Warner Bros.’
Tyra Banks is swapping syndication for the CW network
at the end of this season, but the talker had the biggest weekly increase of any talk show in the week ending Nov. 16, jumping 20% to a new season high 1.2 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The show also was up 9% from last year at this time, making it one of only three shows in first-run syndication to gain year to year. The other two are Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, up 5% to a 2.3, and NBC Universal’s Steve Wilkos, up 22% to a 1.1.
Besides Tyra, three other talkers hit new season highs. CBS Television Distribution’s Rachael Ray climbed 6% to a 1.9, with an episode featuring The View’s Whoopi Goldberg improving 17% to a 2.1 on Nov. 11. Besides Rachael, NBC Universal’s Maury gained 6% to a 1.9, while Wilkos was up 10% for the week.
The top talk veterans didn’t have it so easy. CTD’s talk leader, The Oprah Winfrey Show, fell 5% to a 5.6. CTD’s Dr. Phil dipped 3% to a 3.5. Disney-ABC’s Live with Regis and Kelly was flat at a 2.7, while Ellen, in fourth place, fell 4% for the week.
In eighth place, NBC U’s Jerry Springer was up 10% to a 1.1. Twentieth’s The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet and NBC U’s Martha Stewart each were flat at a 0.9 and 0.7, respectively.
Overall, syndies had one of their strongest weeks so far this season, hitting their stride midway through the November sweeps.
Every court show climbed from the prior week with many hitting new season highs. CTD’s Judge Judy nearly doubled its lead over the second-place show, jumping 9% to hit a new season high 4.7. CTD’s Judge Joe Brown grew 14% to a 2.4. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court gained 10% to a 2.2, while Judge Mathis improved 12% to a new season high 1.9. Twentieth’s Judge Alex advanced 6% to a new season high 1.7. Twentieth’s Divorce Court grew 14% to a new season high 1.6. Twentieth’s Cristina’s Court jumped 20% to a new season high 1.1. And Sony’s Judge David Young improved 13% to a 0.9.
Among the magazines, CTD’s Entertainment Tonight hit its third new season high in the past four weeks, gaining 5% to a 4.6, after a post-election report on Alaska Governor Sarah Palin drove the show up 16% to a 5.1 on Monday, Nov. 10.
CTD’s Inside Edition rose 7% to a season high 3.0. NBC U’s Access Hollywood climbed 5% to a 2.0, tying Warner Bros.’ TMZ, just renewed for two more years on the Fox owned stations, which was flat. CTD’s The Insider held firm at a 1.9, while Warner Bros.’ Extra climbed 13% to a 1.7.
The top two games had a strong week with CTD’s Wheel of Fortune gaining 13% to a new season high 7.8, and CTD’s Jeopardy! adding 11% to a 6.2. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire and Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud each were flat at a 2.5 and 1.5, respectively.
The off-net sitcoms were mostly up, with the top three shows all hitting new season highs. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men rose 8% to a 5.4, Twentieth’s Family Guy gained 10% to a 4.4 and Sony’s Seinfeld improved 12% to a 3.8. In fourth place, CTD’s Everybody Loves Raymond was up 7% to a 3.2, followed by Warner Bros.’ George Lopez, which increased 4% to a 2.9. Sony’s King of Queens was up 13% to a 2.7, tying Warner Bros.’ Friends which jumped 4% to a season-high 2.7.
The top three rookie newcomers improved on the week as well. NBC Universal’s Deal or No Deal climbed 6% to a 1.9, scoring a 2.1 on Nov. 10. CTD’s The Doctors hit a new series high for the second straight week, improving 6% to a 1.7, with a 25% leap to a 2.0 on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for a show on the six most potentially deadly pains. Sony’s Judge Karen was up 22% to a 1.1.
Further back were Warner Bros.’ Bonnie Hunt, unchanged at a 0.9, Debmar-Mercury’s Trivial Pursuit: America Plays at a flat 0.6 and Program Partners’ Family Court with Judge Penny, which recovered 20% from the prior week to a 0.6.
National ratings for the second week of Disney-ABC’s Legend of the Seeker were down 31% to a 2.0 following the highly anticipated two-hour premiere, with three million viewers tuning in. Week two of Seeker's ratings was based on measuring the one-hour show in double runs as opposed to week one when the show's entire two-hour premiere was measured. While the show was down overall, it was up in many big cities, including a 200% gain in Kansas City, 50% in Dallas and 37% in Orlando.
Debmar-Mercury’s off-TBS sitcom House of Payne improved 5% to a new series high 2.2, while Litton’s off-cable Storm Stories, which is both a weekly half-hour and a strip on some stations, dropped 21% to a 1.1.
