Michael Strahan’s final day on Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael drove the show’s ratings up 30% on Friday, May 13, and up 6% for the week and 18% for the year, the largest annual increase of any talk show.
In the week ending May 15, Live scored a 3.3 live plus same day household ratings average, according to Nielsen Media Research. On May 13, the show hit a 3.9.
Related: Syndication Ratings: 'Live' Drops Back to Earth in Michael Strahan's Penultimate Week
That still wasn’t good enough to beat CBS Television Distribution’s typical talk leader, Dr. Phil, which climbed 6% to a 12-week high 3.4. Phil also led among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, climbing 7% to a 1.6.
Outside of the top two talkers, everything else in the genre was flat to down.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGenereswas unchanged at a 2.4. NBCUniversal’s Steve Harvey slipped 5% to a 1.8. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams dropped 6% to a 1.6 and landed in a tie with NBCU’s Maury, which was flat. CTD’s Rachael Ray retreated 7% to a 1.4, tying SPT’s Dr. Oz, which held steady. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos dropped 7% to a 1.3. NBCU’s Jerry Springer stayed at a 1.2. CTD’s The Doctors and Warner Bros.’ The Real, from which original co-host Tamar Braxton is departing, both declined 10% to a 0.9. NBCUniversal’s soon-to-end Meredith Vieira was flat at a 0.8.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily, the only rookie that will survive into season two, was steady at a 0.9. Disney-ABC’s FABLife and NBCU’s Crazy Talk both remained at a 0.7 and 0.5, respectively. Among women 25-54, Crime Watch also led the rookies, strengthening 20% to a 0.6, while FABLife and Crazy Talk were unchanged at a 0.4 and 0.3, respectively.
CTD’s court leader Judge Judy added 1% for the week and 7% from last year to a 7.2, to lead all of syndication with its highest rating since the week of March 7.
In second place among the court shows, CTD’s Hot Bench held steady at a 2.5 and was the fourth highest-rated strip in daytime after Judy, Phil and Live for the eighth time in the past nine weeks. Hot Bench added 19% from last year.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court slid 6% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis was flat at a 1.4. Twentieth’s Divorce Court bounced back 9% to a 1.2 after declining to a new season low in the prior session. Compared to the same week last year, Divorce Court is down 25%, the most of any show in daytime. Trifecta’s Judge Faith stayed at a 0.8.
Gains were limited in access. Survey said Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud was the big winner for the third week in a row, holding firm at a 7.0 while growing 19% from last year at this time to lead the games and come in second in overall syndication.
In second place, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune was flat at a 6.3 and down 6% year to year. CTD’s Jeopardy! inched up 2% to a 6.0, but was off 8% from last year. Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game was unchanged for both the week and the year at a 1.4. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which is moving production to Las Vegas,remained at a 1.3 for the tenth straight week and fell 19% compared to last year at this time.
MGM’s viral video show RightThisMinute was unchanged at a 1.1, but down 20% from last year.
CTD’s magazine leader Entertainment Tonight held steady for the week and year at a 3.1. CTD’s Inside Edition uptick 3% to a 3.0, but dropped 3% from last year. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was unchanged at a 1.8, down 5% from last year. NBCU’s Access Hollywood, Warner Bros.’ Extra and CTD’s The Insider all were stable compared to the prior week and the prior year at a 1.6, 1.4 and 1.2, respectively.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation declined 10% to a 0.9, down 18% from last year, while Trifecta’s Celebrity Page remained at a 0.3 for the seventh week in a row.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory recovered 8% from its season low in the prior week to a 5.6. Twentieth’s Modern Family was flat at a 3.0 for the fourth consecutive week. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved up 4% to a 2.7. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and Twentieth’s Family Guy both added 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls gave back 5% to a 1.9. SPT’s Seinfeld stayed at a 1.8 for the fifth week in a row. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show was unchanged at a 1.6, tying Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother, which was up 7%. Twentieth’s King of the Hill was flat at a 1.3.
