Magazines Break Out Of Summer Doldrums

Entertainment magazines were the syndication stars in the session ending Aug. 7, rebounding sharply from levels depressed by preemptions for the political conventions and boosted by the release of Melania Trump nude photos.

Extra saw the largest ratings surge of the group — in fact, the biggest of any strip in syndication — spiking 33% from the week before to a 1.2 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen, and was the only magazine to maintain 100% of its year-ago numbers.

Entertainment Tonight finished first among the mags, jumping 4% to a three-week high 2.6, while ET’s sister show, The Insider, climbed 25% to a 1.0.

Also moving up was TMZ, which tacked on 8% to a 1.4, tying Access Hollywood, which rose 27% to a 1.4.

In daytime, the red-hot Live with Kelly grew 4% to a 2.5 and led the talkers for the ninth time in 10 weeks, including ties. Among women 25-54, the show was also tops in talk with a 1.2 in the key demo.

An all-repeat week of Dr. Phil was right behind with a steady 2.4 household rating.

As for the rest of the talkers, The Doctors was one of only two other shows in positive territory, growing 13% to a 0.9 in households, and perking up 25% among women 25-54, despite being completely in reruns.

The final gainer in talk was the already-canceled Meredith Vieira, which advanced 20% and finished in a tie for last place at a 0.6 with The Real, which lost 14% to a new series low 0.6.

Ellen DeGeneres was unchanged at a third-place 1.6, followed by Maury, which fell 7% to a new series low 1.4, and Steve Harvey, which sank 7% to a 1.3, its lowest rating in nearly three years.

And further down the chart, Dr. Oz hit an all-time series low 1.1, falling 8%.

On the plus side, Judge Judy — with encore telecasts all week — was the No. 1 strip on the overall chart, improving 2% to a four-week high 6.5.

Family Feud slipped 3% to a second-place 6.4.

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

• Live with Kelly (1.2, unchanged from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (1.1, unchanged)
• Maury (0.9, -10%)
• Ellen DeGeneres (0.8, -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. Dr. Phil (CTD) 2.4 NC

1. Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC) 2.5 +4%

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.4** -7%

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.3** -7%

6. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.2 NC

6. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.2 NC

8. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.1 NC

8. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.1** -8%

8. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.1 NC

11. The Doctors (CTD) 0.9 +13%

12. The Real (WBDTD) 0.6** -14%

12. Meredith Vieira (NBCU) 0.6 +20%

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Crime Watch Daily (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

2. FABLife (Disney) 0.6 NC

3. Crazy Talk (NBCU) 0.4 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.5 +2%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.2 +5%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.3 NC

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.1 +22%

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.8 +14%

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 6.4 -3%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 5.4 +4%

3. Jeopardy (CTD) 5.2 +2%

4. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.3 NC

5. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.2 NC

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.0 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 2.6 +4%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.5 NC

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.4 +8%

3. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.4 +27%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.2 +33%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.0 +25%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.8 NC

8. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.0 +6%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.6 NC

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.4 +4%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.1 NC

5. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.9 NC

6. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.8 NC

7. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.6 NC

8. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.5 NC

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.5 -12%

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

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 4.1 -5%

2. The Closer (WBDTD) 2.6 -4%

3. Blue Bloods (CTD) 1.7** -11%

4. The Mentalist (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

5. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.3** -7%

6. Scandal (Disney-ABC) 1.2 NC