Cosby Allegations Drive Up Magazine Ratings

Ratings for the syndicated entertainment magazines surged in the week ending Nov. 23 as TV icon Bill Cosby made headlines amid revived allegations he drugged and sexually assaulted multiple women. Several talk shows also came up big in the next-to-last frame of the November sweep.

Entertainment mag leader Entertainment Tonight jumped to a new season high 3.7; Inside Edition was up 6% to a new season high 3.3; Access Hollywood grew 12% to a 10-week high 1.9; Extra scored its best ratings since September, climbing to a 1.6; The Insider shot up 17% to a new season high 1.4; while OK! TV was up 50% to a 0.3.

In talk, Dr. Phil finished first for the 12^th straight week, clocking its highest ratings since February with a new season high 3.9, up 11% from the prior session and up 18% from last year at this time. Phil was also up 18% week to week among women 25-54, to a first-place 2.0 demo rating.

Live with Kelly & Michael, the No. 2 talker in households, held steady at its season high 3.1, while increasing 11% from last year.

Other talkers showing sharp improvement included Steve Harvey, which notched its best ratings in 33 weeks with a new season high 2.0; Rachael Ray, which served up its highest numbers since March, and hit a season-best 1.5; and The Doctors, which rose a healthy 10% to a 1.1.

Among women 25-54, double-digit gainers included Steve Harvey, up 11; Dr. Oz, up 13%; and Jerry Springer, up 14.

Elsewhere in daytime, Judge Judy was the only court show to post a new season high, with a 7.5, tying Wheel of Fortune, which also posted a season high 7.5, as the top rated shows in syndication overall.

In rookie action, Hot Bench remained at its series high 1.7 and led all first-run newcomers in households for the 10^th consecutive week. In addition Bench finished first in the women 25-54 demo, tied with The Real at a 0.8. Meredith Vieira was also hot, scoring its highest ratings since its September premiere with a 8% leap to a 1.3 in households and a 17% surge to a 0.7 demo rating.

Celebrity Name Game was up 8% to a new season high 1.3, tying Meredith. Next in line, The Real was flat at a 1.0 household rating for the eighth straight week, while Judge Faith was unchanged 1.7.

In terms of total audience, Hot Bench tops by a margin of more than 300,000 viewers with 2.267 million on average. Celebrity Name Game attracted 1.930 million; Meredith got 1.638 million; The Real drew 1.353 million; while Judge Faith trailed with 916,000.

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

• Dr. Phil (2.0, +18% from the week before)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.7, +6%)
• Live with Kelly & Michael (1.6, +7%)
• Maury (1.5, unchanged)
• Wendy Williams (1.2, +9%)
• Steve Wilkos (1.1, unchanged)
• Steve Harvey (1.0, +11%)
• Dr. Oz (0.9, +13%)

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) 3.9* +11%

2. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 3.1 NC

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.9 NC

4. Maury (NBCU) 2.1 NC

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 2.0* +5%

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.6 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.5 -6%

7. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.5 -6%

7. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.5* +7%

10. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 NC

11. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.2 NC

12. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 +10%

13. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

ROOKIES

1. Hot Bench (CTD) 1.7 NC

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

2. Meredith Vieira (NBCU) 1.3 +8%

4. The Real (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

5. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.7 NC

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.6 -6%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.5* +1%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8 NC

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.6 +7%

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

4. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.3 -7%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.7* +6%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.3* +6%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 2.0 NC

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.9 +12%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.6 +7%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.4* +17%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

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

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 7.5* +1%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 7.2* +3%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 6.4 NC

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.0 +5%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.3 +3%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.0 NC

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.0 -3%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.7* +8%

5. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.4 -4%

6. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 2.3 NC

7. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.9 +6%

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.6 NC

9. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

9. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.5 +7%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 4.5 -4%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.5 +3%

3. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.4 -8%

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.9 -14%

5. Scandal (Disney-ABC) 1.8 +13%

6. The Good Wife (CTD) 1.7 -11%