Strong Week For Syndicated Talk Shows

Talk shows sparkled in the week ending Oct. 20 despite distractions from the baseball playoffs, while magazines were mixed.

Top-tier talkers moving higher included Dr. Phil, which finished first for the ninth straight week and widened its lead over the field; Ellen; Maury; Katie; and Steve Harvey, which hit its biggest Nielsen number since the February sweep and, along with Wendy Williams which also gained, grew the most of any talker from last year, up 31% and 40%, respectively. The Doctors also increased, matching its season high.

Turning to the newcomers, Bethenny was hot, scoring a double-digit advance with its best week since its premiere.

Meanwhile, Queen Latifah remained the first-run rookie leader for the fifth straight week, and in latenight, Arsenio held firm.

In access, there were several big movers among the magazines. Leader Entertainment Tonight and OMG Insider improved, with ET hitting a new season high. Access Hollywood held steady week to week and jumped 13% from last year, the most of any magazine.

TMZ fell to its lowest rating in 47 weeks; Extra had the second largest year-to-year increase, growing 7% from last year, while Dish Nation and Right This Minute both retreated.

Among the closely watched sitcoms new to off-net syndication, Modern Family, affected by multiple preemptions for the baseball playoffs in the top 50 markets, tied its lowest rating yet in its fourth week, while The Cleveland Show was unchanged, The Middle rose and Community held steady.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.7, up 6% from the week before), tied with Ellen (1.7, unchanged)

• Live with Kelly and Michael (1.5, -6%)

• Maury (1.3, +8%)

• Dr. Oz (1.2, unchanged)

• Steve Harvey (1.1, +10%)

• Wendy Williams (1.0, unchanged)

• Katie (0.9 +13%)

In the household rating rankings that follow, * indicates a new season high rating; ** indicates a new season low; % change is from the previous week; NC indicates no change from the previous week.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.0 +7%

2. Live with Kelly and Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.7 NC

3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.5 +4%

4. Dr. Oz (Sony) 2.0 NC

4. Maury (NBCU) 2.0 +5%

6. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.7 +6%

6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.7%* +6%

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.4 NC

8. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4* +8%

10. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.2 -8%

10. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 NC

10. The Doctors (CTD) 1.2 +9%

13. Queen Latifah  (Sony) 1.1 NC

14. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 +13%

15. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

16. The Test (CTD) 0.6 +20%

17. Trisha (NBCU) 0.5 NC

18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 +100%

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 NC

2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 +13%

3. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

4. The Test (CTD) 0.6 +20%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.7 -3%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

3. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.5 NC

5. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.4 -7%

6. Paternity Court (MGM) 0.8 -11%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.8* +6%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.8 NC

3. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.7 NC

4. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.6 -11%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

5. OMG! Insider (CTD) 1.5 +7%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.9 -10%

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 0.9 -10%

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

10. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.6 +3%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 5.8 -2%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 4.6* +7%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.1 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.6 +6%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 3.9 -11%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.7 +3%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.6 +4%

5. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.0 +5%

6. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.8 NC

7. Friends (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

8. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.6 NC

8. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.6 +7%

10. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.4* +8%

11. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

ROOKIE OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Modern Family (Twentieth) 3.9 -11%

2. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.8 NC

3. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.4* +8%

4. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 4.6* +70%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.5* +9%

3. House (NBCU) 3.0 NC

4. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.4* +14%

5. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.1 NC

6. CSI Miami (CTD) 2.0 -5%