Talkers Boost Viewers Midway Thru Sweeps

Talkers remained hot in the week ending Nov. 17, which included the midpoint of the November sweeps. Maury, Rachael Ray, Jerry Springer and Trisha all jumped to new season highs, while Dr. Phil scored its second-best rating of the season and had no trouble finishing first in talk for 13th consecutive week.

The race for No. 2 in talk was tight, however, as Live with Kelly and Michael moved up week to week and tied Ellen, which was down week to week. The biggest year-to-year increase in the chat pack was posted by Steve Harvey, which grew 29%

Among the rookie talkers, Queen Latifah had a double-digit advance and landed in first place for the eighth time this season, although main rival Bethanny led all rookies among women 25-54 and surged 17% from last year’s time periods in the key demo.

On the magazine rack, Access Hollywood hit a new season high, while OMG Insider had the largest week-to-week improvement in the category and its best ratings week since being reformatted more than 10 months ago.

At the very top of the syndication chart, Judge Judy hit a new season high mark for the third week in a row. Divorce Court‘s 1.7 marked its highest rating since December 2011.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.9, down 10% from the week before), tied with Ellen (1.9, unchanged)
• Live with Kelly and Michael (1.7, unchanged)
• Maury (1.5, +15%)
• Dr. Oz (1.2, unchanged), tied with Wendy Williams (1.2 [tying its all-time best], +9%)
• Steve Harvey (1.0, -9%)
• Steve Wilkos (0.9, unchanged)

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) 3.2 -11%

2. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.9 -3$

2. Live with Kelly and Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.9 +4%

4. Maury (NBCU) 2.3* +15%

5. Dr. Oz (Sony) 2.2 NC

6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.8 NC

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

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.5* +7%

9. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4 NC

9. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 NC

11. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3* +8%

12. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 -8%

12. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 +10%

14. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

15. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

16. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

16. Trisha (NBCU) 0.6* +20%

18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 +10%

2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

3. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

4. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.6* +3%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.9* +6%

4. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.6 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.7* +13%

6. Paternity Court (MGM) 1.0 +11%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.9 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.1 +3%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.9 NC

3. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.9* +6%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.6 -6%

5. OMG! Insider (CTD) 1.6* +7%

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.0 -9%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

10. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 7.5* +4%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.5 NC

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 5.2* +4%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.1 -5%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.3 -3%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.6 NC

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

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.9 -3%

5. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.1 -5%

5. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 2.1 +5%

7. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.9 +6%

7. Friends (WBDTD) 1.9 +6%

9. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.8 +13%

10. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.6 +7%

11. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

12. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

ROOKIE OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.6 NC

2. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 2.1 +5%

3. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

4. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 4.3 -7%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.6 +6%

2. House (NBCU) 3.6* +13%

4. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.3 +21%

5. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.1 +11%

6. CSI Miami (CTD) 2.0 +5%