Syndication Ratings: ‘Dr. Phil’ Hits New Season High
‘Dr. Phil’ leads talkers for second straight week and ties ‘Live’ for women 25-54 lead

Dr. Phil hit a new season high in the week ended January 16, rising for a third straight week to top the talkers.
The CBS Media Ventures-produced talker forged ahead 5% for the week and 33% over the prior three weeks to a 2.0 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was the program’s best performance since the week ended February 28. The long-running strip grew 11% from last year at this time, which was the largest year-over-year increase of any talk show in the top eight.
Among women 25-54, Dr. Phil tied Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan with each show at a 0.7 in the key daytime demographic.
Live rose 6% to a second-place 1.7 household rating in talk.
NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson and Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres shared the bronze with Clarkson remaining at its season-high 1.0 to tie Ellen, which eased 9% from its season high.
NBCU’s conflict talker Maury moved up 13% to a new season-high 0.9. CBS’ Rachael Ray remained at a 0.8 for the fourth straight week. Disney’s Tamron Hall held at its season-high 0.7, tying Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which stayed put for the fourth consecutive week with reruns on four of the five days.
CBS’ Drew Barrymore held at its season-best 0.6 for a second week and grew 20% from the same week last year, tying NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which held steady for a 12th consecutive week, and Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz, which exited national syndication with a 20% gain.
Debmar-Mercury’s newcomer Nick Cannon fell back 20% to a 0.4. Warner Bros.’ The Real retreated 25% to a 0.3, tying the out-of-production Jerry Springer, which was stuck at a 0.3 for the 17th straight week. CBS’ The Doctors trailed with a 0.2 for the 45th week in a row.
CBS’ Jeopardy! downticked 2% to a syndication-and-game leading 6.5, despite crack contestant Amy Schneider blowing past fellow star player James Holzhauer as the third-biggest consecutive games winner in the show’s history. As of Tuesday, January 25, Schneider had won 40 straight wins and pocketed $1,382,800, and had overtaken Matt Amodio for second place on the show’s list of most games won consecutively.
Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud inched up 2% to a new season-high 6.0 for second place in syndication, while holding on to its overall syndication lead in women 25-54 at a 2.0, a 5% drop from the prior week. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune faded 2% in households to a 5.9.
Fox’s freshman You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno and sister game 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, both remained at a 0.8. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask stayed at a 0.4 for a 12th straight week.
Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute managed a 0.6 for the sixth time in seven weeks.
CBS’ Inside Edition edged ahead 4% to lead the magazines with a new season-high 2.5, followed by sister show Entertainment Tonight, which ebbed 4% to a 2.3. NBCU’s Access Hollywood retained its season-high 0.9 for a second week. Fox’s TMZ stayed at a 0.7 for a seventh straight week. Warner Bros.’ Extra secured a season-high 0.6, tying CBS’ DailyMailTV, which stayed put for a second week. Fox’s Dish Nation held at a 0.2 for a fourth consecutive week.
CBS’ Judge Judy continued to lead daytime and the courts, staying at its season-high 5.4 despite no longer being in original production. CBS’ Hot Bench booked a season-high 1.6 for a second week. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court eroded 11% to a 0.8, while Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis moved ahead 17% to a 0.7, after 17 straight weeks at a 0.6. Fox’s Divorce Court settled at a 0.5 for the seventh straight week. NBCU’s Judge Jerry backtracked 20% to a 0.4, matching its series low and tying Wrigley Media’s rookie Relative Justice, which held steady with the prior week.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-network sitcoms finishing 5% higher to lead the sitcoms at a 2.3. Disney's Last Man Standing stood pat at a 1.5. Warner Bros.' Young Sheldon stayed at a 1.0. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men and Disney's Family Guy gave back 11% to a 0.8, tying Disney's Modern Family, which held steady for a sixth straight week. Sony's The Goldbergs slipped 13% to a 0.7, tying Sony’s Seinfeld, which sidled for the sixth week in a row. Disney's Black-ish boasted a 0.6 for the sixth consecutive week. Warner Bros.' Mom skidded 17% to a 0.5, tying Warner Bros.' Mike & Molly, which maintained for the fourth week in a row. ■
Broadcasting & Cable Newsletter
The smarter way to stay on top of broadcasting and cable industry. Sign up below
Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for nearly 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for entertainment marketing association Promax. She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997-September 2002.
Most Popular
By Alan Wolk