Sweeps: Election News Depresses Syndies

Judge Judy was the highest rated show in syndication during the nationwide November sweep, according to results just released by Nielsen. This was the ninth time in the past 11 major sweeps that Judy has been proclaimed No. 1 overall.

For the key survey period, which ran from Oct. 27 to Nov. 23, the courtroom queen delivered a powerhouse 7.2 live-plus-same-day national average, which was roughly equal to the ratings of the five other court shows combined. In the sweep’s final week, Judy raced to a new season high 7.5.

In other news, the election drove many viewers to cable, depressing syndicated ratings for some shows. In fact, few strips were up from last November.

One of those moving higher was top talker Dr. Phil, which clocked a 3.6 average for the sweep and won the talk show race by 44% over its nearest competitor. That was its widest margin ever. In addition, Phil led the field for the 15^th consecutive major sweep.

Live with Kelly and Ellen DeGeneres finished in a tie for second, with both logging a 2.5.

Also of note, sophomore Crime Watch Daily scored the genre’s greatest improvement compared to last November with an 11% increase to a 1.0.

Meanwhile, newcomer Harry, hosted by Harry Connick Jr., hit the rating charts for the first time during a sweep with a 1.2, outperforming the best sweep numbers of last November’s rookie crop by 33%.

In access, Family Feud was easily the top-rated game show with a 6.7 average. Wheel of Fortune, which led the category last November, fell to a second-place 6.2.

The magazine champ for the 104^th straight sweep — spanning 26 years— was Entertainment Tonight with a 3.3.

Inside Edition was the runner-up with a 2.9.

In off-net syndication, Big Bang Theory led with a 5.4. New entry Last Man Standing posted a 1.8 in its first sweep, landing in sixth place among sitcoms, just behind Mike & Molly, which earned a 1.9 in its third season.

The sweep’s top-rated daytime talk shows in the women 25-54 demo (sweep averages) were:

• Dr. Phil (1.6, -6% from last November)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.3, -13%)
• Live with Kelly (1.2, -14%)
• Maury (1.0, -17%)
• Wendy Williams (0.9, -25%), tied with Steve Wilkos (0.9, -10%)

In the household rating rankings that follow, % change is from the November 2015 sweep; * indicates a new season-high rating; ** indicates a new season low; NC indicates no change from the previous November sweep; NA mean not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.6 +6%

2. Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC) 2.5 -11%

2. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.5 -7%

4. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.6 -11%

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.6 -6%

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.5 -12%

7. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.4 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 NC

9. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 NC

10. Dr. Oz (Sony)  1.2 -8%

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

12. The Real (WBDTD) 0.9 -18%

12. The Doctors (CTD) 0.9 -10%

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Harry (NBCU) 1.2 NA

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.2 -5%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.5 +4%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.7 -11%

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.3 -13%

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.0 -23%

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.8 -11%

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 6.7 +5%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.2 -11%

3. Jeopardy (CTD) 5.9 -9%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.6 +23%

5. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.3 +8%

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.5 +36%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.3 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.9 -6%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.6 -11%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.4 -18%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.3 -13%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.2 NC

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.8 -20%

8. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NA

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.4 -13%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.8 -18%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.4 -11%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.0 -5%

5. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.9 -10%

6. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.8 NA

7. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.7 -15%

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.3 -13%

8. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.3 -24%

10. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.2 -33%

10. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.2 -14%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 4.2 -16%

2. Blue Bloods (CTD) 1.9 -5%

3. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.4 -13%

3. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.4 NA

5. American Ninja (NBCU) 1.3 NA

6. Rizzoli & Isles (WBDTD) 1.1 -8%