Syndie Insider
By Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/28/2003
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Banish Daylight Saving Time!
Court shows were the one bright spot in the week ended April 13, as every court show moved up in a week where war coverage and daylight saving time pulled most of syndication downward.
Viewers were either away from their sets and enjoying the extra hour of sunlight or watching the fall of Baghdad on cable, with news-net viewing up 10% from the prior week. But colder than normal weather in the Northeast and the beginning of spring break seemed to bring some different daytime viewers to their sets.
Four of the seven court shows saw double-digit increases. Paramount's Judge Joe Brown gained 10% to a 3.4 rating; Twentieth's Divorce Court, coming off its lowest rating of the season, was up 17% to 2.8. Twentieth's Texas Justice, also bouncing off a season low, gained 21% to 2.3. And Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis surged 12% to 1.9. As for the others, genre leader Judge Judy from Paramount rose 2% to 4.8. Warner Bros.' People's Court was up 5% to 2.1. And Sony's Judge Hatchett advanced 7% to 1.6.
In access, Paramount's Entertainment Tonight, the No. 1 magazine show, was up 2% to 5.3, while King World's Inside Edition was flat at 3.2. Warner Bros.'Extra gained 4% to 2.5, but NBC Enterprises' Access Hollywood fell 11% to 2.4.
In daytime, talk shows were clearly mixed. King World's Oprah Winfrey Show, the top talker, gained 4% to 5.1 after hitting a new season low the prior week. But King World's Dr. Phil slipped 4% to 4.4. Buena Vista's Live With Regis and Kelly, in repeats for the week, plunged 17% to a new season low of 2.9. And Universal's Maury tied Regis and Kelly at a 2.9, but it was up 4% for the week.
Crossing Over Host Has Live Assignment
Psychic John Edward, of Universal's Crossing Over With John Edward, is crossing over to ABC to serve as co-host of ABC's late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live during the week of April 28-May 2.
Edward, who spends his time talking to the dead for audience members on his syndicated strip, will help Kimmel interview According to Jim's Jim Belushi, 24's Sarah Wynter, actress Rebecca Romjin-Stamos from the new X-Men movie, and Grounded for Life's Donal Logue.
