CBS Television Distribution's Dr. Phil returned to the top of the talk heap while most syndies were down or flat in a week that began with news preemptions as a result of major Supreme Court decisions on immigration and health care and ended with electricity outages across the East Coast.
In the week ended July 1, Dr. Phil scored a 2.5 live plus same day national household rating, up 4% from the prior week and up 19% from last year at this time. Phil was one of only two nationally-rated talk shows that grew from the previous week. The other was Disney-ABC's Live! with Kelly, which added 5% to a 2.3.
NBCUniversal's conflict talker, Maury, which last week led the category for the first time this season, dipped 4% to 2.4, still good enough for second place among talkers. Sony's Dr. Oz was flat at a fourth place 2.2. Warner Bros.' Ellen sank 6% to a new season-low 1.6. CTD's The Doctors, Rachael Ray and NBCU's Jerry Springer all were flat at a 1.5, 1.4 and 1.4, respectively. NBCU's Steve Wilkos weakened 8% to a 1.2 and Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams was unchanged at a 1.1.
In the fourth week of a six-week trial, Warner Bros.' Bethenny Frankel looked more and more like a sure thing for a fall 2013 national launch, jumping 25% in households from its average lead-in and 43% from its year-ago time periods to a 1.0 rating/3 share in its six metered markets on Fox owned stations. Since the trial began on June 11, Bethenny has outperformed its July 2011 time period averages by 57% in households, 80% among women 25-54, 120% among women 18-49 and 100% among women 18-34.
Among the nationally-rated rookies, Warner Bros.' Anderson slipped 15% to a 1.1 after being preempted on one more days during the week in 29 different markets. Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle remained at a 0.5. Entertainment Studios' We the People eroded 20% to a 0.4. In late night, CTD's Excused held steady at a 0.6.
CTD's Judge Judy continued to be first-run syndication's highest-rated strip at a 6.1, off 2% from the prior week. In fact, none of the court shows grew week to week.
In second place, CTD's Judge Joe Brown fell 4% to a 2.3. Warner Bros.' People's Court lost 5% to a 1.9. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis and Twentieth's Judge Alex and Divorce Court all were flat at a 1.4, 1.3, and 1.2, respectively. Entertainment Studios' America's Court faded 10% to a 0.9.
Warner Bros.' Extra was most improved among the magazines, growing 7% for the week and 15% for the year to a 1.5. CTD's leader, Entertainment Tonight, and CTD's Inside Edition each were unchanged at a 3.3 and 2.8, respectively. Warner Bros.' TMZ tacked on 6% to a 1.9. NBCU's Access Hollywood and CTD's The Insider each were steady at a 1.8 and 1.4, respectively.
CTD's Wheel of Fortune was steady at a 5.8, after dropping to new season lows in the previous two weeks. CTD's Jeopardy! inched up 2% to a 5.2. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud was flat at a 3.2. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire shrank 12% to a 2.2.
Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory remained syndication's top show, despite dipping 2% to a 6.2. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men added 4% to a 5.2. Twentieth's Family Guy gained 8% to a 4.3. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother moved up 11% to a 3.0. Twentieth's King of the Hill was flat at a 2.4. Sony's Seinfeld skidded 4% to a 2.2. CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond receded 13% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.' Friends added 5% to a 2.0.
