Syndication Ratings: Gavelers Rule Sweeps

All courtroom shows in syndication rise in February period

By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/16/2010 11:58:01 AM

The results of the February sweeps period (Feb. 4-Mar.3) are in and Nielsen gave its most favorable verdict to the court shows, the only genre in which every strip was up over last year's syndicated sweep ratings.  The February 2009 sweeps were delayed until March due to the digital TV transition.  This year, the Winter Olympics hurt some shows while not effecting or in a few cases helping others.

CBS Television Distribution's (CTD) Judge Judy blew away the court room category averaging a 4.8, which was more than double the rating of its closest legal rivals.  In sweep-to-sweep comparisons, Judy was up 9% from last year.  Other gavelers also turned in hot performances.  CTD's Judge Joe Brown grew 5% to 2.3.  Warner Bros.' Peoples' Court gained 16% to 2.2.  Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis advanced 13% to 1.8.  Twentieth's Judge Alex added 7% to 1.6.  Twentieth's Divorce Court negotiated a 7% increase to 1.5.  Warner Bros.' Judge Jeanine Pirro, which was not syndicated last year, trailed with a 1.1.

In the magazine race, CTD's Entertainment Tonight handily won its 78^th straight sweep, averaging a 4.6, up 7% from last year, while its ET Weekend surged 30% sweep-to-sweep to a 2.6.  CTD's Inside Edition gained 10% to 3.3.  NBCU's Access Hollywood improved 5% to 2.3.  Warner Bros.' TMZ was down 4% to 2.2.  CTD's The Insider was 6% ahead of last year at 1.9.  Warner Bros.' Extra climbed 6% to 1.9.

Among talk shows, CTD's Oprah continued to lead, although it was down 7% from last year.  CTD's Dr. Phil, which was heavily preempted by the Olympics, was the no. 2 talker despite losing 14% to 3.0.  Disney/ABC's Live With Regis and Kelly was up 8% to 2.8.  Warner Bros.' Ellen Degeneres got a 9% bump to 2.5.  NBCU's Maury jumped 22% to 2.2.  CTD's Rachael Ray rallied 6% to 1.9.  CTD's The Doctors held steady at 1.9.  NBCU's Jerry Springer spiked 27% to 1.4.  NBCU's Steve Wilkos was up 18% to 1.3.  Warner Bros.' Bonnie Hunt slipped 10% to 0.9 and NBCU's Martha Stewart stumbled 14% to a last-place 0.6.

Game shows were a mixed bag.  CTD's Wheel of Fortune inched up 3% to 7.4.  CTD's Jeopardy rose 9% to 6.3.  Disney/ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire saw ratings inflate 8% to 2.6.  Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud fell 7% to 1.4.  NBCU's Deal Or No Deal plunged 35% decline to 1.1.

Among syndication newcomers, NBCU's The Office was the top off-net sitcom, growing 7% from November to a 3.2.  It ended the sweep on a high note with a 3.3, its best rating ever in the week ending Mar. 7.  CTD's Everybody Hates Chris was unchanged from November at 1.9.  Twentieth's My Name Is Earl was down 5% to 1.8. 

In first-run, Sony's Dr. Oz was up 8% from the November sweep to a 2.8.  Twentieth's Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader took a 6% demotion to 1.6.  Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams was flat at 1.2.  Litton's Street Court chalked up a 17% gain to 0.7. 

Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men topped the off-net sitcoms with a 14% jump to 5.6.  Twentieth's Family Guy faded 10% to 3.6.  Sony's Seinfeld sank 19% to 2.9.  Warner Bros.' George Lopez was unchanged at 2.8.  CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond dropped 13% to 2.7.  Twentieth's King of the Hill declined 7% to 2.5.  Warner Bros.' Friends plunged 12% to 2.2.  Sony's King of Queens dropped 39% to 1.7.  House of Payne suffered a 30% loss to 1.6.  Frasier tumbled 17% to 1.5.