.5. NBCU’s Access Hollywood was bumped by impeachment coverage in numerous large markets and declined 20% to a 1.2. TMZ stayed at a 1.1. Extra held its ground at a 0.9.
CTD’s DailyMailTV was preempted 10 times during the week in the top-25 markets and slipped 13% to a 0.7, while Trifecta’s Celebrity Page posted a 0.2 for the 30th straight week.
The top-three games all tied for first place to lead overall syndication. CTD’s Jeopardy! was off 5% to a 6.2. That tied CTD’s Wheel of Fortune, which slowed 3%, and Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, which edged up 3%.
Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask was quoted at a 0.5 for the 18th straight week.
Disney’s internet video series RightThisMinute tumbled 22% to a 0.7.
NBCU’s off-net Dateline dropped 9% to a 1.0, tying SPT’s off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol, which stood pat. NBCU’s scripted procedural Chicago PD held at a 0.8 for a third straight week.
Among the off-network sitcoms, Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory and Disney’s Last Man Standing both were on par with the prior week’s 3.3 and 2.1, respectively. Disney’s ModernFamily faded 7% to a 1.4. SPT’s The Goldbergs and Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men both remained at a 1.3. Disney’s Family Guy grew 9% to a 1.2. SPT’s Seinfeld added 11% to a 1.0, tying Disney’s black-ish, which was flat. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly and Mom all were steady at a 0.9.
