As usually happens at this time of year, when Daylight Saving Time kicks in PUT levels and ratings for syndicated shows take a tumble. There were a few exceptions in the week ending March 15, with Wendy Williams the big first-run gainer. A few off-net weekly hours also posted gains from the previous week.
WEEKLY SYNDICATION RATINGS ROUNDUP
Setting The Clocks Ahead Sets Syndies Back
The first week of Daylight Saving Time saw PUT levels plummet, taking the vast majority of syndicated shows lower in the session ending March 15.
For example, Wheel of Fortune, which had been the clear syndication leader in the prior frame, sank 12% to a 6.8 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, and was tied for first place overall by Judge Judy, which was down only 3% to a 6.8.
Other games beside Wheel losing steam included:
- Jeopardy, which dropped 9% to a 6.7.
- Family Feud, which faded 9% to a 6.4.
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which lost 11 to a 1.7, matching its season low.
In daytime, almost all the talkers were down from the previous stanza, but Dr. Phil was No. 1 in the category for ninth straight session. Despite slipping 9% to a 3.1 for the week, on March 11 the rating for the headline-making Nick Gordon intervention episode surged 18% from the prior session to a 4.0, its second-highest-rated day of the season. And among women 25-54, Phil was first in talk for the week with a 1.7 demo rating.
Live with Kelly & Michael eased 6% to a 3.0, but finished a close second.
Further back, Ellen DeGeneres had sharpest decline of any talker in the top 10, falling 14% to a third-place 2.4.
BRAND CONNECTIONS
The only talker gaining ground was Wendy Williams, which recovered 23% to a sixth-place 1.6 after sinking 32% the week before with all reruns.
Compared to last year at this time, Jerry Springer, in its 24th season, was up the most, improving 18% to a 1.3, while Dr. Oz had the steepest slide of any chatfest in the top 10, slumping 35% to a 1.3.
Among magazines, Entertainment Tonight finished first for the 972nd straight week with a 3.3, down 8%.
Elsewhere, off-net sitcoms were among the hardest-hit groups after the time change, with all of the top 10 losing ground. Shows seeing double-digit drops included:
- Leader The Big Bang Theory, which was off 11% to a 5.7.
- Newcomer Mike and Molly, which tumbled 12% to a 2.3.
- King of the Hill, which declined 12% to a 1.5.
The week’s top-rated daytime talk shows in the women 25-54 demo were:
- Dr. Phil (1.7, unchanged from the week before)
- Maury (1.5, +7%)
- Live with Kelly & Michael (1.4, -13%)
- Ellen DeGeneres (1.2, -20%), tied with Wendy Williams (1.2, +20%)
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) 3.1 -9%
2. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 3.0 -6%
3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.4 -14%
4. Maury (NBCU) 1.9 -5%
5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.8 -5%
6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.6 +23%
7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.3 -7%
7. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.3 -13%
7. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 -13%
7. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 NC
11. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 -8%
12. Queen Latifah (Sony) 0/8** -11%
13. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.1 -50%
ROOKIES
1. Hot Bench (CTD) 1.6 -11%
2. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.3 -13%
3. The Real (WBDTD) 1.1 NC
4. Meredith Vieira (NBCU) 1.0** -9%
5. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.7 -13%
INTERNET VIDEO
1. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.5 -6%
COURT SHOWS
1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.8 -3%
2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 -11%
3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.5 NC
4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.3 -7%
5. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.2 -8%
MAGAZINE SHOWS
1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.3 -8%
2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.0 -9%
3. TMZ (WBDTD) 2.1 -5%
4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.7 -15%
5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.5 -6%
6. The Insider (CTD) 1.2 -8%
6. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.2 NC
8. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.2 -33%
GAME SHOWS
1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.8 -12%
2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.7 -9%
3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 6.4 -9%
4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.7 -11%
OFF-NET SITCOMS
1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.7 -11%
2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 3.8 -3%
3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.1 -3%
4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.3 -4%
4. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 2.3 -12%
6. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.2 -4%
7. Seinfeld (Sony) 2.0 -9%
8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.7 -6%
8. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.7 -6%
10. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.5 -12%
OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS
1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 5.6 +6%
2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 2.9 -26%
3. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.4 +9%
4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.1 +11%
5. Scandal (Disney-ABC) 1.7 +6%
6. The Good Wife (CTD) 1.5 -6%
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