Syndication's access magazines saw their ratings improve
with coverage of the tragic news that a shooter had opened fire in a Colorado movie
theater in the week ending July 29.
CBS Television Distribution's Entertainment Tonight
hit its best number since mid-March, a 3.7 live plus same day household rating,
up 6% from both the prior week and the prior year. In second place, CTD's Inside
Edition was flat at a 2.9. Warner Bros.' TMZ added 6% to a 1.9.
NBCU's Access Hollywood jumped 6% to a 1.8. Warner Bros.' Extra
had the biggest increase among the magazine strips, gaining 7% for the week and
the year to a 1.6, marking its best ratings since the May sweep. CTD's The
Insider, in last place, held firm at a 1.5.
CTD's Dr. Phil led the talkers with a 2.4, down 4%
from the prior week, but up 9% from last year at this time. Disney-ABC's Live!
With Kelly, one of the few shows in first-run syndication that isn't in
repeats, was flat at a 2.3, tying NBCU's Maury, which lost 4%. Sony's Dr.
Oz was fourth and flat at a 2.2.
Fifth place was a four-way tie between CTD's Rachael Ray
and The Doctors, Warner Bros.' Ellen, and NBCU's Jerry
Springer, all at a 1.5. Of those four, Rachael Ray grew the
most for the week and the year among all the veteran talkers, advancing 15% in
both measures. Ellen, on the other hand, dropped 6% to a new season low.
The Doctors was flat while Springer added 7%. NBCU's Steve
Wilkos rose 8% to a 1.3 and Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams was flat
at a 0.8.
Warner Bros.' rookie Anderson,
which is being renamed Anderson Live
in its second season, held steady at a 1.1. Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle advanced 25% from a 0.4 to a
0.5, while Entertainment Studios' We the
People and CTD's late-night dating show, Excused, both held their ground at a 0.4 and 0.7, respectively.
CTD's Judge Judy
added 3% for the week to a 6.3, good enough to tie Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory as syndication's
top-rated show. CTD's Judge Joe
Brown improved 4% to a 2.5. Warner Bros.' People's Court and Judge
Mathis both were unchanged at a 1.9 and 1.4, respectively. Mathis tied
Twentieth's Judge Alex, which was up
8%, while Twentieth's Divorce Court
was flat at a 1.3. Entertainment Studios' America's
Court dropped 11% to a 0.8.
CTD's Wheel of Fortune
was flat for the week at a 6.0, and in second place in overall syndication.
CTD's Jeopardy! dipped 2% to a 5.1.
Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud and
Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire both were unchanged at a 3.2 and 2.4, respectively.
Big Bang Theory
remained the off-net sitcom leader at a 6.3, even though the show declined 5%
for the week. Warner Bros.' Two and a
Half Men slipped 2% to a 5.1. Twentieth's Family Guy gave back 5% to a 3.8. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother slid 7% to a 2.8. Twentieth's King of the Hill dropped 8% to a 2.3.
Sony's Seinfeld skidded 4% to a 2.2.
Warner Bros.' Friends climbed 11% to
a 2.1, while CTD's Everybody Loves
Raymond retreated 5% to a 2.0.
