Syndies Fall Down, Go Boom

Syndication took a hit in the week ending April 13 as nearly five hours of NASCAR, news reports on the Pennsylvania school stabbings and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game caused many strips not to air in various markets.

For example, not a single talk show gained any ground from the week before. Katie, which was once hoped to be the next Oprah, fell 13% to its lowest rating ever and finished in a tie for eighth place. Bethenny dropped 14% to a new all-time low, while third-place Ellen matched its lowest rating of the season.

In fact, only three talk shows were able to show growth from last year at this time. Dr. Phil topped the talkers for the 32nd time in 36 weeks and rose 3% year to year. Live with Kelly and Michael, the No. 2 talker, improved 12% from the same week last year, which was the most improvement of any talk show. And Steve Harvey, which is enjoying a standout sophomore season, climbed 7% from its year-ago delivery.

In access, all of the top-tier magazines and game shows declined week to week, except Access Hollywood, which managed to avoid the downdraft and hold steady with the prior session.

At the top of the chart, Judge Judy had no trouble remaining the highest rated show in syndication for the 30th time in the last 33 weeks.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.6, unchanged from the week before)
• Live with Kelly and Michael (1.5, unchanged)
• Ellen (1.3, -19%)
• Maury (1.2, -8%)
• Dr. Oz (1.1, unchanged)
• Steve Wilkos (1.0, unchanged)
• Steve Harvey (0.9, -18%)
• Queen Latifah (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) 3.0 NC

2. Live with Kelly and Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.8 -3%

3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.4 -8%

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

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.9 NC

6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.6 -11%

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 -7%

8. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.3** -13%

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.3 NC

10. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.1 -8%

10. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 -8%

10. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 -8%

13. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.0 -9%

14. Arsenio (CTD) 0.6 -14%

14. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.6** -14%

16. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

17. Trisha (NBCU) 0.5 NC

18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 -8%

2. Arsenio (CTD) 0.6 -14%

2. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.6** -14%

2 The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.7 -7%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.4 -7%

3. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.4 NC

5. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.3 -7%

6. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.0 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.4 -3%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.9 -3%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.7 -11%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.6 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.4 -7%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.3 -7%

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.0 -9%

8. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.9 -10%

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

9. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.3 -7%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.2 -7%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 4.8 -2%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.0 -5%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.8 -3%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.0 -5%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.5 +6%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 3.1 +11%

5. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.9 +6%

6. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.8 -5%

6. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.8 NC

6. Friends (WBDTD) 1.8 NC

9. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.6 +7%

10. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.4 -7%

11. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.6 +7%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 3.5 -19%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.3 +3%

2. House (NBCU) 3.3 +10%

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.4 NC

5. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.2 -21%

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