Entertainment magazines toasted higher ratings in the session ending May 20 after they went all out to cover the royal wedding between Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle.
Leading the category, CBS Television Distribution’s Entertainment Tonight rose 7% to an eight-week high 3.1 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show remained tied for the third consecutive week with its sister show Inside Edition, which also was up 7%.
Warner Bros.’ TMZ, although not a traditional entertainment magazine, recovered 8% to a 1.4. NBCUniversal’s Access, which took its entire show to London all week in addition to both hosts, spiked 8% to a 1.3, the show’s highest rating since the week of April 2. Warner Bros.’ Extra strengthened 9% for both the week and the year to a six-week high 1.2.
Meanwhile, Trifecta’s Celebrity Page posted a 0.2 for the ninth straight week.
In daytime, talk shows were mostly on par with the prior session, although there were several bright spots. CTD’s Dr. Phil advanced 7% to a 3.2 to lead the talkers for the 89th straight week with two ties. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also led with a 1.3.
Warner Bros.’ The Ellen DeGeneres Show gained 10% to a 2.2 to take sole possession of second place for the first time in ten weeks. Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan was preempted in many markets by coverage of the Texas school shootings on May 18 and held steady at a 2.1.
NBCU’s Maury rebounded 8% to a 1.4 after falling to a new season low in the prior week. NBCU’s Steve, hosted by Steve Harvey, was steady at a 1.2, tying Debmar-Mercury’s steady Wendy Williams. Steve also climbed 20% among women 25-54 to a 0.6.
CTD’s Rachael Ray, NBCU’s Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos and Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz all tied at a 1.1, with Ray and Springer both flat, Wilkos up 10% to move off its season low for the first time in seven weeks, and Oz rebounding 10% off of its series low.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen held firm at a 0.9. For the fourth week in a row, there was a three-way tie for last among the talkers between NBCU’s canceled Harry, Warner Bros.’ The Real and CTD’s The Doctors, with all three remaining at a 0.7. Compared to last year, The Real and The Doctors dropped 13%, while Harry was off 22%.
CTD’s Daily Mail TV delivered an 11% gain to a 1.0 for the seventh time in eight weeks to lead the rookies but fell back 17% to a 0.5 among women 25-54.
Twentieth’s Page Six TV, in week ten of testing new hosts featured one of the Real Housewives of New York or the Real Housewives of the Potomac each day, held steady at a 0.7 in households and a 0.4 in the key demo. On Wednesday, the show announced it would not add a host but instead have existing correspondents Bevy Smith, Elizabeth Wagmeister and Carlos Greer host the show.
Related: 'Page Six TV' Names Smith, Wagmeister, Greer as Hosts
Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask added 25% to a 0.5 in households and was unchanged at a 0.2 in the demo. Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben logged its usual 0.3 for the 35th straight week and clocked a flat 0.1 among women 25-54.
In court, CTD’s Judge Judy was the only show among the top five to move up, inching up 1% for the week and 7% for the year to hit a ten-week high 7.2 to lead all of syndication for the 13th straight week.
CTD’s Hot Bench eased 4% to a 2.2 to tie Ellen as the number-three show in daytime behind Judy and Phil.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis and Twentieth’s Divorce Court all were flat at a 1.5, 1.1 and 0.9, respectively, while Trifecta’s Judge Faith advanced 17% to a 0.7 after seven straight weeks at a 0.6.
It was a close race for first place among the games. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud dipped 2% to a 6.1, while CTD’s Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune both came in at a 6.0 with Jeopardy! up 3% and Wheel up 5%.
Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire remained lodged at a 1.6 for the eighth straight week.
Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute picked up 8% to a 1.4, tying NBCU’s off-net true-crime strip Dateline, which improved 17% from the prior week.
Among the off-net sitcoms, Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory and Twentieth’s Modern Family both remained at a 4.5 and 2.1, respectively. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing fell back 13% to a 2.1, tying Modern Family. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and SPT’s newcomer The Goldbergs both moved up 7% to a 1.6. Twentieth’s Family Guy gave back 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and 2 Broke Girls both were unchanged at a 1.3 and 1.1, respectively. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show added 10% to a 1.1, tying 2 Broke Girls. SPT’s Seinfeld stayed at its series-low 1.0, tying Warner Bros.’ off-net rookie Mom, which held steady. CTD’s other off-net rookie, The Game, remained at a 0.4 for the 15th time in 16 weeks.
