Syndication Ratings: 'Live' Stays in Talk Lead

Updated Thursday, Jan. 15, 4:15 pm PT

Most of syndication returned to normal in the week ended Jan. 4, which included New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, after plunging during the little-watched Christmas week. The gains came despite preemptions for special New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day programs, and of course, sports.

CBS Television Distribution’s leader Entertainment Tonight regained 24% from the prior week to a 3.1 live plus same day rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. CTD’s Inside Edition increased 17% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.’ TMZ rebounded 6% to a 1.8. NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood surged 15% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Extra improved 8% to a 1.4. CTD’s The Insider advanced 9% to a 1.2.

Coverage of this past Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards also buoyed the top magazines’ metered market primary-run household averages on Monday, Jan. 12.

With a 3.9 rating/6 share, ET improved 3% from its time-period average in January 2014. CTD’s Inside Edition gained 7% to a 3.1/6. NBCU’s Access Hollywood was up 9% to a 2.5/5. Warner Bros.’ Extra grew 10% to a 2.2/4. In Los Angeles, Access Hollywood and Extra tied to lead all entertainment magazines at a 2.8/4, while Extra led all magazines in New York on Monday with a 3.9/6.

TMZ rose 13% to a 1.8/3 and The Insider climbed 7% to a 1.5/3.

Back in the weekly national ratings, Twentieth’s Dish Nation, which has been renewed through 2016-17, lost 10% to a 0.9. Trifecta’s OK! TV declined 33% to a 0.2 from a 0.3.

Elsewhere in access, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune rebounded 7% from its season low in the prior session to a 6.4, although that was still down 6% from last year at this time. CTD’s Jeopardy! grew 3% to a 6.2, unchanged from last year. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud fell 2% to a 5.7, but picked up 4% from last year. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire rose 6% to a 1.8, but was down 22% from last year.

Meanwhile MGM’s video variety show RightThisMinute, for which Sony Pictures Television just acquired ad-sales responsibilities, was flat at a 1.5. In daytime, most shows remained in repeats for the week.

Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael, in originals on two of the five days, was the top talker for the second week in a row among households and key female demographics, despite dipping 6% to a 3.1 from its season-high 3.3 in the previous week. Livewas steady at a 1.7 among women 25-54 to lead the talkers among that key group.

CTD’s Dr. Phil, Warner Bros.’ Ellen, NBCU’s Maury and NBCU’s Steve Harvey all were flat at a 2.4, 2.3, 2.0 and 1.8 respectively.

CTD’s Rachael Ray receded 6% to a 1.5, but was up 12% among women 25-54 to a 0.9. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos was one of only three talkers that grew in households, adding 7% to a 1.5 and tying Rachael. SPT’s Dr. Oz held firm at a 1.4, tying NBCU’s Jerry Springer, which spiked 8%. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams was flat at a 1.3.

CTD’s The Doctors felt better, gaining 10% to a 1.1. SPT’s soon-to-conclude Queen Latifah was unchanged at a 1.0, while Meredith’s The Better Show remained at a 0.1.

Among this season’s rookies, all of which will be back next season, CTD’s Hot Bench lived up to its name. The panel judge show heated up 21% to a 1.7 in households to match its series high even though the show remained in repeats all week. Hot Bench also topped the rookies among women 25-54, spiking 29% to a 0.9.

Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game recovered 9% to a 1.2 in households and jumped 17% in the demo to a 0.7. NBCU’s Meredith Vieira was steady at a 1.1 in households, while growing 20% to a 0.6 in the demo. Warner Bros.’ The Real dropped 10% to a 0.9 in households, but was flat in the demo at a 0.7. Finally, Trifecta’s Judge Faith jumped 14% to a 0.8, while remaining at a 0.4 among women 25-54.

CTD’s Judge Judy added 13% to a 6.3 with another all-rerun week, leading a lively group of court shows that were all up or steady for the week.

Warner Bros.’ People’s Court increased 13% to a 1.7, tying Hot Bench. Twentieth’s Divorce Court was flat at a 1.6. Warner Bros.’ added 8% to a 1.4, while MGM’s sophomore Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court climbed 9% to a 1.2.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory added 8% to a 5.5 to lead the off-net sitcoms. Twentieth’s Modern Family advanced 6% to a 3.8. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men dropped 7% to a 2.8. Twentieth’s Family Guy fell 12% to a 2.3, tying Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother, which declined 4%, and Warner Bros.’ rookie Mike and Molly, which improved 10%. Warner Bros.’ The Middle came back to life now that it was no longer being preempted on the Hallmark Channel for holiday programming, exploding 110% to a new season-high 2.1.

SPT’s Seinfeld sank 10% to a 1.8, while Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show and King of the Hill both were flat at a 1.7 and 1.5, respectively.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for nearly 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for entertainment marketing association Promax. 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.