Syndication Ratings: Talkers Hold Steady at Sweeps' Mid-Point
The week ended Nov. 15 was marked by the terrorist attacks on Paris on Friday, Nov. 13, preempting many syndicated shows in the middle of the November sweep with news coverage.
In daytime, which wasn’t affected by the news coverage, most shows were steady or slightly up after almost unilaterally hitting season highs in the prior week.
CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil advanced 3% to a 3.4 household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, matching its best ratings so far this season and finishing first in talk for the ninth straight week. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil led with a 1.7.
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael held steady at a 2.7, tying Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, which grew 4% for the week, for second place. In fourth place, NBCUniversal’s Steve Harvey stood pat at its season high 1.9 in households and improved 11% in the demographic to a 1.0.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams added 6% to a new season-high 1.8, edging out NBCU’s Maury, which was flat at a 1.7, for fifth place. In addition, Wendy grew 18% to a 1.3 in the demo, tying Live for third place, and coming in behind Ellen, which added 7% to a second-place 1.5.
CTD’s Rachael Ray grew the most in talk, rallying 8% to a 1.4, equalling its strongest ratings of the season and tying NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which slipped 7% to a 1.4. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz held steady at its season-high 1.3, tying NBCU’s steady Jerry Springer, and jumped 17% to a new season-high 0.7 among women 25-54. Warner Bros.’ The Real remained at a 1.1, but rose 11% to a season-high 1.0 in the key demo. CTD’s The Doctors and NBCU’s Meredith Vieira both were unchanged at a 1.0 and 0.9, respectively.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily was the lead rookie for the ninth consecutive week, holding at a 0.9. Disney-ABC’s FABLife, which will see star and executive producer Tyra Banks depart the show at the end of this year, came in second at a 0.8, while NBCU’s Crazy Talk jumped 17% to a 0.7. Among women 25-54, Crime Watch and Crazy Talk each advanced 25% to tie for first at a 0.5. FABLife remained at a 0.4.
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In the metered markets, Warner Bros.’ Ice & Coco averaged a 0.7 rating/2 share after two weeks of its three-week test on Tribune-owned stations in New York, Houston, Miami and Norfolk, Va., which began on Nov. 9. This was down 46% from its year-ago time periods. Among women 25-54, the time periods declined 56% from a 0.9/7 to a 0.4/3.
The news magazines were largely in competition with or preempted by coverage of the terrorists attacks in Paris. As a result, none grew for the week.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight led the category, despite dipping 3% from its season high to a 3.3. In second place, CTD’s Inside Edition sagged 6% to a 3.0. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was flat at a 1.8. NBCU’s Access Hollywood declined 11% to a 1.6. Warner Bros.’ Extra gave back 13% from its season high to a 1.4. CTD’s The Insider was off 15% to a 1.1. Twentieth’s Dish Nation was flat at a 1.0. Trifecta’s OK! TV shrank 33% from a 0.3 to a 0.2.
Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud moved into second place in the close race at the top of the games, climbing 5% to a new season-high 6.6, while CTD’s Jeopardy! declined 3% to a 6.4. Meanwhile, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune remained in the lead even though it fell 6% to a 6.8.
Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game grew 8% to a new season-high 1.3, tying Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire, which was flat and down 32% from last year at this time.
Meanwhile, MGM’s viral video show RightThisMinute clocked a 1.1, down 8% for the week and 35% from last year at this time when the show was cleared on Fox owned stations in top markets.
CTD’s Judge Judy topped the courts for the 999th week in a row and all of syndication for the 21st week in a row with a 7.5, down 4% from its nearly two-year high set the prior week, but up 1% from last year at this time.
CTD’s Hot Bench maintained it series-high 2.4 for the third straight week, gaining 41% over last year at this time, the largest annual increase of any strip in syndication.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis and MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court all were flat at a 1.9, 1.5 and 1.4, respectively. Twentieth’s Divorce Court improved 8% to tie Paternity Court at a 1.4. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was unchanged at a 0.9 for the eighth week in a row.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory dipped 2% to a 6.2 to remain the off-net sitcom leader. Twentieth’s Modern Family spiked 6% to a new season-high 3.5. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men remained at a 2.7. Twentieth’s Family Guy gained 5% to a 2.2. Twentieth’s Mike and Molly moved up 11% to a new season-high 2.1. Warner Bros.’ freshman 2 Broke Girls stayed at a 2.0. SPT’s Seinfeld slipped 5% to a 1.8, tying Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother, which spurted 6%. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show and King of the Hill flat at a 1.5 and 1.4, respectively.
Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.