The courtroom leader posts its best May in six years to take the No. 1 overall spot. Dr. Phil wins talk honors, while Queen Latifah is the leading freshman talker.
WEEKLY SYNDICATION RATINGS ROUNDUP
‘Judge Judy’ The Queen of May Sweep
The national results of Nielsen’s May survey period have been released and the easy winner overall for the fourth consecutive was Judge Judy (7.3 sweep average, up 9% from May 2013).
It was Judy’s best May showing in six years and its average rating exceeded the sum of the five other individually rated court shows combined.
Elsewhere, Dr. Phil (3.4, up 13%) ran away with the talk show race for the eighth sweep in a row, and with an average audience of more than 4.5 million, Phil led its nearest competitors by more than 900,000 viewers per show. Phil was also 27% ahead of any other talker among women 25-54.
Live with Kelly & Michael (2.8, up 12%) had its best May rating in seven years and jumped into second place to pass now third-ranked Ellen (2.7, up 8%). Ellen had been No. 2 in the February sweep.
The biggest year-to-year gains in talk were posted by sophomore standout Steve Harvey (1.8), which surged 20% from last year.
The other talkers clocking significant increases from last May were Steve Wilkos (1.4, up 8%) and Wendy Williams (1.4, up 17%).
BRAND CONNECTIONS
Among the rookies, Queen Latifah (1.2), which was not on the air last May, climbed 20% from the February sweep among women 18-49 and grew 14% among women 25-54.
The largest declines from last May among the veterans in talk were Katie (1.4, -18%) and Trisha (0.5, -17%). Among daytime talk newcomers, Bethenny (0.7) fell 22% from the February sweep and The Test (0.6,) lost 14%. All four shows have been canceled.
Turning to access magazines, Extra (1.5, +7%) clocked the largest increase over last year, while Entertainment Tonight (3.3, -6%) led the category for the 95th straight sweep.
Among shows not yet nationally rated, Access Hollywood Live gained sharply in Los Angeles, where it rose 33% from last May in households and jumped 67% among women 25-54.
The sweep’s top-rated daytime talk shows in the women 25-54 demo were:
- Dr. Phil (1.9, unchanged from last May)
- Ellen (1.5, -6%)
- Live with Kelly & Michael (1.4, -7%)
- Maury (1.3, -7%)
- Dr. Oz (1.2, -8%)
- Steve Harvey (1.0, +11%), tied with Steve Wilkos (1.0, +11%) and Wendy Williams (1.0, unchanged)
In the household rating rankings that follow, % change is from the May 2013 sweep unless otherwise indicated; * 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) 3.4 +13%
2. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.8 +12%
3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.7 +8%
4. Maury (NBCU) 2.0 NC
4. Dr. Oz (Sony) 2.0 -9%
6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.8 +20%
7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 +8%
7. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4 +17%
7. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.4 -18%
10. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 -7%
11. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 -8%
11. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.2 NC from Feb.
13. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 -8%
14. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.7 -22% from Feb.
15. Arsenio (CTD) 0.6 -14% from Feb.
15. The Test (CTD) 0.6 -14% from Feb.
17. Trisha (NBCU) 0.5 -17%
18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC
FRESHMEN TALKERS
1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.2 NC from Feb.
2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.7 -22% from Feb.
3. Arsenio (CTD) 0.6 -14% from Feb.
3. The Test (CTD) 0.6 -14% from Feb.
COURT SHOWS
1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.3 +9%
2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.9 +12%
3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.4 +17%
3. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.4 NC
3. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.4 NC
6. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.1 NC from Feb.
MAGAZINE SHOWS
1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.3 -6%
2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.0 +3%
3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.9 NC
4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.6 -6%
5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%
6. The Insider (CTD) 1.3 -7%
7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.1 -8% from Feb.
8. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 NC
9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 -25% from Feb.
9. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.3 +50% from Feb.
GAME SHOWS
1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.7 +6%
1. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.5 +12%
3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 5.1 +13%
4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.1 -13%
OFF-NET SITCOMS
1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.0 -6%
2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.1 -16% from Feb.
3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.3 -27%
4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.7 -21%
5. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.8 -5% from Feb.
5. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.8 -14%
7. Friends (WBDTD) 1.7 -15%
7. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.7 -26%
9. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.6 +7% from Feb.
10. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.5 -32%
11. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.4 -13%
OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS
1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 3.4 -11% from Feb.
2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.2 -6%
3. House (NBCU) 2.8B +33%
4. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.4 -8%
5. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.3 NC
6. CSI: Miami (CTD) 2.1 -13%
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