Syndication Ratings: 'Family Feud' Celebrates New Year With Season-High 5.1

'Live!' leads talkers for third week in a row

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/15/2013 2:17:30 PM

Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud started 2013 off with a bang, finally breaking through the 5.0 barrier to hit a 5.1 in the week ended Jan. 6.

The typically slow week of repeats also was good for magazines, which saw ratings improve across the board on news of Kim Kardashian's pregnancy, and for Disney-ABC's Live! with Kelly and Michael, which was the top talker for the third week in a row.

Family Feud increased 11% from the prior week to hit a new season-high 5.1. CTD's game leader, Wheel of Fortune, inched up 3% to a 6.9. CTD's Jeopardy! upticked 2% to a 6.0. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was the only game to lose ground, declining 4% to a 2.4 amid news that longtime host Meredith Vieira will depart the program after this season. NBCU's newbie Baggage zipped ahead 9% to a 1.2.

In access, five of the seven magazines clocked double-digit increases. CTD's leader, ET, grew 16% from the prior week to a 3.6. CTD's Inside Edition was up 12% to a 2.9. Warner Bros.' TMZ improved 6% to a 1.8. NBCUniversal's Access Hollywood had the largest gain in the group, advancing 21% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.' Extra jumped 15% to a 1.5.

CTD's The Insider, in the last week before its rebrand as omg! Insider, came in last among the vets at a 1.4. But the show's new version, which launched on Jan. 7, climbed 6% in households and 20% among women 25-54 in its first week in the metered markets in the week ending Jan. 13, compared to the show's prior four-week averages. On WCBS New York at 7 p.m., omg! Insider climbed 13% in households to a 3.1 rating/6 in households and improved 43% to a 2.0/6 among women 25-54 in its first week on WCBS at 7 p.m.

Twentieth's freshman Dish Nation rose 13% to a 0.9.

Live! led the talk shows for the third consecutive week, although the show, which aired mostly repackaged episodes, slipped 7% compared to the prior week. Live! also was tops in the key women 25-54 demo with a 1.6.

CTD's Dr. Phil climbed 13% to a second-place 2.6. Warner Bros.' Ellen added 10% to a 2.3, tying Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz, which improved 5% for the week. NBCU's Maury dipped 8% to a 2.2.

CTD's Rachael Ray took a 6% breather to a 1.6 after three straight weeks of increases. NBCU's Steve Wilkos fell back 6% from the series high it set the week before to a 1.5. CTD's The Doctors held firm at a 1.4, tying NBCU's Jerry Springer, which dropped 7% to a 1.4. Warner Bros.' Anderson Live climbed 9% to a 1.2, while Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams weakened 8% to a 1.1, followed by Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle, which was flat at a 0.5.

Among talk's newcomers, Disney-ABC's Katie clocked its strongest ratings since mid-November, growing 6% for the week to a 1.9, even though the show was in repeats for the week. Most syndicated shows broke the low-rated New Year's Day out of their weekly ratings average; Katie also broke out New Year's Eve.

NBCU's Steve Harvey pushed ahead 8% to a 1.4 after its return for a second season was confirmed. CTD's Jeff Probst was steady at a 0.8. Twentieth's Ricki Lake remained at a 0.7, while NBCU's Trisha Goddard gave back 20% to a 0.4. 

CTD's Judge Judy led daytime where many shows were in reruns for most or all of the holiday week. Her honor was up 14% from the prior week to a 6.6. CTD's Judge Joe Brown, a distant second, improved 4% to a 2.4. Warner Bros.' People's Court added 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis and Twentieth's Judge Alex each were flat at a 1.6 and 1.4, respectively. Twentieth's Divorce Court climbed 8% to a 1.4, tying Judge Alex. Entertainment Studios' America's Court, Justice for All and We the People all were flat at a 0.8, 0.5 and 0.2, respectively.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory heated up 9% to a 7.4, topping the syndication leader board. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men was up 6% to a 5.3. Twentieth's Family Guy and How I Met Your Mother were flat at a 3.6 and 3.1, respectively. Twentieth's King of the Hill declined 4% to a 2.2, tying SPT's Seinfeld and Warner Bros.' Friends, both of which were flat at a 2.2, while CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond dropped 13% to a 2.0.