In the Fox Television Stations’ summer-test derby, Page Six TV has emerged the frontrunner.
The show, which is based on the New York Post’s famous gossip page, debuted July 18 for a three-week trial. In the week ended July 31, Page Six TV notched a steady 1.0 rating/2 share weighted metered market average in seven cities, according to Nielsen Media Research. That’s a 17% week-to-week increase among women 25-54 to a 0.7/3.
In some key markets, Page Six TV turned in strong performances. On KTTV Los Angeles, Page Six TV improved 150% to a 0.5/2 at 6:30 p.m. On WJBK Detroit, where Page Six TV airs at 11:30 p.m., the show averaged a 2.4/5 in its first week, beating both Jimmy Kimmel Live's 2.0/4 and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s 1.8/4, head to head in households as well as in key demographics. In week two, station programming schedules shifted due to the Republican National Convention.
Overall, Page Six TV performed best on WAGA Atlanta, where it grew 23% in its second week to a 2.7 rating/5 share, beating Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud and Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory by 59% and 69%, respectively, in head-to-head time slots.
As far as the other tests go, results were a mixed bag. The Preachers, which bowed July 11, completed its three-week tryout, concluding with a 0.8/3 household average in 10 metered markets and a 0.4/3 in daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54. Like Page Six, its top market was WAGA Atlanta, where it posted a 2.1/6 at 1 p.m.
With three of four weeks in the books, the test run of SoMe, which began on July 11 in six metered markets with double runs in New York and L.A., averaged a 0.2/1 in households, and a 0.2/1 among women 25-54. SoMe’s strongest market is KSAZ Phoenix, where it pulled a 0.8/2 at 12:30 p.m.
Fox’s earlier four-week trials for The Jason Show and Top 30 both began June 6 and averaged a 0.5/2 and a 0.4/1, respectively, across the four weeks in households. Among women 25-54, the show’s averaged a 0.3/2 and a 0.2/1, respectively.
In the national ratings for the week ending July 24, syndication remained slow, especially considering the additional competition and preemptions presented by the Republican National Convention. The event offered much stronger cable competition than usual and forced some access shows to air in post-midnight slots, mainly in West Coast markets.
In daytime, CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil returned to reruns for the entire week, slipping 12% to a 2.3, tying Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly for first place, although Live eased 8% to a new season low. Still, that’s the seventh time in the past eight weeks that Live has been first or tied for first in talk. Among women 25-54, Phil led the talkers at a 1.1.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, NBCUniversal’s Maury, NBCU’s Steve Harvey and Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams all were flat at a 1.7, 1.5, 1.5 and 1.4, respectively. Ellen and Maury both remained at season lows for a third and fourth straight week.
NBCU’s Steve Wilkos weakened 8% to a 1.2, tying Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz, which remained at its series low for a sixth straight week, and CTD’s Rachael Ray, which rebounded 9%.
NBCU’s Jerry Springer sank 9% to a new season-low 1.0 and tumbled 29% from last year at this time, the biggest annual loss of any talker after NBCU’s out-of-production Meredith Vieira, which fell 33% from last year to a 0.6. CTD’s The Doctors had a positive prognosis, improving 13% to a six-week high 0.9, despite being in five days of repeats.
Warner Bros.’ The Real recovered 14% to a 0.8, after slipping to an all-time series low in the previous stanza.
Warner Bros.’ rookie Crime Watch Daily, in repeats, held steady at a 0.8. Soon-to-end Disney-ABC’s FABLife and NBCU’s Crazy Talk both were flat at a 0.6 and 0.4, respectively.
CTD’s Judge Judy, also in repeats, dipped 3% to a 6.3 to lead the courts. CTD’s Hot Bench was in repeats for most of the week but held firm at a 2.2 and grew 16% from last year. HotBench also was ranked fourth in daytime behind Judy, Phil and Live.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court sagged 6% to a 1.6. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis stood pat at a 1.3. Twentieth’s Divorce Court climbed 11% to a 1.0. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.7.
Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, starring Steve Harvey, remained the game-show leader for the 13th week in a row, and continued to lead all of syndication at an unchanged 7.0.
CTD’s Wheel of Fortune faded 9% to a 5.3. CTD’s Jeopardy! eroded 11% to a new season low 5.0. Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game gave back 8% to a 1.2, tying Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which was flat for the week and down 25% from last year at this time.
MGM’s viral video show RightThisMinute slowed down 9% to a 1.0.
Access magazines faced plenty of preemptions with convention coverage starting early on the West Coast.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight and sister show Inside Edition remained tied at the top of the magazines, with each dipping 7% to a 2.6. That was exactly double the rating of Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which was off 7% to a new season-low 1.3. NBCU’s Access Hollywood sank 14% to a new season-low 1.2, after tying TMZ in the previous week. Warner Bros.’ Extra, which was preempted or bumped in 49 instances, aired in numerous late-night slots and lost 17% as a result to a new season-low 1.0, tying CTD’s The Insider, which was steady.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation fell 22% to a new season-low 0.7. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page remained at a 0.3 for the 17th consecutive week.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory was unchanged at a 4.6. Twentieth’s Modern Family faded 4% to a 2.6. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved down 4% to a 2.3. Twentieth’s Family Guy stayed at a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly climbed 6% to a 1.9. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls lost 5% to a 1.8. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show spiked 6% to a 1.7. SPT’s Seinfeld, Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother and Twentieth’s King of the Hill all were flat at a 1.6, 1.6 and 1.3, respectively.
