New Name, Higher Ratings For ‘Access’

After being known around the world as Access Hollywood for the past 21 years, the show changed its name to simply Access in the session ending Dec. 17, and immediately surged to its highest ratings in 41 weeks with more than 2 million daily viewers.

In fact, Access, which improved the most of any Top-5 magazine, surged 7% to a new season best 1.5 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, and jumped into a tie with TMZ for third place behind Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition in the slow pre-holiday frame.

Another big performer was rookie champ Daily Mail TV, which spiked 10% to a 1.1, matching its strongest rating to date and ranking at the top of all new first-run strips for the 13^th week in a row.

Fellow newcomer, Page Six TV, also stood out among the freshmen shows, remaining at its season-best 0.8 and outperforming the two next highest new entries by 60% and 167%, respectively.

Topping all shows of any type was syndication leader Judge Judy, which grew 3% from last year, despite giving back 1% week to week, to an overall first-place 7.1.

Next in line, game show behemoth Family Feud rose 3% to a new season high 6.9 and trumped the gamers for the third straight week.

Dr. Phil had no trouble leading the talk shows for the 67^th straight session with a steady 3.4. Ellen DeGeneres added 4% to a 2.6 and was slightly ahead of Live with Kelly and Ryan, which did well to hold steady at a 2.3 after being one of several shows completely preempted in top market New York on Dec. 11 for coverage of the subway bombing.

Maury perked up 7% to a 1.5, with Steve maintaining its season high 1.4 and rounding out the top five slots along with Wendy Williams steady at a 1.4.

Also of note in daytime, first-run true crime leader Crime Watch Daily surged 25% in the key women 25-54 demo, while holding steady at its season-high 1.0 rating.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.4, -7% from the week before)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.1, -8%)
• Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.0, -9%)
• Wendy Williams (0.9, unchanged), tied with Maury (0.9, unchanged)
• Steve Wilkos (0.8, +14%)
• Steve (0.7, unchanged), tied with Jerry Springer (0.7, unchanged)  

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) 3.4 NC

2. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.6 +4%

3. Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 2.3 NC

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.5 +7%

5. Steve (NBCU) 1.4 NC

5. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4 NC

7. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 NC

8. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.2 +9%

8. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 NC

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

11. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

12. Harry (NBCU) 0.9 NC

13. The Real (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

13. The Doctors (CTD) 0.8 NC

FIRST-RUN ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Daily Mail TV (CTD) 1.1 +10%

2. Page Six TV (20th Television) 0.8 NC

3. Funny You Should Ask (Entertainment Studios) 0.5 NC

4. Pickler & Ben (Disney-ABC) 0.3 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.1 -1%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.3 NC

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 -6%

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.2 NC

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 0.9 NC

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.6 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 6.9* +3%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.5 -2%

3. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.3 -3%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.7 NC

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.6 NC

OFF-NET TRUE CRIME

1. Dateline M-F (NBCU) 1.4 +8%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.2 -#%

1. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.2 -3%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

3. Access (NBCU) 1.5* +7%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.3 NC

6. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.2 NC

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.3 -12%

3. The Goldbergs (Sony) 1.7 NC

3. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.7 NC

5. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

5. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.6 -6%

7. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.5 -6%

8. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.3 NC

9. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.1 -8%

9. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.1 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.3 -13%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.2 +3%

3. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 2.0 +11%

4. American Ninja Warrior (NBCU) 1.7 -6%

4. Blue Bloods (CTD) 1.7 NC

6. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.4 NC