Bad News Drives Up Magazine Ratings

Ratings for syndicated entertainment magazines jumped in the week ending July 29, bolstered by massive viewer interest in coverage of the aftermath of the Colorado movie theater massacre.

Magazine Shows

Category leader Entertainment Tonight (CTD) scored its highest ratings in 18 weeks, clocking a 3.7, which was up 6% both week to week and year to year.

TMZ (WBDTD) tacked on 6% to a 1.9; Access Hollywood (NBCU) grew 6% in households to a 1.8, and 17% among women 18-34.

Extra (WBDTD) had the largest increase of all the strips, notching its best Nielsens since the May sweep, while improving 7% in households for the week and the year to a 1.6, and 25% in the women 18-34 demo.

The Insider (CTD) held steady at a 1.5, while its Insider Weekend surged 18% for the week — and 44% from last year at this time — to a 1.3.

Talk Shows

Rachael Ray (CTD) had the sharpest increase among the top-tier talkers, climbing 15% both week to week and year to year to a 1.5, and landing in a tie for fifth place with The Ellen DeGeneres Show (WBDTD), The Doctors (CTD) and Jerry Springer (NBCU).

Ellen was down 6% to a new season low 1.5; The Doctors held steady at a 1.5 and Springer was up 7% to a 1.5.

Talk show leader Dr. Phil (CTD) was in reruns all week, but still topped the genre for the 17^th time in the past 18 weeks. Phil earned a 2.4, which was off 4% from the week before, but still up 9% from last year.

Maury (NBCU) dropped 4% to a 2.3 and fell into a tie with Live , which was unchanged at a 2.3. Dr. Oz (Sony) was flat at a fourth-place 2.2.

First-Run Freshmen

Newcomer Anderson (WBDTD) continued to dominate the first-run rookie strips, holding firm at a 1.1. Jeremy Kyle (Debmar-Mercury) rose 25% to a 0.5, while We the People with Gloria Allred (Entertainment Studios) was unchanged at a 0.4, and latenight dating show Excused (CTD) was on par with the week before at a 0.7.

Court Shows

Judge Judy (CTD) presided over the courts and tied Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) as the highest-rated show in all of syndication with a 3% advance from the prior session to a 6.3. Judge Joe Brown (CTD) climbed 4% to a 2.5; People’s Court (WBDTD) and Judge Mathis (WBDTD) were flat at 1.9 and 1.4, respectively; while Judge Alex (Twentieth) climbed 8% to a 1.4.

Game Shows

Game shows were quiet with Wheel of Fortune (CTD) staying flat at a 6.0 and Jeopardy (CTD) losing 2% to a 5.1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) remained at 3.2 and 2.4, respectively.

Off-Net Sitcoms

In off-net syndication, Big Bang Theory sank 5% to a 6.3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) lost 2% to a 5.1; Family Guy (Twentieth) fell 5% to a 3.8; How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) slipped 7% to a 2.8; King of the Hill (Twentieth) declined 8% to a 2.3; and Seinfeld (Sony) shed 4% to a 2.2.

Off-Net Weekly Hours

Among off-net weekly hours, Law & Order (NBCU) shot up 15% to a 3.0 to take over the lead. Right behind was Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBCU), which spurted 21% to a 2.9.

Cold Case (WBDTD) saw its ratings warm up 4% to a 2.4; tying Criminal Minds (CTD), which dropped 8% to a 2.4, and Without a Trace (WBDTD), which erased 11% of its ratings and was also marked down to a 2.4. Meanwhile, Monk (NBCU) came in sixth after tumbling 23% to a 2.0.