A newsy week gave the entertainment news magazines a bump in the week ended June 21 while most of the rest of syndication lagged.
With coverage of Rachel Dolezal, who pretended to be African American while presiding over the Spokane, Wash., branch of the NAACP; Brian Williams’ demotion to MSNBC and Donald Trump’s entry into the presidential race, CBS Television Distribution’s Entertainment Tonight clocked its best ratings in four weeks with 7% spike to 3.0 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That tied sister show Inside Edition for the category lead. Inside Edition, which beat ET for the first time in many years in the prior week, added 3% for the week.
Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which doesn’t cover news stories like the above, was the only top-tier magazine to lose ground, sliding 6% to a new season low 1.6. NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood heated up 7% to tie TMZ for the first time since January. Access gained 14% compared to last year, the largest annual gain in the genre. Warner Bros.’ Extra, which was preempted in 84 markets on one or more days due to sports, held steady at a 1.3 and grew 8% from last year at this time, tying CTD’s The Insider, which advanced 8% for both the week and the year.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation was flat at a 1.0 for the fifth week in a row, while Trifecta’s OK! TV dropped 33% to a 0.2 from a 0.3.
Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, which led all of syndication and games in the prior week for the first time ever, dipped 3% to a 5.9 to land in a three-way tie for first place in the category. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune faded 2% to a new season low, while CTD’s Jeopardy! was steady. Year to year, Feud climbed 23%, Jeopardy! added 2% and Wheel was flat.
Alone and far back in second place, Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire fell back to its all-time low 1.6 for the eighth time in nine week, losing 6% for the week and 20% for the year. Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game slumped 8% to a 1.2.
Meanwhile, MGM’s video variety show RightThisMinute was unchanged at a 1.4.
In daytime, only three shows — Wendy Williams, Dr. Oz and Rachel Ray — were up from the prior week.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy remained in originals for the week and as a result strengthened 7% to a 1.6. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz rebounded 8% to a 1.3, with a mix of originals and repeats, tying CTD's Rachael Ray, which rose 8% with a full week of reruns. Rachael also had daytime’s largest annual increase, growing 18%.
CTD’s Dr. Phil and Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael remained tied atop talk. Phil was steady for the week at a 2.7, while climbing 8% from last year despite being in reruns. Live also held steady and improved 4% from last year. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 1.4, up 8% from the prior session.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres tumbled 13% to a new season-low 2.0 in an all-repeat week. NBCU’s Maury dipped 5% to a 1.8. NBCU’s Steve Harvey slipped 6% to a 1.7. NBCU’s Jerry Springer and NBCU’s Steve Wilkos remained tied at a 1.3.
Warner Bros.' The Real and NBCU’s Meredith Vieira both dropped 10% to land in a three-way tie with CTD’s The Doctors at a 0.9.
CTD’s Judge Judy eased 5% to a 5.7 to lead the court shows. Judy’s rookie hit Hot Bench, in repeats, was steady at a 2.0, tying Ellen as daytime’s number-four ranked show among households.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court was unchanged at a third-place 1.7. Twentieth’s Divorce Court sagged 7% to a new season-low 1.3. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis remained at its season-low 1.2 for the second week in a row. MGM’s Paternity Court sank 9% to a new season-low 1.0, while Trifecta’s freshman Judge Faith was flat at a 0.7.
Warner Bros.’ off-net leader The Big Bang Theory dipped below the 5.0 rating level for the first time in years to decline 4% to a new season-low 4.9. Twentieth’s Modern Family fell 3% to a 3.2. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Twentieth’s Family Guy stayed at a 2.8 and 2.4, respectively. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother moved up 5% to a 2.2. Warner Bros.’ freshman Mike & Molly lost 9% to a 2.1. SPT’s Seinfeld was steady at a 1.9. Warner Bros.’ The Middle marched ahead 12% to a 1.9, tying Seinfeld. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show weakened 6% to a 1.6, while Twentieth’s King of the Hill declined 7% to a 1.4.
