Syndication Ratings: 'Jeopardy!,' 'Family Feud' Tie for Overall Lead

CBS Television Distribution’s Jeopardy! joined Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud as the game and syndication leader in the week ending April 19.

Feud had led the list in the prior week with its highest rating in more than two years. In this round, Jeopardy! inched up 1% to a 7.2 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, while Feud fell back 3%.

Related: 'Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time' Tournament to Air for First Time in Syndication

CTD’s Wheel of Fortune faded 15% to a 5.8 after being preempted in some big markets.

Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask answered with a 0.6 for the sixth straight week.

Among the rookie games, Fox’s 25 Words or Less, starring Meredith Vieira, lost 8% to a 1.2 while SPT’s off-GSN America Says, which will end its run in syndication after this season, spiked 11% to a new season-high 1.0.

Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute moved down 11% to a 0.8.

The going was much rougher in daytime where many programs were plastered with preemptions for coronavirus coverage throughout the week.

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan extended its winning streak to four in a row despite dipping 4% to a 2.2 with four original episodes produced remotely and one repeat. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live was first with a 1.1.

CTD’s Dr. Phil eased 5% to a second-place 2.0.

Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres came within striking distance of second place, strengthening 6% to a 1.9.

NBCU’s Maury was flat at a 1.2 tying CTD’s Rachael Ray, which rallied 9%.

Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos and Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz all were stable at a 1.1. Warner Bros.’ The Real rose 20% to a 0.6. CTD’s The Doctors flatlined at a 0.5. NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer stood pat at a 0.3.

Among the talk rookies, NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson was in repeats on four of the five days and gave back 8% to a 1.2, tying veterans Maury and Rachael Ray for fourth place among the 14 talkers.

Disney’s Tamron Hall, with new content originating from the host’s home, jumped 10% to a 1.1, matching its season high and surging 25% among women 25-54 to a 0.5.

Related: How Talkers Have Fought to Stay on the Air

SPT’s Mel Robbins, which unlike Clarkson and Hall will not return for a second season, stayed at a 0.4 for the fourth consecutive week.

CTD’s Judge Judy was the only courtroom to remain in the plus column, even though the show aired reruns on all five days, Judy still gained 2% to a 6.4.

CTD’s Hot Bench, with encore episodes all week, held steady at a 2.1 and ranked as the number-three daytime show behind only Judy and Live.

Warner Bros.’ People’s Court sagged 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis maintained a 1.0 for a fourth straight week. Fox’s Divorce Court settled for a 14% decline to a 0.7.

Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence posted a 0.5 for the fourth straight week.

Among the rookies, NBCU’s Judge Jerry, greenlit for season two, hung tough at a 0.9 with repeats on all five days.

MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court and Trifecta’s Protection Court remained at 0.6 and 0.3, respectively.

Magazines were all flat to down in households except Warner Bros.’ Extra, which climbed 10% to a 1.1.

CTD’s InsideEdition led the genre with an unchanged 3.0, followed by sibling series Entertainment Tonight, which downticked 3% to a 2.9. NBCU’s Access Hollywood held its ground at a 1.2 and was the only magazine to improve among women 25-54, rallying 20% to a 0.6. Warner Bros.’ TMZ skidded 8% to a 1.1, tying Extra. CTD’s DailyMailTV fell back 11% to a 0.8.

Trifecta’s Celebrity Page turned in a 0.2 for the 42nd consecutive week.

NBCU’s Dateline recovered the off-network crime lead with a 10% increase to a 1.1. SPT’s off- A&E Live PD Police Patrol slowed down 9% to a 1.0. NBCU’s off-net scripted strip Chicago PD dropped 25% decline to a 0.9.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory edged ahead 3% to lead the off-network sitcoms at a 3.4. Disney’s Last Man Standing slumped 4% to a 2.2. Disney’s Modern Family fell 7% to a 1.4. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, Disney’s Family Guy, SPT’s TheGoldbergs and Seinfeld all stood pat at a 1.3, 1.2, 1.2 and 1.1, respectively. Disney’s Black-ish backed off 9% to a 1.0, tying Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls and Mom, both of which added 11%, and Mike & Molly, which stayed put. 

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.