Syndication Ratings: Shows Slow, Steady as Summer Starts

CTD's 'Judge Judy' (Image credit: CBS Television Distribution)

Most shows remained down or steady in the week ended June 21, which included falling levels of people using television as well as continued news preemptions for coverage of the pandemic and protests against police brutality. 

CBS Television Distribution’s court mainstays Judge Judy and Hot Bench were the highest and second-highest rated strips in daytime despite both shows being almost completely in repeats. Judy jumped 8%, the largest increase of any daytime show and the only court to improve, to a three-week high 5.7 with repeats all week. 

CTD’s Hot Bench was steady at a 2.0 despite being preempted on three days in Los Angeles and airing reruns on four of the five days. 

Warner Bros..’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis, Fox’s Divorce Court and Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence were all steady at a 1.3, 0.9, 0.6 and 0.4, respectively.

Among the rookie courts, NBCUniversal’s Judge Jerry, starring Jerry Springer, remained at its season-low 0.8 for the fourth straight week. MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court settled for a season-low 0.4 for the fourth week, while Trifecta's Protection Court sank 33% or one-tenth of a ratings point to a new season-low 0.2. 

CTD’s Dr. Phil retook the talk lead and was the only show to improve among the 14 talkers, spiking 6% to a 1.9, despite being completely in repeats.

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, which had led the category for the prior two weeks, took second, while easing 5% to a new season-low 1.8. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 0.9.

Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres was in third place with a series-low 1.2 for the third straight week. 

NBCU’s Maury, CTD’s Rachael Ray, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, CTD’s Dr. Oz, Warner Bros.’ The Real, CTD’s The Doctors and NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer all were flat at a 1.1, 0.9, 0.9, 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, 0.4 and 0.3, respectively.

NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson, the star of which won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding entertainment talk-show host, held its ground at a 1.0 and improved 25% among women 25-54 to a 0.5, tying Ellen, Maury and Steve Wilkos for third place in the demo behind Live and Dr. Phil.

Disney’s Tamron Hall was in repeats on four of the five days and slipped 13% to a new season-low 0.7 after losing its primary run on two of the five days in top market New York. Both Clarkson and Hall are preparing to return for season two.

SPT’s Mel Robbins, which will end its run after this season, remained at its season low 0.3 for the third straight week. 

CTD’s Inside Edition, which just added WCBS’ Mary Calvi as weekend anchor, gained 4% to a 2.6 to lead the magazines. 

RELATED:  WCBS Anchor Mary Calvi Joins 'Inside Edition' as Weekend Anchor

CTD’s Entertainment Tonight, winner of this year’s outstanding entertainment news show Daytime Emmy, was unchanged at a 2.3. 

NBCU’s Access Hollywood held steady at a 1.1. CTD’s DailyMailTV delivered a 13% increase to a ten-week high 0.9 and for the first time this season tied fourth-place Warner Bros.’ TMZ , which was flat. Warner Bros,’ Extra stood pat at a 0.8. 

Meanwhile, Trifecta’s Celebrity Page headlined a 0.1 for a second straight week. 

Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud stayed stable to lead the games and all of syndication at a 6.1. CTD’s Jeopardy! slid 7% to a 5.3, while CTD’s Wheel of Fortune dipped 2% to a 5.2. 

Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask stayed at a 0.5 for the sixth consecutive week. 

Among the rookie games, Fox’s 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, and SPT’s off-GSN America Says stayed at a 1.0 and 0.8, respectively.

Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute remained at a 0.7 for a fourth straight week. 

NBCU’s Dateline darted ahead 22% to a 1.1, while NBCU’s scripted procedural Chicago PD held at a 0.8 for a second week. SPT’s Off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol has been pulled from syndication.

RELATED: 'Live PD Police Patrol' Canceled in Syndication

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory dipped 3% to a 3.0. Disney’s Last Man Standing stood pat at a 2.2. Disney’s Modern Family finished up 8% to a 1.4. Warner Bros.’ Two and Half Men remained at a 1.2. Disney’s Family Guy grew 10% to a 1.1. SPT’s The Goldbergs gave away 17% to a 1.0, tying SPT’s steady Seinfeld and Disney’s Black-ish, which barrelled ahead 25%. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly maintained a 0.9, while Warner Bros.’ Mom eroded 11% to a 0.8, tying Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls, which held for a third straight week. 

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.