‘Judy’ Sweeps To Another February Victory

The national results of the important February sweep were released today and Judge Judy was the big winner, easily blowing away all competition and ranking as syndication’s highest-rated show for the ninth time in the past 10 major survey periods.

Judy attracted more than 11 million daily viewers and scored a mighty 7.8 live-plus-same-day average national Nielsen rating for the sweep, marking the show’s third most successful February since 2008.

Judy’s creation Hot Bench logged a strong 2.5, and in New York — the most important market — won the hotly contested 9-10 a.m. time slot six times in the 20-day measurement period for WCBS.

Elsewhere in daytime, Dr. Phil dominated the talk shows in February for the seventh year in a row with a 3.7 average, its second-highest February sweep in 10 years.

Ellen DeGeneres was a full point behind Phil at a 2.7 average, followed closely by a steady Live with Kelly and Ryan at a 2.4.

Among other notable results in the category, Steve Harvey’s Steve wrapped its first February sweep since being reformatted under a new production banner and improved 8% from its September debut to a 1.4.

Also, true crime specialist Crime Watch Daily increased 25% from its September 2015 debut to a 1.0.

The top newcomers in first run were Daily Mail TV at a 1.1 average, and the season’s youngest-skewing rookie, Page Six TV, at a 0.7. Despite competing against the Olympics for two weeks, Page Six grew 25% from its September premiere in the key women 25-54 demo.

In access, the sweep’s best performers were Family Feud at a 6.9 and Jeopardy at a 6.8 with Wheel of Fortune right behind at a 6.7.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.5 average, -17% from February 2017)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.3, +8%)
• Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.1, -8%)
• Maury (0.9, -10%)
• Wendy Williams (0.8, -20%)
• Steve Wilkos (0.7, -30%)

In the household rating rankings that follow, % change is from February 2017; * indicates a new season-high rating; ** indicates a new season low; NC indicates no change from the previous February sweep; NA mean not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.7 average -5%

2. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.7 +13%

3. Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 2.4 NC

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.5 -6%

5. Steve (NBCU) 1.4 NA

6. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.2 -14%

7. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 -14%

7. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.2 -8%

7. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.2 -20%

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

12. Harry (NBCU) 0.8 -27%

12. The Real (WBDTD) 0.8 -11%

12. The Doctors (CTD) 0.8 -11%

FIRST-RUN ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Daily Mail TV (CTD) 1.1 NA

2. Page Six TV (20th Television) 0.7 NA

3. Funny You Should Ask (Entertainment Studios) 0.5 NA

4. Pickler & Ben (Disney-ABC) 0.3 NA

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.8 +7%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.5 -4%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.2 -14%

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.0 -9%

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.7 -13%

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 6.9 -7%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.8 +3%

3. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.7 NC

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.8 +6%

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.5 +7%

OFF-NET TRUE CRIME

1. Dateline M-F (NBCU) 1.4 NA

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.3 +10%

2. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.2 -6%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.4 -13%

3. Access (NBCU) 1.4 -7%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.3 NC

6. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.2 -33%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.1 -9%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.5 -19%

3. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.9 -5%

4. The Goldbergs (Sony) 1.8 NA

5. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 1.6 -38%

6. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.5 -25%

6. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.5 -21%

8. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.2 -29%

9. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.1 -8%

9. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.1 -8%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.6 -20%

2. Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.2 NA

3. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 1.7 NA

3. Blue Bloods (CTD) 1.7 -11%

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

6. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.3 -13%