Power Outages Put A Hurtin’ On Syndies

Many viewers in the East and Midwest were without electricity due to summer storms in the week ending July 8, and ratings for syndicated shows largely languished.

Magazine Shows

For example, not even coverage of major entertainment stories, such as the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes divorce and the death of TV icon Andy Griffith, were able to give most magazines a boost. Although, leader Entertainment Tonight (CTD) bucked the down trend and turned in its best week since the May sweep.

ET was the lone magazine to improve week to week, topping the category for the  833^rd consecutive week with a  3.4, which was up 3% from the week before and up 6% from last year at this time.

Other mags were all flat to down compared to the previous session. Inside Edition (CTD) was unchanged at a 2.8; TMZ (WBDTD) tumbled 11% to a 1.7, its lowest rating in 38 weeks; Access Hollywood (NBCU) was off 6% from the prior frame to a 1.7, although still up 6% from last year; Extra (WBDTD) dipped 7% to a 1.4 and tied The Insider (CTD), which was flat at a 1.4.

Talk Shows

In daytime, Dr. Phil (CTD) was in command of the talk shows for the 35^th week this season and the 14^th time in the past 15 weeks. Phil scored a 2.4, which was down 4% from the week before, although up 14% from last year at this time. Maury (NBCU) weakened 4% to a  4.3, tying Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC), which was unchanged at a 2.3; Dr. Oz (Sony) was flat at a 2.2; and The Ellen DeGeneres Show (WBDTD) recovered 6% to a 1.7 after hitting a new season low in the prior week.

First-Run Freshmen

Newcomer Bethenny (WBDTD) remained on its ratings roll. After five weeks of its six-week trial run, the hot rookie surged 22% in households from its average lead-in and 57% from its year-ago time periods to a 1.1 rating/3 share in its six metered markets.

Bethenny also grew 80% among women 25-54 and 100% among women 18-49 year to year.

Anderson (WBDTD) led the first-run nationally rated freshmen strips for the 43^rd week in a row with a 1.2, which was up 9% from the week before for the biggest increase among the top 10 talk shows. Jeremy Kyle (Debmar-Mercury) and We the People with Gloria Allred (Entertainment Studios) were unchanged at a 0.5 and 0.4, respectively; while in latenight Excused (CTD) slipped 17% to a 0.5 with an all-repeat week.

Court Shows

Judge Judy (CTD) was the highest rated show in syndication overall, despite easing 2% to a 6.0. Judy also hit a milestone: 825 consecutive weeks as the No. 1 court show.

Following Judy were Judge Joe Brown (CTD), which rose 4% to a 2.4; People’s Court (WBDTD), which added 5% to a 2.0; Judge Mathis (WBDTD), which gained 7% to a 1.5; and Judge Alex (Twentieth), which advanced 8% to a 1.4.

On the other hand, Divorce Court (Twentieth) sank 8% to a new season low 1.1 and America’s Court with Judge Ross (Entertainment Studios) retreated 11% to a 0.8,

Game Shows

Among game shows, Wheel of Fortune (CTD) hit a new season low for the third time in the past four weeks, sliding 3%  to a 5.6. Jeopardy (CTD) eroded 6% to a 4.9; Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) faded 6% to a 3.0; and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) earned a 5% ratings dividend, bringing it to a 2.3.

Off-Net Sitcoms

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) slumped 8% to a 5.7, although it continued to rule the off-net sitcoms and was the and No. 2 show in syndication overall behind only Judge Judy. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) fell 6% to a 4.9; Family Guy (Twentieth) gave back 12% to a 3.8; How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) moved down 23% to a new season low 2.3, tying Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD), which rallied 10% to a 2.3.

Off-Net Weekly Hours

Criminal Minds (CTD) regained the lead among off-net weekly hours with a 4% advance to a 2.8. Monk (NBCU) just missed making it two weeks in a row at the top, losing 4% to a 2.7 and tying Without a Trace (WBDTD), which spurted 17% to a 2.7; Law & Order (NBCU)  was unchanged at a 2.5; while Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBCU) dropped 4% to a 2.3 and landed in a tie with Cold Case (WBDTD), which heated up 15% to a 2.3.