Storms, Pandemic Batter Daytime Syndication

Only two of the top 10 talk shows — Live with Kelly and Ryan and Tamron Hall — were able to overcome the headwinds of Hurricanes Laura and Marco and swirl into positive territory in the sleepy, late summer session ending Aug. 30.

Reports on the two storms, along with updates on the pandemic, blistered numerous daytime shows with preemptions. On top of that, many programs were bumped for four days of coverage of the Republican National Convention coverage.

Live jumped 7% to a three-week high 1.6 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, even though it aired mainly repackaged episodes. That was behind only the season’s household ratings leader among talk shows, Dr. Phil, which held steady at a 1.9 to finish first in the category for the ninth time in the past 10 weeks.

Highly regarded newcomer Tamron Hall also lit up the chart with a 17% spike to a 0.7 despite being in repeats on four of the five days.

At the very top of the Nielsen roster, overall household ratings full-season winner Judge Judy, which has dominated first-run syndication every year since 2009, held its ground at a hefty 5.5, tying game show champion Family Feud, which added 2% to a 5.5.

The week’s top-rated daytime talk shows in the women 25-54 demo were:

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.7, unchanged from the week before), tied with Dr. Phil (0.7, +17%)
• Maury (0.5, unchanged)
• Steve Wilkos (0.4, unchanged), tied with Ellen DeGeneres (0.4, unchanged)

In the household rating rankings that follow, % change is from the previous week; * indicates a new season-high rating; ** indicates a new season low; NC indicates no change from the previous week; NA means not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

Dr. Phil (CTD) 1.9 NC

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.6 +7%

Maury (NBCU) 1.0 NC

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.9 NC

Rachael Ray (CTD) 0.8 NC

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.8 NC

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.7 NC

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.7 +17%

Dr. Oz (Sony) 0.6 NC

The Real (WBDTD) 0.4 +33%

The Doctors (CTD) 0.4 NC

Jerry Springer (NBCU) 0.3 NC

Mel Robbins (Sony) 0.3 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CTD) 5.5 NC

Hot Bench(CTD) 1.9 NC

People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.3 NC

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Judge Jerry (NBCU) 0.7 NC

Divorce Court (20th Television) 0.6 NC

Caught in Providence (Debmar-Mercury) 0.4 NC

Personal Injury Court (MGM) 0.4 NC

Protection Court (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.5 +2%

Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 4.5 +2%

Jeopardy (CTD) 4.1 +5%

25 Words or Less (CTD) 0.9 NC

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.5 NC

OFF-NET CRIME

Dateline M-F (NBCU) 1.0 -9%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 0.7 -13%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CTD) 2.4 +4%

Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 2.1 NC

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.9 NC

TMZ (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Daily Mail TV (CTD) 0.7 -13%

Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.1 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.5 NC

Last Man Standing (20th Television) 2.0 NC

Modern Family (20th Television) 1.2 +9%

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 1.1 NC

The Goldbergs(Sony) 1.0 NC

Family Guy (20th Television) 1.0 +11%

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.9 NC

Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.8 +14%

Mom (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.4 +6%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.5 +7%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.1 +38%

Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.1 +22%

NCIS: New Orleans (CTD) 1.0 NC

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 1.0 +11%