Syndie Insider
By Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/23/2004
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Health Watch
NBC Universal's weekend half-hour, Your Total Health, has been cleared in more than 90% of the U.S., including the NBC O&O stations. Besides bringing viewers up-to-date medical information, it includes space in every program for local stations to insert their own medical segments, customized market-by-market. Your Total Health is hosted by NBC News and Datelinecorrespondent Hoda Kotb and is produced by NBC News Productions. Sharon Scott is the executive producer, and Dr. David Agus, an oncologist at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, is the show's medical consultant. Your Total Health debuts the weekend of Sept. 25.
ET, West Wing See Gains
Most syndicated strips lost momentum in a fairly down summer week (ending Aug. 8), as HUT (homes using television) levels declined by 387,000 households from the previous week. Even so, ratings surged for most major weeklies, with six of the top seven up.
The top weekly hour, ET Weekend, hit its highest ratings in 11 weeks, up 14% to 3.2. The show featured Kirstie Alley previewing Fat Actress, her upcoming semi-autobiographical comedy/reality Showtime series. Both Showtime and ET parent Paramount are owned by Viacom.
In a tie for second at 2.1, off-net dramas The West Wing and The Practice were up 11% and 5%, respectively. Stargate SG-1 was unchanged at 2.0 in fourth, followed by ER, up 6% to 1.8, Maximum Exposure, up 21% to 1.7, and Mutant X, up 14% to 1.6.
Among first-run strips, three of the top-five court shows gained ground, fueled by developments in the high-profile Kobe Bryant and Laci Peterson cases.
Judge Greg Mathis, up 9% to 2.4, had the biggest week-to-week and year-to year increase among the top five. The show was up 33% from last year. Other gainers included top-rated Judge Judy, up 7% to 4.5, and third-place Divorce Court, up 4% to 2.6. In second place, Judge Joe Brown held steady at 3.4, and, in a tie for fourth, People's Courtwas unchanged at 2.4.
In the loss column, many stations dropped On Air With Ryan Seacrest in advance of its official exit within the next few weeks.
