Election Preemptions Make For A Messy Week

Ratings for most syndicated shows slipped as the attention of many viewers was riveted on election results in the session ending Nov. 8.

For example, all of the most popular games lost ground, with Family Feud falling 9% from the previous frame to a 5.3 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating; Wheel of Fortune fading 6% to a 5.0, and Jeopardy sliding 9% to a 4.9.

Elsewhere in access, TMZ — at a 0.8 — and Extra right behind at a 0.7, were the only two magazines in the top six able to hold their ground in the face of heavy preemptions for voting coverage and football.

Inside Edition eroded 8% to a 2.2 but still led the category.

In daytime, Live with Kelly and Ryan took over sole possession of first place in talk, doing well to dip only 5% to a 1.8, despite being bumped 21 times in the top 10 markets alone.

Dr. Phil, also heavily preempted , eased 11% to a 1.7 to finish a close second.

As usual, Judge Judy was syndication’s No. 1 show in the household ratings even though it gave back 8% from its season high to a 5.4 after being blacked out 25 times in just the top 10 markets.

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

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.9, unchanged from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.6, -14%), tied with Ellen DeGeneres (0.6, unchanged)
• Maury (0.5, unchanged)
• Kelly Clarkson (0.4, unchanged), tied with Wendy Williams (0.4, unchanged) and Steve Wilkos (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

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.8 -5%

Dr. Phil (CTD) 1.7** -11%

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 1.2 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.9 NC

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.9 NC

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.9 -10%

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.9 +13%

Rachael Ray (CTD) 0.8 -11%

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.7 -22%

Dr. Oz (Sony) 0.6 -14%

The Real (WBDTD) 0.4 NC

The Doctors (CTD) 0.3 NC

Jerry Springer (NBCU) 0.2 NC

FIRST-RUN ROOKIE

Drew Barrymore (CTD) 0.5 -17%

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CTD) 5.4 -8%

Hot Bench(CTD) 1.6 -6%

People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.1 -8%

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.8 -11%

Judge Jerry (NBCU) 0.7 NC

Divorce Court (20th Television) 0.6 -14%

Protection Court (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.3 -9%

Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 5.0 -6%

Jeopardy (CTD) 4.9 -9%

25 Words or Less (CTD) 0.8 NC

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CTD) 2.2 -8%

Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 2.1 -5%

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.9 -10%

TMZ (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Daily Mail TV (CTD) 0.6 -14%

Dish Nation (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.2 -33%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.5 -4%

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.8 NC

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 1.1 -8%

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 1.0 -9%

The Goldbergs(Sony) 1.0 NC

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.9 NC

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.8 -11%

Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.7 NC

Mom (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.1** -21%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.4 -18%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.2 -25%

NCIS (CTD) 1.0 NC

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 0.9 NC

NCIS: New Orleans (CTD) 0.9 -10%

Castle (Disney-ABC) 0.9 +13%