Solid Flow For ‘Hudson’ Among Freshman Talkers

n a relatively quiet session ending Feb. 5, rising rookie talker Jennifer Hudson had the loudest voice in the Nielsen ratings room. Syndie hit Hudson scored the only weekly household rating increase among the dozen talk shows, delivering a double-digit dagger of 17% to nail fellow freshman Sherri at the top of the rookie chart with a 13-week high 0.7 live-plus-same-day national rating. Hudson also strengthened 50% to a season high 0.3 in the key women 25-54 demo.

Co-leader Sherri was steady at a 0.7 in households and moved up to a 0.4 in the key demo.

The Jennifer jump, which matched its best rating to date was fueled by Rita Moreno, Heidi Klum and Drew Carey guest appearances. The show was especially strong in Richmond, Va., where it clocked a 2.5 rating/9 share on WTVR and outperformed Ellen DeGeneres, the year-ago time period occupant, by 56%.

Live with Kelly and Ryan gave talkers the stiff arm for a 37^th straight week, running away from the yak pack with a powerful 1.6. Dr. Phil came closest, despite declining 7% to a 1.4.

Turning to access time periods, Jeopardy was the game show standout, edging up 3% to a 6.0; Wheel of Fortune followed with a 2% uptick to a 5.5; while Family Feud featured a 2% improvement to a new season high 5.4.

On the magazine rack, red carpet ruler Entertainment Tonight got the largest percentage of positive ink in the runup to the 65^th Grammy Awards, advancing 5% to a 2.3.

Extra bagged the biggest boost among women 25-54 with a 50% surge to tie Access Hollywood in the demo.

The top talk shows for the week among women 25-54 were:

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.6, unchanged from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.5, -17%)
• Sherri (0.4, +33%)

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) 1.6 NC

Dr. Phil (CMV) 1.4 -7%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 1.0 NC

Drew Barrymore (CMV) 0.9 NC

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.8 NC

Rachael Ray (CMV) 0.7 NC

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.6 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.5 NC

Jerry Springer Combo (NBCU) 0.4 NC

FRESHMAN SHOWS

Jennifer Hudson (WBDTD) 0.7 +17%

Sherri (CMV) 0.7 NC

iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas (Trifecta) 0.5 NC

Pictionary (CMV) 0.4 -20%

Karamo (NBCU) 0.4 NC

We the People with Judge Lauren Lake (CF Entertainment) 0.3 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CMV) 4.6 NC

Hot Bench(CMV) 1.2 -8%

People’s Court (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Divorce Court (Fox First Run) 0.5 NC

Relative Justice (EW Media Group) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

Jeopardy (CMV) 6.0 +3%

Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 5.5 +2%

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.4* +2%

25 Words or Less (Fox First Run) 0.8 NC

You Bet Your Life (Fox First Run) 0.7 -13%

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CMV) 2.4 +4%

Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 2.3 +5%

TMZ (Fox First Run) 0.8 NC

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.8 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Dish Nation (Fox First Run) 0.2 -33%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.0 NC

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.1 -8%

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 0.8 NC

Young Sheldon (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

The Goldbergs(Sony) 0.7 +17%

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.6 -14%

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.6 NC

The Neighborhood (CMV) 0.6 NC

American Housewife (Disney-ABC) 0.4 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.4 -20%

Mom (WBDTD) 0.4 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.7 +6%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.8 -5%

Chicago Fire (NBCU) 1.2 +9%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 0.9 -10%

Magnum P.I. (CMV) 0.8 NC

9-1-1 (Disney-ABC) 0.7 NC

The Rookie (Disney-ABC) 0.7 NC