Mags Do Well, ‘Modern Family’ Explodes

Next-day coverage of the Emmy Awards ignited several of the top entertainment magazines in the week ending Sept. 29. Leader Entertainment Tonight had its best performance since Mid-March, while sister show OMG! Insider had its strongest ratings in 13 weeks and Extra scored both the largest week-to-week and year-to-year increases of any magazine, clocking its highest numbers in almost a year.

Making its off-network syndication debut with a big splash was Modern Family from Twentieth Television. Its 4.1 put it at the top of the new off-net laffers, second overall after powerhouse Big Bang Theory and No. 1 in the women 18-49 demo with a 2.9. In fact, it posted the highest syndication premiere in more than 10 years.

In daytime, Dr. Phil had the No. 1 talk show for the sixth straight week, and Live with Kelly and Michael, which grew 8% from last year, was right behind. In third place, Ellen, which airs following the red-hot Steve Havey in all the top five markets, gained both week to week and year to year.

Other takers moving up included Katie and The Doctors, while Harvey continued to generate ratings steam, improving 23% from last year at this time.

The rookie talkers were all slightly lower, as some, including Queen Latifah, the No.1 new talker in week two, ran into preemptions for the president’s speeches on Obamacare and the government shutdown on Sept 26 and 27. However, Latifah gained 8% in the metered markets to a 1.3 rating/4 share in its third week.

Bethenny faded in its third outing and The Test was marked down, while in latenight, Arsenio, which did not air in 20 markets, dipped but still equaled such latenight veterans as Conan O’Brian, Stephen Colbert, Craig Ferguson and Carson Daly in the key adult 25-54 demo.

At the very top of the ratings chart Judge Judy extended its winning streak in first-run syndication to 22 consecutive weeks. At the other end of the syndicated justice scale, Paternity Court premiered at a 0.8.

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

• Ellen (1.8, up 6% from the week before)

• Dr. Phil (1.7, +6%)

•  Live with Kelly and Michael (1.5, -6%)

• Maury (1.3, -7%)

• Dr. Oz (1.2, unchanged)

• Harvey (1.0, +11%)

• Steve Wilkos (0.9, unchanged), tied with Wendy Williams (0.9, -10%)

In the household rating rankings that follow, * indicates a new season high rating; ** indicates a new season low; % change is from the previous week; NC indicates no change from the previous week.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 2.8 -7%

2. Live with Kelly and Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.7 NC

3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.6 +4%

4. Dr. Oz (Sony) 2.1 NC

5. Maury (NBCU) 2.0 -5%

6. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.9 +6%

7. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.6 NC

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 -7%

8. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.3 NC

8. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.3 NC

11. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 NC

11. The Doctors (CTD) 1.2 +9%

13. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.8 -11%

13. Arsenio (CTD) 0.8 -11%

15. Trisha (NBCU) 0.5 NC

16. The Test (CTD) 0.4 -17%

17. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah Sony) 1.1 -14%

2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.8 -11%

2. Arsenio (CTD) 0.8 -11%

3. The Test (CTD) 0.4 -17%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.9 -3%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

3. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

3. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.5 NC

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.5 +7%

6. Paternity Court (MGM) 0.8 NA

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.7 +12%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.8 NC

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.9 -5%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.7 NC

4. Extra (WBDTD) 1.7 +13%

6. OMG! Insider (CTD) 1.4 +8%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.0 +11%

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

10. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.6 +3%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.0 +3%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 4.5 -2%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.1 -5%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.9 -3%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.1 NA

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.4 -13%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.8 -7%

5. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.1 -9%

6. Friends (WBDTD) 1.9 +6%

7. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.8 -14%

8. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.7 -11%

9. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.6 -11%

10. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.2 NC

11. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

ROOKIE OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.1 NA

2. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.8 -14%

3. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.2 NC

4. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.4 +21%

2. House (NBCU) 2.4 -11%

3. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.2 +10%

4. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.1 NC

5. CSI Miami (CTD) 2.0 -5%