Syndication Ratings: 'Oprah' in Ratings Rebound

'Judge Judy' remains daytime top show

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/3/2010 1:45:15 PM

Talk was up in the week ended July 25.

CBS Television Distribution's Oprah came back 7% from her all-time series low to a 3.0 live plus same day household average, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was still down 21% from last year at this time, marking the biggest year-to-year decline of any returning first-run syndicated strip. Oprah remains the top-rated talker for the 586^th week in a row - or more than 11 years - as the show enters its 25^th and final season.

Disney-ABC's Live with Regis and Kelly held steady at a 2.3. CTD's Dr. Phil had talk's largest gain, jumping 11% to a 2.1 and tying NBC Universal's Maury, which was the second most-watched talker, behind only Oprah. Sony's Dr. Oz was the only talk show to decline on the week, dipping 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.' Ellen, and CTD's The Doctors and Rachael Ray all were flat at 2.1, 1.6, 1.5 and 1.4, respectively. NBCU's Jerry Springer climbed 7% to a 1.5, that show's highest rating in almost three years. NBCU's Steve Wilkos was up 8% to a 1.4, and up 27% year to year. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams held steady at a 1.1. Warner Bros.' Bonnie Hunt and NBCU's Martha, both of which are ending their runs, also were unchanged at a 0.6 and 0.5 respectively.

CTD's Judge Judy remained atop the daytime standings, hitting that mark for the 17^th time in the past 19 weeks. Judy was unchanged from the prior week at a 4.3, but up 10% from last year. CTD's Judge Joe Brown was the second-place court, gaining 5% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.' People's Court, Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis, Twentieth's Judge Alex, Twentieth's Divorce Court, Warner Bros.' Judge Jeannine Pirro and Litton's Street Court, in its final weeks on the air, all were unchanged at 1.9, 1.7, 1.4, 1.3 and 1.1, respectively.

CTD's magazine leader, Entertainment Tonight, dipped 3% to a 3.6, although ET Weekend's ratings jumped 31% from last year and 5% from last week to a 2.1, with extensive coverage of Lindsay Lohan's jail term and Mel Gibson's abusive rants. That gain was the biggest year-to-year increase of anything in syndication, although Wilkos came close. CTD's Inside Edition fell 4% to a 2.7. Warner Bros.' TMZ was flat at a 1.8. NBCU's Access Hollywood dropped 11% to a 1.7. CTD's Insider and Warner Bros.' Extra each were unchanged at a 1.6.

Game shows were flat or a bit down. CTD's game leader Wheel of Fortune held at a 5.8, while its Jeopardy! dipped 2% to a 4.9. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire depreciated 4% to a 2.2. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud and Twentieth's Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader each were flat at a 1.5 and 1.2, respectively.

Off-net sitcoms were mixed. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men inched up 2% to a 4.2. Twentieth's Family Guy and CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond each were flat at a 3.1 and 3.0, respectively. Warner Bros.' George Lopez leaped 8% to a 2.6. Sony's Seinfeld was steady at a 2.5. Twentieth's King of the Hill slipped 4% to a 2.2. Warner Bros.' Friends rose 5% to a 2.1. Sony's King of Queens climbed 15% to a 1.5. Debmar-Mercury's House of Payne dropped 7% to a 1.4, tying CTD's Frasier, which was flat. 

Among the rookie sitcoms, NBCU's The Office grew 8% to a 2.7, and was the top show in syndication among young women 18-34 at a 2.5. CTD's Everybody Hates Chris was up 6% to a 1.7 and Twentieth's My Name is Earl was flat at a 1.5.