March Madness Sends Syndie Strips Down

Widespread repeats and the highly rated regional rounds of the annual March Madness NCAA basketball tournament sent most syndicated strips sideways to down during the week ending March 29.

Dr. Phil was mostly in reruns but continued to rule the talk shows in households for the 11^th week in a row, and the 26^th time in the last 30 weeks, with a 2.9 live-plus same day national Nielsen rating.

Live with Kelly & Michael was its usual strong second with a 2.8, despite being on tape for three of the five days with repackaged material. Ellen DeGeneres, also in repeats, sank 15% to a new season low, 2.2.

Maury was the top rated talker for the week among women 25-54, growing 7% to a 1.5 demo rating.

Other talk shows moving up in the key demographic included Steve Wilkos, which grew 11% to a 1.0; Jerry Springer, which jumped 13% to a 0.9; and Meredith Vieira which spiked 20% to a 0.6.

In access, game show household rating leader Wheel of Fortune fell 3% to a 6.4, its lowest rating in 12 weeks. Jeopardy was a tenth behind with a flat 6.3, while Family Feud, which beat Jeopardy for the first time in the prior frame, retreated 5% and finished in a close up third place with a 6.2.

Among magazines, The Insider had the strongest gain, improving 10% to a 1.1 despite basketball preemptions. Entertainment Tonight led the genre with an unchanged 3.4.

Elsewhere, Judge Judy scored a steady 6.1 and trounced the veteran court shows, even though it was in reruns on four of the five days. Second place People’s Court dropped 11% to a 1.6.

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

• Maury (1.5, +7%)
• Dr. Phil (1.4, -7%), Live with Kelly & Michael (1.4, unchanged)
• Wendy Williams (1.2, -8%)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.1, down 21%)
• Steve Wilkos (1.1, +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) (2.9, -3%)

2 Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC)  (2.8, -3%)

3.  Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) (2.2**, -15%)

4. Maury (NBCU) (1.9, unchanged)

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) (1.8, -5%)

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) (1.6, -6%)

7. Dr. Oz (Sony) (1.4, unchanged)

8. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) (1.3, -7%)

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) (1.3, -7%)

8. Jerry Springer (NBCU) (1.3, unchanged)

11.  The Doctors (CTD) (1.0, unchanged)

12. Queen Latifah (Sony) (0.9, up 13%)

13. The Better Show (Meredith) (0.1, unchanged)

ROOKIES

1. Hot Bench (CTD) (1.6, unchanged)

2. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) (1.3, down 7%)

3. Meredith Vieira (NBCU) (1.1, unchanged)

3. The Real (WBDTD) (1.1, unchanged)

5. Judge Faith (Trifecta) (0.9, +13%)

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (MGM) (1.4, unchanged)

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) (6.1, unchanged)

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) (1.6, -11%)

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) (1.5, +7%)

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) (1.3, unchanged)

5. Paternity Court (Orion Television) (1.2, -8%)

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) (3.4, unchanged)

2. Inside Edition (CTD) (2.9, +4)

3. TMZ (WBDTD) (1.9, -10%)

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) (1.7, -6%)

5. Extra (WBDTD) (1.4, -7%)

6. The Insider (CTD) (1.1, +10%)

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) (1.1, -17%)

8. OK! TV (Trifecta) (0.2, unchanged)

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) (6.4, -3%)

2. Jeopardy (CTD) (6.3, unchanged)

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) (6.2, -5%)

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) (1.8, unchanged)

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) (6.3, +3%)

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) (3.4**, -13%)

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) (2.8, -7%)

4. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) (2.3, unchanged)

5. Family Guy (Twentieth) (2.2, -4%)

6. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) (2.1**, -5%)

 6. Seinfeld (Sony) (2.1, +5)

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) (1.8, -5%)

9. King of the Hill (Twentieth) (1.7, +6%)

10. The Middle (WBDTD) (1.6, -6%)

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) (6.6, +12%)

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) (3.5, +6%)

3. Blue Bloods (CTD) (2.5, +14)

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) (2.1, -5%)

5. Scandal (Disney-ABC) (1.6, -11%)

6. The Good Wife ((CTD) (1.6, +14%)