Syndication Ratings: 'Family Feud' Tops Syndication, Games in Households for First Time

It was a week of major upsets for syndication leaders, with Family Feud beating Wheel of Fortune at the top of the games and Entertainment Tonight ceding the magazine’s number-one slot for the first time in years to sister show Inside Edition.

Overall, the week ending June 14 was a week to remember for Feud host Steve Harvey, which notched a 6.1 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, down 3% for the week but up 33% for the year. Debmar-Mercury’s Feud also led all of syndication in households and tied with Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory for the lead among women 25-54 with a 3.2.

Harvey had the hot hand in talk as well, with NBCUniversal’s The Steve Harvey Show hitting a four-week high 1.8 in households and leaping 20% from last year at this time, the largest annual gain in daytime.

Finally, Harvey also scored with Celebrity Family Feud, which premiered on ABC primetime on Sunday night to 8.5 million viewers and a 2.4 among adults 18-49.

Meanwhile, the steady performance of CBS Television Distribution’s Inside Edition toppled genre leader Entertainment Tonight, with Inside Edition holding steady at a 2.9 for the third week in a row and ET down 3% to a 2.8.

A week crammed with top-rated sports made things tougher for many syndies, with two highly-rated NBA final games, two of the thriller Stanley Cup Final hockey games and several hours of FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer all peppering the broadcast schedule.

In second place among the games, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune skidded 6% for the week to a 6.0, while sister show Jeopardy! fell 6% to a land in third at a 5.9. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire gained 6% to a 1.7, after seven straight weeks at its series-low 1.6. Millionaire was still off 15% from last year at this time. Debmar-Mercury’s rookie Celebrity Name Game stayed at a 1.3.

Following ET and Inside Edition, Warner Bros.’ TMZ tumbled 11% to a 1.7. NBCU’s Access Hollywood eased 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Extra and CTD’s The Insider held steady at a 1.3 and 1.2, respectively. Twentieth’s Dish Nation was flat at a 1.0, while Trifecta’s recently renewed OK! TV was up 50% to a 0.3 from a 0.2.

Elsewhere, MGM’s video variety show RightThisMinute was unchanged at a 1.4. 

In daytime, an all rerun week of CTD’s Dr. Phil versus originals of Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael tied atop talk. Phil grew 4% to a 2.7, up 8% from last year at time, while Live held steady. Live, NBCU’s Maury and Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres all posted a 1.3 among women 25-54 to lead the talkers. Back in households, Ellen and Maury were both flat at a 2.3 and 1.9, respectively. Steve Harvey rounded out the top five.

Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, in originals, slipped 12% for the week, the most of any talker, to a 1.5, which was even with the same week last year. NBCU’s Jerry Springer dipped 7% to a 1.3 with five repeats, but still climbed 18% from last year at this time. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos was unchanged at a 1.3, tying Springer.

Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz equaled its series low for a second week, remaining at a 1.2, down 29% from last year. Late last week, the show announced that longtime executive producer Mindy Borman was departing to be replaced by Amy Chiaro.

CTD’s Rachael Ray cooked up a 9% gain to a 1.2, with a full week of reheated episodes. Ray also rose 20% among women 25-54 to a 0.6. NBCU’s Meredith Vieira, although still in reruns, moved up 11% to a 1.0 and tied Warner Bros.’ The Real, which was flat for the third straight week at a 1.0. The Real also just replaced its executive producer, SallyAnn Salsano, with Rachel Miskowiec. CTD’s The Doctors remained at a 0.9.

Among court shows, CTD's Judge Judy dipped 8% to a 6.0 but remained the court leader by a large margin. CTD’s Hot Bench stayed steady at a 2.0. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Twentieth’s Divorce Court both were flat at a 1.7 and 1.4, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis sank 8% to a new season low 1.2. MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court was unchanged at a 1.1, while Trifecta’s freshman Judge Faith sank 13% to a 0.7.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory cooled off 9% to a 5.1, matching its season low but remaining atop the off-net sitcoms. Twentieth’s Modern Family finished 3% higher at a 3.3. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved down 3% to a 2.8. Twentieth’s Family Guy gave back 4% to a 2.4. Warner Bros.’ newcomer Mike & Molly was flat at a 2.3. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother weakened 5% to a 2.1. SPT’s Seinfeld sagged 5% to a 1.9. Warner Bros.’ The Middle was unchanged at a 1.7, tying Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show, which climbed 6%. Twentieth’s King of the Hill was flat at a 1.5.

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.