Access Hollywood returned to form in the week ended February 27, which was the first full week after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The NBCUniversal-produced magazine regained 100% of its household rating to hit a 0.8 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That tied Access Hollywood for third place among the magazines with Fox’s TMZ.
CBS Media Ventures’ Inside Edition led the genre, forging ahead 15% to a 2.3. Sister show Entertainment Tonight snared the silver, adding 5% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ Extra and CBS’ DailyMailTV held their ground at a 0.6 and 0.5, respectively. Fox’s Dish Nation retreated 33% to a 0.2.
CBS’ Jeopardy! jumped 9% to retake the game and syndication lead at a 5.9, followed by Debmar-Mercury’s recent leader Family Feud, which inched up 2% to a 5.7 and led all of syndication among the key women 25-54 demographic at a 1.9. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune rose 14% to a third-place 5.6 in households.
Fox’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno and Fox’s 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, stayed at a 0.8 and a 0.7, respectively. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask was flat at a 0.4 for the 18th consecutive week.
Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute maintained a 0.6 for the fourth straight week.
Daytime and early fringe shows were bounced around on CBS affiliates on February 22 and 23 for coverage of UEFA Champions League soccer.
CBS’ Dr. Phil kickstarted the post-Olympics session with a 13% increase to a 1.7 to tie Disney’s steady Live with Kelly and Ryan for first place in talk. The two talkers have battled to a draw in three of the past four weeks. Among women 25-54, Live led with a 0.7.
Without Olympics preemptions, Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres returned to form, generating the biggest increase of any top-ten talker. Ellen ratcheted up 29% to a 0.9 in households, tying NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson, which added 13% in households and grew 100% among women 25-54 to a 0.4.
Three shows tied for fifth: NBCU’s Maury, which held steady for a sixth straight week; CBS’ Rachael Ray, which rose 14%; and Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which also spiked 14% with guest host Sherri Shepherd. Shepherd’s new talker will take over Wendy Williams’ time slots on Fox stations next season.
Also: Sherri Shepherd's 'Sherri' to Replace 'Wendy Williams'
Disney’s Tamron Hall and NBCU’s Steve Wilkos both fell back 14% to a 0.6. CBS’ Drew Barrymore mustered a 0.5 for a third consecutive week. Debmar-Mercury’s newcomer Nick Cannon notched a 0.4 for a second straight week, tying Sony Pictures Television’s The Good Dish, which warmed 33%.
NBCU’s out-of-production Jerry Springer skidded 25% to a 0.3, tying Warner Bros.’ The Real, which recorded a 0.3 for the seventh straight week. CBS’ The Doctors, hosted by one of the show’s original panelists, Dr. Andrew Ordon, operated at a 0.2 for the 51st straight week.
CBS’ Judge Judy, despite being out of original production and in repeats, improved 7% to a 4.8 to lead the talkers. CBS’ Hot Bench also added 7% to hit a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court recovered 13% to a third-place 0.9. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis, Fox’s Divorce Court, NBCU’s Judge Jerry, and Wrigley Media’s rookie Relative Justice all were in line with the prior week’s 0.6. 0.5, 0.4 and 0.4, respectively.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory continued to lead the off-network sitcoms, even though it stayed at a 2.1 for a third straight week. Disney’s Last Man Standing slumped 13% to a 1.3. Warner Bros.’ rookie Young Sheldon strengthened 11% to a 1.0. Disney’s Modern Family finished 13% higher at a 0.9. Sony’s The Goldbergs and Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men both remained at a 0.8, tying Disney’s Family Guy, which improved 14%. Sony’s Seinfeld stayed at a 0.7. Disney’s Black-ish broke even at a 0.5, tying Warner Bros.’ Mom, which was steady for a third week, and Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which was stable for the 10th week in a row. ■
