Another Tough Week For Talkers

Live with Kelly grew 9% in the key women 25-54 demo, and, for a second straight week, maintained the No.2 spot in talk and its highest rating since January. Live’s 2.4 live-plus-same-day National Nielsen again outperformed Ellen DeGeneres (which remained third) with an unchanged 2.3 in the session ending Feb. 26.

Dr. Phil, which dipped 3% to a 3.7 rating, continued to lead the category by a wide margin for the 25^th straight session, which included the third full week of the important February sweep.

Amid unseasonable warmer weather, only two talkers were able to improve week to week in households. Maury gained 6% to a 1.7, pulling ahead of Steve Harvey and dropping Harvey into fifth place. Compared to last year at this time, Harvey lost 20%.

Talk’s largest percentage increase was charted by The Doctors, which jumped 13% to a 0.9, tying The Real.

Another bright spot was Hot Bench, which gained 4% to a 2.6, matching its season-best number and ranking as the third-highest daytime show overall for a fifth consecutive frame, behind only courtroom queen Judge Judy with a monster 7.2, and Phil.

On the other hand, most off-nets headed south. The Big Bang Theory dominated the group, despite dipping 2% to a 5.5. Double-digit decliners among the top 10 sitcoms included Family Guy, which lost 10% to a 1.9; newcomer Last Man Standing which sank 14% to a sixth-place 1.8; and How I Met Your Mother, which faded 15% to a new season low 1.1.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.7, unchanged from the week before)

• Live with Kelly (1.2, +9%)

• Ellen DeGeneres (1.1, -8%), tied with Maury (1.1, +10%)

• Wendy Williams (1.0, unchanged), tied with Steve Wilkos (1.0, unchanged)

• Jerry Springer (0.9, 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 mean not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.7 -3%

2. Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC) 2.4 NC

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.3 NC

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.7 +6%

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.6 NC

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.5 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 NC

7. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.4 NC

9. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 NC

10. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.2 NC

11. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

12. The Real (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

12. The Doctors (CTD) 0.9 +13%

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Harry (NBCU) 1.1 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.2 NC

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.6 +4%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8 +6%

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.4 +8%

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.1 +10%

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.8 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 7.4 -1%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.7 NC

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.7 +5%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.7 +6%

5. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.3 -7%

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.2 -6%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.0 NC

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.4 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.2 NC

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.1 -8%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.8 NC

8. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.5 -2%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 3.0 -3%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.5 -4%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.9 -10%

4. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.9 -5%

6. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.8 -14%

7. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

8. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.2 NC

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.2 NC

10. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.1** -15%

10. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.1 -8%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 4.4 -2%

2. Blue Bloods (CTD) 1.9 NC

3. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.6 +14%

4. American Ninja Warrior (NBCU) 1.5 -6%

5. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.4 NC

6. Major Crimes (WBDTD) 1.3 +18%