Syndication Ratings: Tokyo Olympics Takes Torch to Syndies

Tokyo Olympics put a damper on LeVar Burton's guest-host stint on 'Jeopardy!' in the week ended Aug. 1.
The Tokyo Olympics put a damper on LeVar Burton's guest-host stint on 'Jeopardy!' in the week ended Aug. 1. (Image credit: Sony Pictures Television/'Jeopardy!')

The Tokyo Olympics, as predicted, trampled syndicated shows in the week ended Aug. 1, with most shows retitled in order to avoid having these weeks of low ratings included in their overall season averages. 

Daytime shows also were blown out on ABC affiliates July 27 for the first hearing of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. On July 29, early fringe was fractured by coverage of President Joe Biden’s announcement of new measures to boost vaccinations, and that evening some access strips were blocked by ABC’s coverage of the NBA draft. 

Even LeVar Burton and his anticipated week of guest-hosting Jeopardy! were not spared, with CBS Media Ventures’ Jeopardy!-Olym down 6% from the prior week to a 4.4 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

Also Read: Mike Richards, 'Jeopardy!' EP, Addresses Host Conversations, Discrimination Lawsuits

Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud-Olym fell 5% to a 5.2 but remained syndication’s and game’s top show. SPT’s Wheel of Fortune-Olym tumbled 13% to a 3.9.

Fox’s 25 Words or Less-Olym plunged 14% to a 0.6. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask, which was not retitled, fell back 20% to a 0.4. 

Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute-Olym skidded 17% to a 0.5. 

CBS Media Ventures’ Inside Edition-Olym tumbled 10% to a 1.9, edging out sister show Entertainment Tonight/Olym, which also yielded 10% to a 1.8. Warner Bros.’ TMZ and Extra, both of which largely air on Fox affiliates in top markets and were not retitled, held steady at a 0.7 and 0.6, respectively. CBS Media Ventures’ DailyMailTV-Olym delivered a 0.5 for a second straight week. NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood-Olym did not air until well past midnight in most markets, including all of the top ten, and gave back 50% to a 0.4.

Fox’s Dish Nation, which was not retitled and airs mostly on Fox affiliates, stayed at a 0.3 for the 47th time in the past 48 weeks.

Disney’s Live-Olympics2021 eased 18% to a 1.4 but that was enough to lead the talkers for the 12th straight week, including one tie with CMV’s Dr. Phil. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, the retitled Live with Kelly and Ryan led the talkers at a 0.6 followed by the Olympic-retitled Dr. Phil at a 0.4. 

Dr. Phil-Olym, in repeats all week, relinquished 14% to a 1.2. NBCU’s Maury, which was not renamed and airs on CW affiliates and independent stations, eroded 11% to a new series-low 0.8. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams-Olym, on summer hiatus, slumped 13% to a 0.7. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which, like Maury, was not retitled, weakened 14% to a 0.6. 

Disney’s Tamron-Olympics2021 and the Olympic version of CMV’s Rachael Ray both receded 29% to a 0.5. An all-rerun week of NBCU’s Olympics-coded Kelly Clarkson did not air in most markets, including all of the top six, and took a 50% hit to a 0.4, tying the Olympic version of Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, which forfeited 43%, CMV’s Olympics-titled Drew Barrymore, which backtracked 20% with encore episodes, and Sony Pictures Television’s un-retitled Dr. Oz, which bled 20% to a new series low.

Warner Bros.’ The Real, also not retitled, remained at a 0.3 for the 11th consecutive week. CMV’s The Doctors, not retitled, operated at a 0.2 for the 23rd straight week, tying NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer, which stayed put for the 47th week in a row. 

The Olympic version of CMV’s Judge Judy lost 9% to a 4.7 with repeats on all five days, but still led the courts and ranked as syndicaiotn’s third-highest rated show behind Feud and Jeopardy!.

The Olympics verison of CMV’s Hot Bench broke even at a 1.4. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court, which was not retitled, crashed 13% to a new series-low 0.7. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis and NBCU’s Judge Jerry, neither of which were retitled, held at a 0.6. Fox’s Divorce Court-Olympics recovered 25% to a 0.5 after settling at a new series-low 0.4 in the prior week. Repeats of Trifecta’s Protection Court continued at a 0.2.

Nothing in off-net was renamed for the games. Sitcom leaders Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory and Disney’s Last Man Standing stood pat at a 2.2 and 1.5, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men was minus 10% to a 0.9, tying Disney’s Modern Family, which was flat for the tenth straight week, and SPT’s The Goldbergs, which gained 13%. Disney’s Family Guy garnered a 0.8 for the fifth consecutive week. SPT’s Seinfeld slipped 13% to a new series-low 0.7. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly and Mom and Disney’s Black-ish all remained in line with the prior week’s 0.6.   

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.