Coverage of the deaths of Nelson Mandela and Fast and Furious star Paul Walker helped boost ratings of the top five shows in the category close to or at season highs in the week ending Dec. 8.
WEEKLY SYNDICATION RATINGS ROUNDUP
Magazines Have Strong Post-Sweep Outing
The first week following the November sweep was a strong one for the entertainment magazines, marked by heavy coverage of the deaths of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela and Fast and Furious star Paul Walker. In fact, all five of the top shows in the entertainment news category were at or near season high levels in the week ending Dec. 8.
Leader Entertainment Tonight rose 5% and matched its best rating of the season. Access Hollywood surged 19% to its previous season high, and tied TMZ, which moved up 12%. Extra also equaled its season high and grew 13% from last year, the most of any magazine, while OMG! Insider jumped 15% week to week.
Dr. Oz was the standout among daytime talk shows, hitting a new season high with double-digit increases in both households and women 25-54. But, Oz was the only talker to gain from the prior week, as everything else in the genre took a breather following powerful showings in the sweeps.
Even so, the top three talk shows were all up from last year. Dr. Phil led the field for the 17th consecutive week and grew 3% from last year; Ellen added 7%; and Live with Kelly and Michael leaped 16%.
Up the most from last year by far was Steve Harvey, which matched its series high and rocketed 46%. Queen Latifah was mostly in repeats but still ruled the rookie talkers for the 11th week, while Bethenny tied Queen among women 25-54 and was the No. 1 show in its time periods in the top three markets among women 18-34.
In latenight, Arsenio had a double-digit increase, while off-net sitcoms also did well, with newcomer Modern Family posting double-digit increases and setting a new season high in households and many of the demos.
BRAND CONNECTIONS
The week’s top nationally rated daytime talk shows in the women 25-54 demo, were:
- Ellen (1.9, unchanged from the week before)
- Dr. Phil (1.7, -6%)
- Live with Kelly and Michael (1.6, -11%)
- Maury (1.4, +8%)
- Dr. Oz (1.3, +18%)
- Steve Harvey (1.1, -8%), tied with Wendy Williams (1.1, -8%)
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) 3.1 -9%
2. Ellen (WBDTD) 3.0 NC
3. Live with Kelly and Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.9 -6%
4. Dr. Oz (Sony) 2.3* +10%
5. Maury (NBCU) 2.1 NC
6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.9 NC
7. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.8 NC
8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.5 -12%
9. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.3 -19%
10. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 NC
11. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.2 -14%
11. The Doctors (CTD) 1.2 -8%
13. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.0 -9%
14. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 NC
15. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 +17%
16. The Test (CTD) 0.6 -14%
17. Trisha (NBCU) 0.5 NC
18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.1 -50%
FRESHMEN TALKERS
1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.0 -9%
2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 NC
3. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 +17%
4. The Test (CTD) 0.6 -14%
COURT SHOWS
1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.2 -5%
2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8 +13%
3. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.5 -6%
3. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.5 NC
3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.5 -6%
6. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 0.9 -10%
MAGAZINE SHOWS
1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.9 +5%
2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.0 -6%
3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.9 +12%
3. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.9 +19%
5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.7 NC
6. OMG! Insider (CTD) 1.5 +15%
7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.1 +22%
8. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 +11%
9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 NC
10. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.2 NC
GAME SHOWS
1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 7.2 -1%
2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.5 +7%
3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 5.0 +14%
4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.1 -5%
OFF-NET SITCOMS
1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.4 +19%
2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 5.1* +16%
3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.9 +11%
4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 3.0 +7%
5. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.2 +5%
6. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 2.0 +5%
7. Friends (WBDTD) 1.8 NC
7. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.8 NC
9. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.7 NC
10. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.5 NC
10. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%
12. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC
ROOKIE OFF-NET SITCOMS
1. Modern Family (Twentieth) 5.1* +16%
2. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 2.0 +5%
3. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%
4. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC
OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS
1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 5.1* +65%
2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.9 NC
3. House (NBCU) 3.5 +67%
4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.2 -8%
5. Criminal Minds (CTD) 1.8** -25%
5. The Closer (WBDTD) 1.8 +6%
7. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.7** -23
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