Blockbuster Week For Mags And Others

Magazine ratings continued to soar in the session ending Jan. 11, following sharp increases in the previous week.

In what was a generally strong frame for many syndicated shows, the mags were the standouts as every strip increased by double digits week to week.

• Leading the pack, Entertainment Tonight shot up 26% from the prior frame to a new season high 3.9 live-plus-same-day national rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.

• Inside Edition was up 21% to a new season high 3.4.

• TMZ rose 22% to a new season high 2.2.

• Access Hollywood had the biggest increase in the top six, surging 27% to a 1.9, and matching its best rating of the season.

• Extra was also hot, growing 21% from the week before and 31% over the previous two weeks to a 1.7, equaling its season high.

• And The Insider climbed 17% to a 1.4, tying its season high.

• Rounding out the field, Dish Nation was up 22% to a 1.1 and OK! TV upticked 50% from a 0.2 to a 0.3.

In daytime, Live with Kelly & Michael made it three weeks in a row at the head of the talk show class with a 6% jump to a 3.3.

Dr. Phil had the second-largest increase of any talker, leaping 33% to a 3.2 after being in repeats for the prior two weeks. Phil was also up 33% among women 25-54, tying Kelly & Michael at a first-place 1.6 demo rating.

And Ellen DeeGeneres added 22% in households to a third-place 2.8.

Other veteran talkers moving up included:

• Wendy Williams, which came out of repeats and had talk’s biggest increase, spurting 38% to a 1.8.

• Dr. Oz, which gained a 7% to a 1.5.

• Steve Harvey, which spiked 6% to a 1.9. Harvey also had its best day in the metered markets on Jan. 16 with its annual birthday show, zooming 57% from its lead-ins and 15% from its year-ago time periods, while setting show record highs in Los Angeles and Chicago, among other key cities.

Rookies were also on fire:

• They were led by Hot Bench, which had its strongest week yet, improving 12% to a new series high 1.9.

• Celebrity Name Game climbed 8% to a 1.3.

• Meredith Vieira advanced 9% to a 1.2.

• The Real rebounded 22% to a 1.1.

• The exception, Judge Faith, slipped 13% to a 0.7.

At the top of the overall syndication chart, Wheel of Fortune rolled to a new season high 8.0, up 25%, and stablemate Jeopardy answered with a new season high 7.6, up 23%.

Meanwhile, Family Feud up 18% to new series high 6.7.

In courtroom action, Judge Judy also had a big week, jumping 16% to a 7.3, its highest rating since the November sweep.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.6, +33% from the week before), tied with Live with Kelly & Michael (1.6, -5%)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.5, +15%)
• Maury (1.4, +7%)
• Wendy Williams (1.3, +44%)
• Steve Harvey (1.0, unchanged), tied with Steve Wilkos (1.0, +11%)

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. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 3.3 +6%

2. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.2 +33%

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.8 +22%

4. Maury (NBCU) 2.0 NC

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.9 +6%

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.8 +38%

7. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.5 +7%

8. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 -7%

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.4 -7%

8. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.4 NC

11. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 NC

12. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.0 NC

13. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.1 NC

ROOKIES

1. Hot Bench (CTD) 1.9* +12%

2. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.3 +8%

2. Meredith Vieira (NBCU) 1.2 +9%

4. The Real (WBDTD) 1.1 +22%

5. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.7 -13%

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.7 +13%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.3 +16%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8 +6%

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.6 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

5. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.1 -8%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.9* +26%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.4* +21%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 2.2* +22%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.9 +27%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.7 +21%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.4 +17%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.1 +22%

8. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.3 +50%

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 8.0* +25%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 7.6* +23%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 6.7* +18%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.8 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.5* +18%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.4* +16%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.2 +14%

4. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 2.6* +13%

5. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.5 +9%

6. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.3 NC

7. Seinfeld (Sony) 2.2* +22%

8. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.9 -10%

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.9 +12%

10. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.7 +13%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 6.1* +5%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 4.9* +58%

3. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.8 +22

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.2 +16%

5. The Mentalist (WBDTD) 2.0* +33%

6. Scandal (Disney-ABC) 1.8 +6%

6. The Good Wife (CTD) 1.8 +20%