Boosted by coverage of Angelina Jolie’s Vanity Fair cover, which leaked online early, CBS Television Distribution’s Entertainment Tonight was the only entertainment magazine out of the top eight to show growth in the sleepy summer week ended Aug. 6.
ET improved 4% for both the week and the year to a 2.7 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Every other magazine was flat for the week and flat to down for the year. CTD’s Inside Edition, Warner Bros.’ TMZ, NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood, Warner Bros.’ Extra, CTD’s The Insider, Twentieth’s Dish Nation and Trifecta’s Celebrity Page all stalled out at a 2.5, 1.4, 1.2, 1.1, 0.9, 0.6 and 0.3, respectively.
Related: Syndication Ratings: 'Dr. Phil,' in Repeats, Stays on Top
In general, shows were flat for the week. In daytime, nine of the 14 talk shows were unchanged. CTD’s Dr. Phil led the talkers for the 48th straight week, despite being in reruns on all five days. Phil held steady at a 2.8 and rose 17% from last year, which was the highest year to year increase of any show in the top ten. Among women 25-54, Phil’s repeats also led at a 1.1.
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan was the best of the rest, strengthening 5% to a second-place 2.0 with Ryan Seacrest and guest co-hosts sitting in for the vacationing Kelly Ripa. The show was still down 20% from last year when it was Ripa and various guest co-hosts.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres recovered 7% to a 1.6 and regained sole possession of third place, after tying with NBCU’s Maury for the slot in the prior week. Maury slipped 7% to a 1.4, equaling its season low.
NBCU’s Jerry Springer eroded 8% to a 1.2. tying NBCU’s Steve Harvey and Steve Wilkos, both of which were flat. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz flatlined at a 1.1 for the sixth time in seven weeks. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams in a second week of reruns retreated 9% to a new season-low 1.0, tying CTD’s Rachael Ray, which stayed at its series low 1.0 for the eighth straight week and decreased 17% from last year.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen held steady at a 0.9 and shot up 13% from last year despite being in repeats all week. NBCU’s Harry also held firm at a 0.8. Warner Bros.’ The Real remained at a 0.7 for a third consecutive week, tying CTD’s The Doctors, which was stable for a fourth straight week.
In the overnights, after five weeks of a six week trial, Judge Judy Sheindlin’s iWitness averaged a 0.8 rating/2 share in a six-market lineup with a double run in New York. That was down 27% from both its lead-in and year-ago time period average. On WNYW New York at 6:30 p.m., iWitness scored a 1.0/2 in households, the second highest weekly rating so far. Among women 25-54, the Debmar-Mercury distributed show averaged a 0.5/2.
Week one of a three-week serving of Gordon Ramsey’s Culinary Genius, which also is airing on the UK’s ITV, cooked up a 0.5/1 in ten markets, down 38% from both its lead-in and year-ago time period average. The show did a 0.3/2 among women 25-54.
Also in its first week of a three-week trial, Ana Polo Rules, starring Telemundo’s Ana Polo, averaged a 0.3/1 in four markets — Los Angeles, Dallas, Phoenix and Austin — down 40% from its lead-in but even with its year-ago time period average. In the demo, the show averaged a 0.1/0.
Back in the national ratings, none of the court shows were up. CTD’s Judge Judy, in reruns all five days, eased 3% to a 6.2 to tie Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud at the top of the overall syndication chart.
CTD’s Hot Bench, in reruns on four of the week’s five days, relinquished 5% to a 2.1 although it still ranked as the third highest show in daytime for the seventh straight week behind only Judy and Phil.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court sagged 7% to a new season-low 1.4 and slumped 13% from last year at this time. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis moved down 8% to a 1.1. Twentieth’s Divorce Court declined 10% to a 0.9. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.7 for a fifth straight week.
In access, Family Feud led the games for a 67th straight session and, as previously noted, tied Judy for the overall lead after inching up 2% for the week to a 6.2.
CTD’s Wheel of Fortune skidded 2% to a 5.4, but regained sole possession of second place after being tied with CTD’s Jeopardy! in the previous round. Jeopardy! fell back 7% to a third-place 5.1, matching its season low.
Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire appreciated 7% to a 1.6. Debmar-Mercury’s soon-to-end Celebrity Name Game was flat at a 1.1.
Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute clocked a 1.3 for the sixth consecutive week.
Seven of the top ten off-net sitcoms were unchanged. Warner Bros.’ leader The Big Bang Theory remained at a 4.6. Twentieth’s Modern Family forged ahead 4% to a 2.6. Warner Bros.’ Two and aHalf Men, Twentieth’s Family Guy and Twentieth’s rookie Last Man Standing all stood pat at a 2.2., 1.8 and 1.7, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly sank 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls, Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show and SPT’s Seinfeld all were steady at a 1.3, 1.2 and 1.2, respectively, while Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother slid 8% to a 1.1, matching its series low and losing 27% from last year at this time.
