Syndication Ratings: ‘Family Feud’ Retakes Lead

'Family Feud,' hosted by Steve Harvey, beats out 'Jeopardy!' to return to syndication and game lead.
'Family Feud,' hosted by Steve Harvey, beat out 'Jeopardy!' to retake the lead in syndication and game-show ratings. (Image credit: Fremantle)

Family Feud took over as the syndication leader in the week ended June 26 after playing second fiddle to CBS Media Ventures’ Jeopardy! for the prior two weeks. 

Otherwise, many shows sank to season lows in the first full week of summer, one that included plenty of preemptions across network affiliates for coverage of the Congressional hearings on the January 6 Capitol riot and the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, starring Steve Harvey, inched up 2% to a 5.0 live plus same day national household rating according to Nielsen, just enough to squeak ahead of Jeopardy!, which dipped 2% to a 4.9. CBS’s Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!’s partner in access on ABC affiliates in many major markets, continued to roll at its season-low 4.3 for a second week. 

Fox’s You Bet Your Life, starring Jay Leno, shed 13% to match its season-low 0.7. Fox’s 25 Words or Less lost 14% to a 0.6, equalling its season low. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask stayed at a 0.4 for the fourth straight week.

Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute mustered a 0.5 for a fourth consecutive week.

CBS’ Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight both eased 5% to a 2.0 and a 1.0, respectively, to lead the magazines. Otherwise, NBCU’s Access Hollywood, Fox’s TMZ, Warner Bros.’ Extra, CBS’ canceled DailyMailTV and Fox’s Dish Nation all stayed put at a 0.7. 0.7 0.6, 0.5 and 0.2, respectively.  

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan returned to the talk lead, even though the talker aired one pretaped and four repackaged episodes and slipped 7% to a new season-low 1.4. That was Live’s 43rd first-place finish in the past 58 weeks, including 13 ties with CBS’ Dr. Phil.

Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 0.5.

Repeats of Dr. Phil came in a close second, softening 13% to a new season-low 1.3.

NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson pulled back 13% to a new season-low 0.7, tying NBCU’s out-of-production Maury and CBS’ Rachael Ray, both of which were flat. Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, which has ended its 19-season run and is no longer in originals, tumbled 25% to a new season-low 0.6, tying NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which held steady for a third consecutive week.

Disney’s Tamron Hall and Debmar-Mercury’s concluded Wendy Williams both slumped 17% to new season lows of 0.5. CBS’ Drew Barrymore stayed at a 0.4 with encore episodes. Sony Pictures Television’s one-and-done Good Dish, Debmar-Mercury’s canceled Nick Cannon and NBCU’s out-of-production Jerry Springer all remained at a 0.3. Finally, CBS’ The Doctors and Warner Bros.’ The Real, neither of which are returning next season, remained at a 0.2, marking the 68th straight week at that number for The Doctors.

CBS’s Judge Judy, in repeats, dipped 7% to a 4.1. CBS’ Hot Bench, also in repeats, bucked the trend to rise 8% to a 1.3 and tie Dr. Phil as daytime’s third-highest-rated show after Judy and Live.

Warner Bros.’s People’s Court climbed 14% to a 0.8. WB’s Judge Mathis, Fox’s Divorce Court and NBCU’s canceled Judge Jerry all stayed at a 0.5, 0.4 and 0.4, respectively. Wrigley Media’s rookie Relative Justice rebounded 33% to a 0.4.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory expanded 6% to a 1.9 to lead the off-network sitcoms. Disney’s Last Man Standing stepped up 9% to a 1.2. Warner Bros.‘s newcomer Young Sheldon, Disney’s Family Guy and Modern Family, and Warner Bros.’s Two and a Half Men maintained a 0.8, 0.7, 0.7 and 0.7. Sony’s The Goldbergs gave back 14% to a new series-low 0.6, tying Sony’s Seinfeld, which stayed put for the 11th straight week. Finally, Disney’s Black-ish boasted a 25% increase to a 0.5, tying Warner Bros.’ Mom, which marshaled a 0.5 for an eighth consecutive week. ■

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). 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.