Most Magazines Up, Most Talkers Flat

Ratings for most of the top-tier magazines rose in the final full week of the May sweep (April 24-May 21) with coverage of the wild elevator attack on rapper Jay Z by his sister-in-law Solange Knowles. While in daytime, most shows were steady to higher in the week ending May 18.

Access Hollywood had the biggest gain from the week before among the magazines, surging 13% to a 1.7, its best rating in seven weeks. Entertainment Tonight held firm and led the category with a 3.2, while its Entertainment Tonight Weekend edition improved 6%.

Inside Edition added 7%; TMZ rose 5%; and Extra grew 7% despite being preempted 19 times during the week by news coverage of California wildfires and sports.

Four talk shows were up week to week. Second-place Live with Kelly & Michael climbed 4% and also jumped 17% from last year at this time. Steve Wilkos and Wendy Williams both advanced 7% and shot up 15% from last year. And rookie champ Queen Latifah leaped 9%, matching its strongest showing since January.

Dr. Phil led the talkers by a wide margin, holding steady at a 3.4 and spiking 17% from last year.

Third-place Ellen was flat week to week, followed by Maury and Dr. Oz, both of which also held steady.

Among games, Wheel of Fortune was not the sole No. 1 show in the category for the first time in nine years, having been tied by Jeopardy at a 6.8 in households.

At the top of the overall syndication chart, Judge Judy presided with a 7.4, up 12% from last year at this time.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.9, unchanged from the week before)
• Ellen (1.6, +6%)
• Live with Kelly & Michael (1.5, +7%)
• Maury (1.4, unchanged)
• Dr. Oz (1.1, -8%), tied with Steve Wilkos (1.1, +10%) and Wendy Williams (1.1, unchanged)
• Steve Harvey (0.9, unchanged)
• Jerry Springer (0.8, +14%)

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 mean not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.4 NC

2. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.8 +4%

3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.6 NC

4. Maury (NBCU) 2.0 NC

5. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.9 NC

6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.8 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.5 +7%

7. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.5 +7%

9. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.3 -7%

9. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 NC

9. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.3 -7%

12. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 NC

12. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.2 +9%

14. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 NC

15. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

16. Arsenio (CTD) 0.6 -14%

16. The Test (CTD) 0.6 -14%

18. Trisha (NBCU) 0.5 -17%

19. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.2 +9%

2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

3. Arsenio (CTD) 0.6 -14%

3. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.4 +3%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.9 +6%

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.5 NC

3. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.5 +7%

3. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.5 +15%

6. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.1 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.2 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.1 +7%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 2.0 +5%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.7 +13%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.3 NC

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.1 NC

8. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 -25%

9. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.8 +6%

1. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.8 +8%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 5.2 +6%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.2 +5%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.1 +5%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.1 NC

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.3 NC

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.8 +8%

5. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.9 +6%

6. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.8 NC

7. Friends (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

7. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.7 +6%

7. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.7 +13%

10. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.6 +7%

11. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.5 +15%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.1 NC

2. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 3.0 -6%

3. House (NBCU) 2.7 +8%

4. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.4 +4%

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.4 +14%

6. CSI: Miami (CTD) 2.2 NC