Syndies, Especially Talkers, On A Ratings Roll

Most syndicated shows rebounded in the week ending July 13, notably newsmagazines and talk shows, based on Nielsen data.

Five of the top six newsmagazines grew week to week, boosted by viewer interest in Rosie O’Donnell rejoining ABC’s daytime show The View, which sparked outraged comments from former The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

Entertainment Tonight (CTD) was up 7% week-to-week. Inside Edition (CTD) was up 8%. Access Hollywood (NBCU) was up the most of the newsmagazines at 17%. Extra (WBDTD) was up 8% while The Insider (CTD) was up 9%. Only TMZ (WBDTD) didn’t post an increase; it was flat week-to-week.

Talk shows also posted increases, including Live with Kelly at Michael (Disney-ABC) at No. 1 in households for the fifth consecutive week.

Repeats of Dr. Phil (CTD) were up 9% week-to-week. It was behind Live by only 0.1 rating point.

Maury (NBCU) was No. 3 with a 12% increase. Ellen (WBDTD) was No. 4, up 6% over the previous week. Dr. Oz (Sony) was up 13%, despite being in reruns.

Steve Harvey (NBCU) was up 14% week-to-week and up 33% over the same time last year, the biggest increase of any talk show.

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) was up 7% over the prior week while Steve Wilkos (NBCU) was up 8%.

First-year talk show Queen Latifah (Sony) was up 11% with mostly reruns.

Overall, the No.1 show in syndication was Judge Judy (CTD) for the 16^th consecutive week. It was up 11% over this time last year.

Meantime, Fox TV Stations’ summer test Hollywood Today Live averaged a 0.5/2 on nine Fox stations, down 29% from its year-ago time slot average. It had a 0.3/3 among women 25-54, down 40% year to year.

Fox TV Stations’ The Daily Helpline had a 0.1/0 for its first week, down 80% from its year-ago time slot average.

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

• Live with Kelly & Michael (1.4, flat to the week before)
• Dr. Phil (1.3, up 8% week to week)
• Maury (1.2, up 20%)
• Wendy Williams (1.1, up 10%)
• Dr. Oz (1.0, up 11%)
• Ellen (0.9, down 10%), tied with Steve Wilkos (0.9, up 13%)
• Steve Harvey (0.7, flat) tied with Rachael Ray (0.7, flat)

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. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.6, unchanged

2. Dr. Phil 2.5, up 9% (CTD)

3. Maury 1.9, up 12% (NBCU)

4. Ellen 1.8, up 6% (WBDTD)

5. Dr. Oz 1.7, up 13% (Sony)

6. Steve Harvey 1.6, up 14% (NBCU)

7. Wendy Williams 1.5, up 7% (Debmar-Mercury)

8. Katie 1.3, up 8% (Disney-ABC)

8. Steve Wilkos 1.3, up 8% (NBCU)

10. Rachael Ray 1.2, unchanged (CTD)

11. Jerry Springer 1.1, unchanged (NBCU)

12. The Doctors 1.0, unchanged (CTD)

13. Trisha 0.4, unchanged (NBCU)

14. The Better Show 0.2, unchanged (Meredith)

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah 1.0, up 11% (Sony)

2. Bethenny 0.6, unchanged (WBDTD)

3. The Test 0.5, unchanged (CTD)

4. Arsenio 0.5, unchanged (CTD)

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy 6.9, up 8% (CTD)

2. People’s Court 1.9, up 6% (WBDTD)

3. Divorce Court 1.5, up 15% (Twentieth)

4. Judge Mathis 1.4, up 8% (WBDTD)

4. Judge Alex 1.4, up 8% (Twentieth)

6. Paternity Court 0.9, up 13% (Orion Television)

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight 3.0, up 7% (CTD)

2. Inside Edition 2.8, up 8% (CTD)

3. TMZ 1.7, unchanged (WBDTD)

4. Access Hollywood 1.4, up 17% (NBCU)

5. Extra 1.3, up 8% (WBDTD)

6. The Insider 1.2, up 9% (CTD)

7. Right This Minute 1.1, up 10% (MGM)

8. Dish Nation 1.0, unchanged (Twentieth)

9. OK! TV 0.4, unchanged (Trifecta)

10. America Now 0.3, unchanged (Trifecta)

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune 5.8, up 4% (CTD)

2. Jeopardy 5.7, up 6% (CTD)

3. Family Feud 4.6, up 7% (Debmar-Mercury)

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire 2.0, unchanged (Disney-ABC)

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory 5.8, up 9% (WBDTD)

2. Modern Family 3.5, up 6% (Twentieth)

3. Two and a Half Men 3.1, up 3% (WBDTD)

4. Family Guy 2.8, up 17% (Twentieth)

5. Seinfeld 2.0, up 11% (Sony)

6. The Cleveland Show 1.9, up 12% (Twentieth)

7. How I Met Your Mother 1.8, up 6% (Twentieth)

8. Friends 1.7, up 6% (WBDTD)

8. King of the Hill 1.7, up 13% (Twentieth)

8. The Middle 1.7, up 13% (WBDTD)

11. Rules of Engagement 1.3, unchanged (Sony)

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: SVU 3.1, down 24% (NBCU)

2. Law & Order: Criminal Intent 3.0, down 12% (NBCU)

3. House 2.9, up 12% (NBCU)

4. Castle 2.0, down 5% (Disney-ABC)

5. CSI: Miami 1.8, down 10% (CTD)

5. Criminal Minds 1.8, down 10% (CTD)