Magazines Keep Up New Year Momentum

Ratings for syndicated magazines continued to roll in the first full week of the new year. Access Hollywood (NBCU) had the largest increase in the group, jumping 24% in households from the prior session to a new season high 2.1 in the week ending Jan. 9. In addition, Hollywood’s demos spiked 33% among women 18-34, 38% among women 18-49 and 27% among women 25-54.

Also continuing to move up were top-rated Entertainment Tonight (CTD), which climbed 8% to a 4.3, and second-place Inside Edition (CTD), which added 7% to a 3.0. The Insider (CTD) and TMZ (WBDTD) held steady at a 1.8, while The Insider Weekend ballooned 27% to 1.4. Extra (WBDTD) surged 40% in the women 18-34 demo and 13% in households to a 1.8, climbing into a three-way tie with TMZ and The Insider. Extra Weekend was also red hot, soaring 20% both week to week and year to year to a 1.2.

Talk Shows

In daytime, talk shows were a mixed bag. Dr. Phil (CTD) and Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) led the gainers with Phil scoring a 2.8, which was up 33% among women 18-34 and up 12% in households from the previous frame. That put the top TV doctor up 22% in the past two weeks. Ellen advanced 14% to a 2.4; The Doctors (CTD) improved 50% in the women 18-34 demo and 6% in households to a 1.9; while Rachael Ray (CTD) rallied 25% among women 18-34 and 6% in households to a 1.7.

On the down side, Oprah (CTD), which is in its final season, faded 5% to a 4.2, but still hung onto the lead among talkers. Live with Regis and Kelly (Disney-ABC) dipped 3% to a 2.8; Dr. Oz (Sony) slid 4% to a 2.5; and Maury (NBCU) sank 13% to a 2.0.

Court Shows

Judge Judy (CTD) was the No. 1 show in daytime for the sixth week in a row, trouncing second-place Oprah by an average of almost 1 million viewers per show. Judy, which was the only court show to improve from the week before, shot up 9% to a new season high 4.7 and her best showing since the midpoint of the May 2010 sweep. Judge Joe Brown (CTD) slipped 5% to a 2.0; People’s Court (WBDTD) also lost 5%, to a 1.9; Judge Mathis (WBDTD) fell 6% to a 1.6; Divorce Court (Twentieth) and Judge Alex (Twentieth) both tumbled 7% to 1.3s; while Judge Jeanine Piero (WBDTD) was last, declining 18% to a 0.9.

Game Shows

Wheel of Fortune (CTD) topped the games with a 13% hike to a new season high 7.8. Jeopardy (CTD) was up 12% to new season high 6.4; Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) was flat at a 2.3; Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) faltered 5% to a 1.8; and Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader? (Twentieth) skidded 9% to a 1.0

First-Run Freshmen

Among the newcomers to first run syndication, Swift Justice with Nancy Grace (CTD) continued to lead the field, although it was off 7% from the previous week to a 1.3. Nate Berkus (Sony) gained 10% to a new season high 1.1; Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Twentieth) was down 11% to a 0.8 and Judge Karen’s Court (Litton) dropped 14% to a 0.6.

Off-Net Sitcoms

Off-net sitcoms were mostly higher with leader Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) up 13% to a 6.2. Family Guy (Twentieth) grew 14% to a 4.1; Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD) and My Wife and Kids (Disney-ABC) were both unchanged at 3.0s; and Seinfeld (Sony) tacked on 8% to a 2.7.

Off-Net Freshmen

Among the new off-net and off-cable strips, How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) was up 4% to a 2.5; Meet the Browns (Debmar-Mercury) was flat at a 1.4; The New Adventures of Old Christine (WBDTD) fell 7% to a 1.3; while True Hollywood Stories was down 20% to a 0.8.

Off-Net Weekly Hours

Among weeklies, Criminal Minds (CTD) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) continued to run one, two with an unchanged 3.0 and 2.9, respectively. Without a Trace (WBDTD) added 9% to a 2.5, while Numbers (CTD) multiplied 20% to a 2.4. The Closer (WBDTD) jumped 15% to a 2.3; and Monk (NBCU) mushroomed 38% to a2.2.