Syndication Ratings: Neither Supreme Court Rulings Nor Storms Can Stop 'Dr. Phil'

CBS Television Distribution's Dr. Phil returned to the top of the talk heap while most syndies were down or flat in a week that began with news preemptions as a result of major Supreme Court decisions on immigration and health care and ended with electricity outages across the East Coast.

In the week ended July 1, Dr. Phil scored a 2.5 live plus same day national household rating, up 4% from the prior week and up 19% from last year at this time. Phil was one of only two nationally-rated talk shows that grew from the previous week. The other was Disney-ABC's Live! with Kelly, which added 5% to a 2.3.

NBCUniversal's conflict talker, Maury, which last week led the category for the first time this season, dipped 4% to 2.4, still good enough for second place among talkers. Sony's Dr. Oz was flat at a fourth place 2.2. Warner Bros.' Ellen sank 6% to a new season-low 1.6. CTD's The Doctors, Rachael Ray and NBCU's Jerry Springer all were flat at a 1.5, 1.4 and 1.4, respectively. NBCU's Steve Wilkos weakened 8% to a 1.2 and Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams was unchanged at a 1.1.

In the fourth week of a six-week trial, Warner Bros.' Bethenny Frankel looked more and more like a sure thing for a fall 2013 national launch, jumping 25% in households from its average lead-in and 43% from its year-ago time periods to a 1.0 rating/3 share in its six metered markets on Fox owned stations. Since the trial began on June 11, Bethenny has outperformed its July 2011 time period averages by 57% in households, 80% among women 25-54, 120% among women 18-49 and 100% among women 18-34.

Among the nationally-rated rookies, Warner Bros.' Anderson slipped 15% to a 1.1 after being preempted on one more days during the week in 29 different markets. Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle remained at a 0.5. Entertainment Studios' We the People eroded 20% to a 0.4. In late night, CTD's Excused held steady at a 0.6.

CTD's Judge Judy continued to be first-run syndication's highest-rated strip at a 6.1, off 2% from the prior week. In fact, none of the court shows grew week to week.

In second place, CTD's Judge Joe Brown fell 4% to a 2.3. Warner Bros.' People's Court lost 5% to a 1.9. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis and Twentieth's Judge Alex and Divorce Court all were flat at a 1.4, 1.3, and 1.2, respectively. Entertainment Studios' America's Court faded 10% to a 0.9.

Warner Bros.' Extra was most improved among the magazines, growing 7% for the week and 15% for the year to a 1.5. CTD's leader, Entertainment Tonight, and CTD's Inside Edition each were unchanged at a 3.3 and 2.8, respectively. Warner Bros.' TMZ tacked on 6% to a 1.9. NBCU's Access Hollywood and CTD's The Insider each were steady at a 1.8 and 1.4, respectively.

CTD's Wheel of Fortune was steady at a 5.8, after dropping to new season lows in the previous two weeks. CTD's Jeopardy! inched up 2% to a 5.2. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud was flat at a 3.2. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire shrank 12% to a 2.2.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory remained syndication's top show, despite dipping 2% to a 6.2. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men added 4% to a 5.2. Twentieth's Family Guy gained 8% to a 4.3. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother moved up 11% to a 3.0. Twentieth's King of the Hill was flat at a 2.4. Sony's Seinfeld skidded 4% to a 2.2. CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond receded 13% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.' Friends added 5% to a 2.0.

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.