Syndication Goes Every Way But Up

Balmy spring weather sent viewing levels sharply lower and, as usually happens, almost all of the top-tier syndicated shows were down slightly in the session ending May 14, which included the midway point of the May sweep.

The second week of the newly renamed Kelly and Ryan slipped 12% from its highly publicized opening week to a 2.2 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating. That was good enough to maintain the No. 2 spot in talk just ahead of nearest rival Ellen DeGeneres, which fell 5% to a third-place 2.1.

Top talker Dr. Phil had no trouble outperforming the category for a 36^th straight week with a 3.3, off only a minor 3%.

Well behind the big three came Maury at an unchanged 1.6, while Steve Harvey rounded out the top five with a steady 1.5, although declining 17% from last year.

All of the other gabfests in the top 10 were flat except for Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz. Ray retreated 8% for the week to a 1.1, matching an 11-year low, and tumbling 21% from last year. Similarly, Dr. Oz was off 8% to a 1.1, matching an eight-year low and also losing 21% year to year.

In access, almost everything lost ground. Family Feud dipped 2% to a 6.2, although it maintained its stranglehold on the game shows for a 55^th straight session.

Wheel of Fortune slowed 3% to a 5.7; Jeopardy slumped 3% to a 5.6; and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire weakened 6% to a 1.5, equaling its season low.

Entertainment Tonight extended its winning streak among magazines to 41 weeks, easing 3% to a 2.9.

At the top of the entire syndication chart, Judge Judy was the No. 1 show overall for the seventh week in a row, pulling back 4% to a still-powerful 6.7 and drawing more than 9.2 million viewers on average each day.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.5, unchanged from the week before)

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.1, -8%)

• Ellen DeGeneres (1.0, unchanged)

• Maury (0.9, -18%), tied with Wendy Williams (0.9, unchanged)

• Steve Wilkos (0.8, -20%), tied with Jerry Springer (0.8, -11%)

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) 3.3 -3%

2. Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 2.2 -12%

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.1 -5%

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.6 NC

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.5 NC

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.3 NC

7. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 NC

9. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.1 -8%

9. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.1 -8%

11. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

12. The Real (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

13. The Doctors (CTD) 0.7** -13%

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Harry (NBCU) 0.9 -10%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.7 -4%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.1 -9%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.2 NC

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.8 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 6.2 -2%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 5.7 -3%

3. Jeopardy (CTD) 5.6 -3%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.5 -6%

5. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.2 NC

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.3 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 2.9 -3%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.6 -7%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.3 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.1 -8%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.0 NC

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.7 NC

8. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 4.9 +2%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.7 +4%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.2 -4%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.9 +6%

5. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.6 -6%

5. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.6 -6%

7. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.4 NC

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.3 +8%

9. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.2 NC

9. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.1 NC

10. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.1 +10%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.3 -8%

2. Blue Bloods (CTD) 1.8 -14%

3. American Ninja Warrior (NBCU) 1.5 NC

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.3 -7%

4. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.3 -13%

6. Rizzoli & Isles (WBDTD) 1.2 +20%