Summertime And The Ratings Ain’t Easy

Ratings for most syndicated shows were in the doldrums in first week of August (ending Aug. 7) as PUT levels declined and some shows were preempted for coverage of the vote to raise the country’s debt ceiling.

Talk Shows

For example, the only talk show able to improve from the week before was The Doctors (CTD), which scored its highest ratings since the May sweep despite being in reruns all week, with a 7% jump to a 1.5.The show’s biggest draw was an Aug. 4 repeat of a program on “Health Secrets Your Face Reveals,” which was up 14% from the prior session.

Live with Regis and Kelly (Disney-ABC) led the summer chat show race for a third straight week, although it skidded 8% to a 2.3. Right behind were Dr. Phil (CTD), which held steady at a 2.2, and Maury (NBCU), which sank 8% to a 2.2. Dr. Oz (Sony) lost 5% to a 1.9, tying Oprah (CTD), which remained at its series low 1.9.

Court Shows

Judge Judy (CTD) dipped 6% week to week to a 6.5, but still grew 55% from last year and continued to be the No. 1 show in syndication. In addition, Judy was the No. 1 court show for the 777th consecutive week.

Among the other gavelers, Judge Joe Brown (CTD) slipped 7% 2.6; People’s Court (WBDTD) dropped 5% to a 1.9; and Judge Mathis (WBDTD) fell 6% to a 1.5, tying Divorce Court (Twentieth) and Judge Alex (Twentieth), which each gained 7% to a 1.5.

First-Run Freshmen

Swift Justice with Nancy Grace (CTD) took top rookie honors for the 47^th consecutive week, holding firm at a 1.5. Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Twentieth) rose 13% to a 0.9; Nate Berkus (Sony) was flat at a 0.8; and Judge Karen’s Court (Litton) and America’s Court with Judge Ross (Entertainment Studios) were both unchanged at 0.7 and 0.4, respectively.

Father Albert (Debmar-Mercury), a new talk show, averaged a 0.7 rating/2 share in the metered markets for its full, five-week summer test run. This was down 36% from its lead-in average, although up 17% from its August 2010 time periods.

Dish Nation (Twentieth), an entertainment news program that’s getting a six-week tryout, posted a 0.9/2 metered market average for its first three weeks. This was down 31% from its lead-in and down 50% from its year-ago time period average.

Game Shows

In access time periods, game shows were mostly lower. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) slowed down 5% to 6.0; Jeopardy (CTD) faded 6% to a 5.1; Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) was flat at a 2.6; Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) devalued 4% to a 2.3; and Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader? (Twentieth) was unchanged at a 1.0.

Magazine Shows

Entertainment Tonight (CTD) led the magazines with a 3.3, despite giving back 6% from the week before. Inside Edition (CTD) inched up 4% to a 2.8; TMZ (WBDTD) softened 5% to a 1.8; AH eased 11% to a 1.6; The Insider (CTD) was steady at a 1.5; and Extra (WBDTD) was off 7% to a 1.4.

Off-Net Sitcoms

Off-net sitcoms were mostly higher. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) upticked 2% from the week before to a 6.1; Family Guy (Twentieth) added 2% to a 4.5; My Wife and Kids (Disney-ABC) shrank 6% to a 2.9; George Lopez Show (WBDTD) was flat at a 2.6; and Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD) and Seinfeld (Sony) were each up 4% to a 2.6, tying Lopez.

Off-Net Weekly Hours

Among the off-net weekly hours, Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) tumbled 12% to a 3.8; second-place Criminal Minds (CTD) advanced 4% to a 2.9; Without a Trace (WBDTD) and Monk (NBCU) were each down 4% to 2.7 and 2.4, respectively; while The Closer (WBDTD) finished 8% behind the previous week at a 2.3.