O.J. Simpson’s parole hearing gave access magazines a boost in the week ending July 23, marking the second week of increases for the top six magazines.
CBS Television Distribution’s magazine leader, Entertainment Tonight, grew 4% for the week and the year to a four-week high 2.7 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
CTD’s Inside Edition unchanged at a 2.5, although down 4% from last year. Warner Bros.’ TMZ added 8% week to week and year to year to a 1.4, its best stat since the week ending June 25. Warner Bros.’ Extra held steady at a 1.1 and scored the biggest annual increase among magazines, improving 10% from last year and tying NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood for the third straight week. Access was unchanged at a 1.1 and down 8% from last year. CTD’s The Insider, which will go dark next month after 13 seasons, stayed at a 0.9, off 10% from last year.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation recovered from an all-time low in the prior frame, rising 20% to a 0.6, although still down 14% from last year. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page stayed at its regular 0.3 for the 29th week in a row.
Elsewhere in access, Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud was up 3% for the week but down 7% from last year to a 6.5, landing in a tie for first place in overall syndication with CTD’s Judge Judy.
CTD’s Jeopardy! was flat at a 5.6 but remained in sole possession of second place for the third time in four weeks. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune inched up 2% to a 5.5. Disney/ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire stood pat at its season-low 1.5. Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game, which will end its run shortly, perked up 10% to a 1.1.
Disney/ABC’s Right This Minute clocked a 1.3 for the fourth straight week.
In daytime, talk was quiet. CTD’s Dr. Phil was in repeats on all five days but still led the talkers for the 46th week in a row with a steady 2.7, up 17% from last year. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil’s repeats were first with an even 1.1. Second place in the demo went to Disney/ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, which grew 11% in the demo to a 1.0.
Back in households, Live, Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres and NBCU’s Maury all were unchanged at a 2.0, 1.6 and 1.5, respectively.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams weakened 7% to a 1.3, tying NBCU’s Jerry Springer, which stayed at a 1.3, but surged 30% from last year. NBCU’s Steve Harvey sank 8% for the week and 20% from last year to a 1.2, tying NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which also dropped 8% to a 1.2 but was unchanged from last year. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz relapsed 9% to a 1.0, equaling its series low and losing 17% from last year to tie CTD’s Rachael Ray. Rachael remained at its series-low 1.0 for the sixth straight week, sagging 17% from last year.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen held steady at a 0.9 and grew 13% from last year despite being in repeats all week. NBCU’s Harry, also in repeat episodes, eased 11% to a 0.8. CTD’s The Doctors held steady at a 0.7, tying Warner Bros.’ The Real, which retreated 13%.
In the overnights, the third week of a six-week trial for Debmar-Mercury’s iWitness, created by Judge Judy Sheindlin, reported a 0.7 rating/2 share weighted metered market average across its seven-station lineup with a double run in New York. The game show is down 30% from both its lead in and its year-ago time- period average. Among women 25-54, iWitness admitted a 20% loss to week three from week two, down to a 0.4/2.
The third of a four-week engagement for Fox Television Stations’ Punchline averaged a 0.3/1 in nine markets, down 57% from its lead-in and 25% from its year-ago time periods. The key demo remained at a 0.2/1.
Back in the national ratings, Judge Judy had the honor of being not only the sole courtroom but the only strip in daytime to gain for the week, improving 2% for the week and 3% for the year to a 6.5, the show’s highest rating since June 19, even though it was in repeats on all five days.
CTD’s Hot Bench backtracked 9% to a 2.1 with reruns on four days, but ranked third in daytime for the fifth straight week. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis were unchanged at 1.5 and 1.1, respectively. Twentieth’s Divorce Court declined 10% to a 0.9 and Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.7.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory quieted down 2% to a 4.6 to lead the off-net sitcoms. Twentieth’s Modern Family faded 4% to 2.5. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved down 4% to 2.2. Twentieth’s Family Guy eroded 11% to a 1.7, tying Twentieth’s rookie Last Man Standing, which remained at a 1.7. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly remained at a 1.6, while its 2 Broke Girls slid 7% to a 1.3. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother eased 8% to a 1.2, tying Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show and SPT’s Seinfeld, which were both unchanged at a 1.2.
