In what amounted to a slow sweep week, Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly was the only first-run strip to show weekly growth in the week ending Feb. 19—the second full week of the February sweep running Feb. 2 through March 1.
Live added 4% in households to a four-week high 2.4 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was good enough to take second place in talk, even though the show is down 24% compared to last year at this time.
Live also scored its second-highest single-day rating of the season with its after-Oscars show on Monday, Feb. 27. The episode, which aired live from the Dolby Theatre and featured guest host Ryan Seacrest, scored a 3.1 rating/11 share primary-run weighted metered market household average, up 24% from its prior four-week average. The only episode of Live to perform better this season was the show’s post-election episode on Nov. 9 that featured guest host Megyn Kelly, who was then still with Fox News.
CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil remained far in front of the talkers, dipping 5% for the week but gaining 12% for the year to a 3.8. Phil also led among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54 with a 1.7.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres came in third in talk with a 2.3, down 4% for the week and 18% for the year.
NBCUniversal’s Steve Harvey, which will relaunch next season in Los Angeles under a different production banner, came in fourth, sliding 6% for the week and 16% from last year to a 1.6. That tied NBCU’s Maury, which was flat for the week and off 11% from last year.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams and NBCU’s Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos all stood pat at a 1.5, 1.4 and 1.4, respectively. CTD’s Rachael Ray slumped 7% for the week and 19% from last year to a 1.3. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz bled 8% to a 1.2 and eroded 20% from last year.
NBCU’s newcomer Harry, Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen and Warner Bros.’ The Real all remained at a 1.1, 1.0 and 0.9, respectively. CTD’s The Doctors gave back 11% to a 0.8.
All of the courts were flat to down. CTD’s JudgeJudy eased 4% to a 7.2. CTD’s Hot Bench also dipped 4% to a 2.5, ranking third in daytime behind only Judy and Phil for the fourth week in a row. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court sagged 6% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis moved down 7% to a 1.3. Twentieth’s Divorce Court deteriorated 17% to a 1.0. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.8 for the sixth straight week.
Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud remained the game leader for the 43rd straight week, dipping 3% to a first-run leading 7.5 after hitting a series high in the prior week. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune slowed 4% to a 6.7. CTD’s Jeopardy! shrank 6% to a 6.4. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire declined 6% to a 1.6, while Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game, which is playing out its final season, softened 7% to a 1.4.
Elsewhere, viral video show RightThisMinute remained at its season-low 1.4.
The magazines were also all down for the week, but next-day coverage of the 89th annual Academy Awards gave most of the group a boost.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight held steady for the week at a 3.4. On Monday, Feb. 27, ET saw a 14% increase over February 2016 sweep time period average with a 4.0 rating/7 share primary-run weighted metered market average for its post-Oscars coverage.
CTD’s Inside Edition retreated 3% to a 3.0 in households and was even year to year on Feb. 27 with a 2.8/6. InsideEdition focuses more on news and human interest stories than entertainment, however.
Warner Bros.’ TMZ skidded 6% to a 1.6 but gained 7% on Feb. 27 to a 1.6/3. TMZ also doesn’t focus on awards-show coverage.
NBCU’s AccessHollywood tumbled 13% for the week to a 1.4 but climbed 17% to a 2.4/5 for its post-Oscars coverage. Warner Bros.’ Extra eased 8% to a 1.2 but outperformed year-ago time periods by 6% with a 1.9/4 after the Oscars.
CTD’s The Insider was unchanged at a 1.2 but surged 23% on Feb. 27 to a 1.6/4.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation and Trifecta’s Celebrity Page both were unchanged at a 0.8 and 0.3, respectively, for the seventh week in a row.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory moved 2% lower to a 5.6 to remain the off-net sitcom leader. Twentieth’s ModernFamily slid 6% to a 3.1. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Twentieth’s Family Guy both stayed at a 2.6 and 2.1, respectively. Twentieth’s rookie Last Man Standing added 5% to a 2.1, tying Family Guy. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly also moved up 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls remained at a 1.7. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother spiked 8% to a 1.3. Twentieth’s King of the Hill and The Cleveland Show both were unchanged at a 1.2, tying SPT’s Seinfeld, which slipped 8%.
