Sinking Feeling For Most Syndies

Ratings for most syndicated shows went sideways to down slightly in the week ending May 11 amid declining PUT levels and competition from the NFL draft on cable and as well as NBA and NHL playoffs.

For example, there was only one daytime strip in the top 15 to improve week to week, namely Maury which rose 5% in households and 17% among  women 25-54, jumping into fourth place among the talk shows. In addition, Maury was No.1 among women 18-34 and tied Dr. Phil for No. 1 among women 18-49.

At the top of the talk chart, Phil maintained its commanding lead in both households and the key demo, dipping a tenth of a household rating point from the prior session, but still up 17% from last year at this time. Phil was also tops among women 25-54 by a comfortable margin.

Second-place Live with Kelly and Michael held steady week to week in households and improved 4% from last year. Live also grew 8% among women 25-54.

Ellen declined 7% from the previous frame and dropped to third in households.

As usual, Steve Harvey showed the biggest year-to-year increase in talk, gaining 20% from last year.

There were no top-tier magazine strips able to outperform the prior session, which was marked by extensive coverage of the Donald Sterling story.

The No. 1 show in syndication overall was easily Judge Judy with a 7.2 rating, off two-tenths from the week before, but still up 7% from last year at this time.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.9, unchanged from the week before)
• Ellen (1.5, -6%)
• Maury (1.4, +17%), tied with Live with Kelly and Michael (1.4, +8%)
• Dr. Oz (1.2, -8%)
• Wendy Williams (1.1, +10%)
• Steve Wilkos (1.0, +11%)
• Steve Harvey (0.9, -18%)
• Queen Latifah (0.8, unchanged), tied with Rachael Ray (0.8, 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 -3%

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

3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.6 -7%

4. Maury (NBCU) 2.0 +5%

5. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.9 -17%

6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.8 -5%

7. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.4 -7%

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 NC

7. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4 NC

10. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 NC

11. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 NC

12. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 -8%

12. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 NC

14. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

14. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

16. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

16. Trisha (NBCU) 0.6 +20%

18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 -8%

2. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

3. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.2 -3%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8 -5%

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.5 NC

4. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.4 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.3** -7%

6. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.1 +10%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.2 -6%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.9 -6%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.9 NC

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.5 -6%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.4 -7%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.3 NC

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.1 NC

8. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.4 +33%

9. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.4 -7%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.3 -6%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 4.9 -6%

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

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.8 -5%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.1 -2%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.3 -3%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.6 NC

5. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.8 -5%

5. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.8 NC

7. Friends (WBDTD) 1.7 -6%

8. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

9. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.5** -6%

9. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.5 -6%

10. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.3** -7%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 3.2 -22%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.1 -6%

3. House (NBCU) 2.5 -11%

4. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.3 -4%

5. CSI: Miami (CTD) 2.2 +10%

6. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.1 -5%