The top four entertainment newsmagazines were all higher, and some at season-best levels, for the week ending Jan. 30, driven by coverage of the death of Johnny Carson and the wedding of Donald Trump.
Most other syndicated shows were off as HUT (homes using television) levels came down to earth following the Martin Luther King holiday week. HUT levels were down by nearly 2 million, or by about 5%, over the previous week.
Entertainment Tonight, the top magazine, set a season high with a 5.9, up 4% from the week before. It's rating for the first day of the Carson and Trump stories, Monday, Jan.24, was a 6.9, its highest-rated day in almost a year, and up 17% from the previous week's average. Meanwhile, the show's weekly version, ET Weekend, was up 14% to a season high 4.2
Monday was a big day for other access mags. Inside Edition was up 11% for the week to a season-high 4.0, with a 4.3 on Monday, which was up 19% from the previous week's average. Insider, the top rated rookie, had its second highest week, averaging a 2.9, up 4% for the week and up 10% on Monday to a 3.2.
Access Hollywood tied its season high 2.8, up 4% with a 3.4 on Monday, up 26% from the previous week's average, and Extra in fifth, was unchanged at at a 2.4, its season-high mark. On Monday, Extra's Carson/Trump coverage hit a 2.6, up 8% from the prior week.
The only rookies showing improvement were Insider and the sixth-place Pat Croce, which was up 17%, but only to a 0.7. Jane Pauley was down 11% to a 1.6; Tony Danza was down 7% to a 1.4, still above its season-to-date average (the show has just been picked up for year two). Ambush Makeover was off 8% to a 1.2; Larry Elder dropped 9% to a 1.0; and Life & Style was unchanged at a 0.5
Among daytime veterans, none of the top five talkers gained over the previous week. Oprah was down 5% to a 7.7, down 10% from last year at this time. Dr. Phil, in second, was down 2% to a 5.3 and down 4% from last year.
In court action, leader Judge Judy was the only gaveler in the top five to buck the downtrend, scoring a 5.4, up 2%.
In access, both Wheel and Jeopardy were down slightly. Wheel was down 2% to a 9.9, while Jeopardy was down 4% to a 7.9.
Among off-net sitcoms, Raymond was down a hair (1%) to a 7.5, while Seinfeld, in second, was down 3% to a 6.3.
All of the off-net rookies were down or flat. Malcolm in the Middle was down 3% to a 3.6; Fear Factor and Yes Dear were both flat, tied at a 1.9; while Girlfriends was down 11% to a 1.6.
On the weekend, CSI was down 12% to a 5.7.
