March Madness took its annual toll on syndication, and in particular shows cleared on tourney host CBS affiliates, in the week ended March 20 as the opening round of the annual NCAA basketball tournament swept over numerous time periods March 17 and 18.
Programs on all network stations also were blacked out on March 16 for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to Congress.
All of the top three games played to smaller crowds. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud finished first, despite falling 5% to a 5.2 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen, to lead all of syndication after running second to CBS Media Ventures’ Jeopardy! in the prior three weeks. That marks the Steve Harvey-hosted game show’s lowest household rating since Dec. 26, 2021.
Jeopardy! tumbled 14% to a 5.0, its biggest ratings turkey since the Thanksgiving holiday week ended Nov. 28, 2021. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune also went off the rails, retreating 15% to a 4.5.
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Fox’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno and Fox’s 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, remained at a 0.8 and a 0.7, respectively. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask advanced 33% to a 0.4.
Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute remained at a 0.6 for a seventh straight week.
The top two magazines moved lower with CBS’ Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight each easing 9% to a 2.1 and a 2.0, respectively.
The next five magazines all were able to shrug off preemptions to preserve their prior week’s ratings with NBCU’s Access Hollywood, Fox’s TMZ, Warner Bros,’ Extra, CBS’ DailyMailTV and Fox’s Dish Nation at a 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.2, respectively.
In daytime, Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan receded 6% to a 1.6, due primarily to massive preemptions for Zelensky’s speech on March 16, but still managed to widen its talk lead, finishing first for the second straight week. Live has now been number one 32 times in the past 45 weeks, including nine ties with CBS’ Dr. Phil. Live also led among women 25-54 at a 0.6.
Dr. Phil was plastered by preemptions, losing its primary run in all of the top-five markets on multiple days and dropping 13% to a new season-low 1.4.
NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson completed the top three, holding steady at a 0.8 and was one of only two talkers in the top ten to retain 100% of its year-ago rating. The other was CBS’ sophomore Drew Barrymore, which was steady at a 0.5. Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres declined 11% to a 0.8, tying Clarkson.
CBS’ Rachael Ray, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams with guest hosts Fat Joe and Remy Ma, and NBCU’s conflict talker Maury all were on par with the prior week’s 0.7.
Disney’s Tamron Hall, facing preemptions, gave back 14% to a 0.6 to tie NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which stayed put for a fourth consecutive week.
Following Drew Barrymore, Debmar-Mercury’s canceled newcomer Nick Cannon carved out a 0.4 for the fifth straight week, tying Sony Pictures Television’s canceled rookie The Good Dish, which was flat for a fourth straight week.
NBCU’s out-of-production Jerry Springer stalled at a 0.3 for the fifth time in six weeks, tying Warner Bros.’ The Real, which was relegated to a 0.3 for the tenth consecutive week. CBS’ The Doctors stayed at a 0.2 for the 54th week in a row.
Repeats of CBS’ Judge Judy, which was heavily preempted by basketball, still managed to conquer the courts despite pulling back 9% to a new season-low 4.1.
CBS’ Hot Bench slipped 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court leveled off at a 0.8. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis sagged 17% to a new series-low 0.5. Fox’s Divorce Court dropped 20% to a 0.4, matching its series low and tying NBCU’s canceled Judge Jerry, which will go off the air after this season, and Wrigley Media’s newcomer Relative Justice, which rebounded 33% and is expected to return for a second season.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory fell 5% to remain the off-net sitcom leader at a 2.0. Disney’s Last Man Standing, Warner Bros.’ rookie Young Sheldon, Disney’s Family Guy, Sony’s The Goldbergs and Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men maintained a 1.3, 0.9, 0.8, 0.8 and a 0.8, respectively. Sony’s Seinfeld surged 17% to a 0.7, tying Disney’s Modern Family, which fell back 13%. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and Mom and Disney’s Black-ish all were in line with the prior week at a 0.5. ■
