Syndie Insider
By Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/19/2004
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Jim-boree
Buena Vista has expanded its clearances for According to Jim to Paramount Stations Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Granite Broadcasting, Raycom Media, Hubbard Broadcasting, Capitol Broadcasting, and Acme Communications stations. Including previous clearance on Tribune Broadcasting stations, coverage thus far totals 50% of the country. According to Jim, starring Jim Belushi and Courtney Thorne-Smith, premieres in national syndication in fall 2006.
All Rise
National ratings for most syndicated shows edged higher during the week ended April 4 as the NCAA basketball tournament wound down and spring break kicked off. Court strips were the hottest ticket, with three showing double-digit growth over last year. Paramount's Judge Joe Brown, at 3.6, was up 16% year-to-year, 6% from the previous week. Warner Bros.'Judge Greg Mathis, at 2.3, jumped 35% from last year, 5% week-to-week. Sony's Judge Hatchett, at 2.0, rose 33% from the same week a year ago, 5% from the previous week. Paramount's Judge Judy, the genre's supreme court show at 4.8, was up 2% from last year in a flat week.
Among the rookies, The WB's The Ellen DeGeneres Show climbed 6% from the previous week, to 1.9. Moving into a tie for second place, Twentieth's On Air With Ryan Seacrest was up 10% to 1.1, boosted by Janet Jackson's April 2 appearance. King World's Living It Up! With Ali & Jack gained 10% to 1.1.
Buena Vista's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire had the biggest weekly increase among the game shows, jumping 12% for the week, to 3.8, and improving 19% year-to-year. As usual, King World's Wheel of Fortune led the category at 9.1, up 5% week-to-week but down 2% from last year. King World's Jeopardy was up 4% to 7.6 and also up 4% from last year.
Can We Talk?
King World has re-introduced Martha Stewart Living after the show lost 30% of its clearances. Starting over with clearances in 62% of the country, versus 92% a year ago, it was the lowest-rated talk show, at 0.7. By comparison, King World's The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest-rated at a 6.1, is cleared on 253 stations, covering 99% of the U.S.
