Syndication Ratings: Most Syndies Strike Out

All magazine shows saw ratings drops

By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/3/2009 3:54:43 PM

The majority of syndicated shows struck out in the ratings thanks to competition from the Major League Baseball league championship playoffs and an average PUT level decline of more than 2.8 million viewers in the week ending Oct. 25.
 
All the magazine shows were down, with both Warner Bros.’ TMZ and NBCU’s Access Hollywood seeing their ratings tumble by double digits from the week before. The top show in the category was CBS Television Distribution’s (CTD) Entertainment Tonight, which slipped a modest 2% to 4.3. CTD’s Inside Edition faded 3% to 3.1. Access Hollywood lost 10% to a new season-low 1.9. CTD’s The Insider dipped 5% to 1.8. TMZ dropped into a last place tie with Warner Bros.’ Extra for the first time this season, after skidding 11% to a new season-low 1.7. Extra fell 6% to 1.7.
 
Elsewhere, the closely-watched rookies were mixed, as off-nets were hot while some new first runs faltered. NBCU’s The Office, the top-rated syndication newcomer this season thus far, held firm at a 2.8 in households and, for the first time, was syndication’s no. 1 show among women 18-34 with a 2.4 demo rating. Twentieth’s My Name is Earl was steady at 1.8. CTD’s Everybody Hates Chris jumped 20% to 1.8, tying Earl. Disney/ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos was unchanged at a 0.7. Trifecta’s Cold Case Files warmed up 33% to a 0.4. Sony’s Dr. Oz meanwhile was flat at 2.6, but continued to blow away his rivals in first run. Twentieth’s Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader fell 6% to 1.5.  Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams was flat at 1.2.  Litton’s Street Court was guilty of a 29% to a 0.5.
 
Among the veteran talk shows, CTD’s Oprah fell 2% to 5.1. CTD’s Dr. Phil held firm at 2.8. Disney/ABC’s Live With Regis and Kelly was down 4% to a 2.5. CTD’s The Doctors dipped 5% to 2.0 but was still 33% ahead of last year’s pace, which marked the most growth of any syndicated strip. Warner Bros.’ Ellen Degeneres and NBCU’s Maury also declined 5% to 2.0 and 1.8, respectively. CTD’s Rachael Ray remained steady at a 1.7.  NBCU’s Jerry Springer was unchanged at 1.2. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos was up 10% to 1.1. Warner Bros.’ Bonnie Hunt grew 13% to 0.9.  NBCU’s Martha Stewart was flat at 0.6.  
 
CTD’s Judge Judy presided over the court shows by a wide margin, with a 4.1, down 5% from the week before. CTD’s Judge Joe Brown slipped 5% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court was unchanged at 1.9. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis fell 6% to 1.5. Twentieth’s Judge Alex eroded 7% to a 1.4. Twentieth’s Divorce Court and Warner Bros.’ Judge Jeannine Pirro were flat at 1.4 and 1.0 respectively.  
 
Game shows were dull. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune eased down 1% to a 7.1.  CTD’s Jeopardy was down 2% to 5.8.  Disney/ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire devalued 4% to 2.4. NBCU’s Deal Or No Deal dropped 8% to a 1.2, falling into a tie with Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, which was flat at a 1.2.  
 
Off-net sitcoms were all over the map. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men was reprocessed for a second straight week.  Twentieth’s Family Guy fizzled, losing 12% to a new season-low 3.0.  Warner Bros.’ George Lopez was up 8% to a new season-high 2.6. Sony’s Seinfeld slipped 4% to a new season-low 2.4. CTD’s Everybody Loves Raymond was flat at 2.4. Twentieth’s King of the Hill was up 5% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ Friends fell 5% to 2.0. Sony’s King of Queens was unchanged at 1.5. CTD’s Frasier was down 7% to a 1.4.