Talkers Head Into Holidays Feeling Jolly

Ratings for talk shows heated up in the week ending Dec. 14, with eight of the top 10 moving up, two holding steady and none declining.

Jerry Springer had the biggest week-to-week improvement, jumping 18% to a 1.3. Other gainers included Ellen DeGeneres, up 3% to a new season high 3.0; Steve Harvey, which matched its season high 2.0 with a 5% increase; Maury, up 6% to a 1.9; Wendy Williams, which added 6% to a 1.7; Dr. Oz, which equaled its best rating of the season with a 7% surge to a 1.6; Rachael Ray, which rose 7% to a 1.5; and Steve Wilkos, which gained 8% to a 1.4.

At the top of the talk list, Dr. Phil extended its winning streak to 15 consecutive weeks with a 3.2, and Live with Kelly & Michael was a strong second at a 3.1.

Elsewhere, Judge Judy easily ruled the court shows, moving up to a 7.1, and finishing a tenth of a point behind Wheel of Fortune for overall first place in syndication.

Among magazines, Extra was up the most, hitting a new season high 1.7 with 6% growth from the prior week.

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

• Live with Kelly & Michael (1.6, unchanged from the week before), tied with Dr. Phil (1.6, +7%) and Ellen DeGeneres (1.6, +7%)
• Maury (1.3, +8%)
• Wendy Williams (1.2, unchanged)
• Steve Harvey (1.0, unchanged)

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) 3.2 NC

2. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 3.1 NC

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 3.0* +3%

4. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 2.0 +5%

5. Maury (NBCU) 1.9 +6%

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.7 +6%

7. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.6 +7%

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.5 +7%

9. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 +8%

10. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 +18%

11. Queen Latifah (Sony) 1.1 NC

11. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 NC

13. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

ROOKIES

1. Hot Bench (CTD) 1.5 -6%

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

2. Meredith Vieira (NBCU) 1.2 NC

4. The Real (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

5. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.7 NC

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.7 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.1 +1%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.7 +6%

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.5 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.4 NC

5. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.2 -8%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.4 -3%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.1 +3%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 2.0 +5%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.8 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.7* +6%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.3 NC

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

8. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 7.2 +1%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.9 +1%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 6.3 +7%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.8 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.0 NC

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.1 NC

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

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.5 NC

4. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.5 +9%

6. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 2.4* +4%

7. Seinfeld (Sony) 2.0* +5%

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.9 +12%

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

10. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 4.7 NC

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.9 NC

3. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.5 +19%

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.1 -9%

5. Scandal (Disney-ABC) 1.9 NC

6. The Mentalist (WBDTD) 1.8* +6%