Syndication Ratings: 'Dr. Phil' Rises in Slow Summer Week

CBS
Television Distribution's Dr. Phil was the only daytime show in
syndication to improve in the week ending August 22, gaining 5% to a 2.0 live
plus same day household ratings average, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Audience
levels fell by more than one million viewers during the slow summer week, in
which many people were on vacation or at the beach.

Among
the rest of the talk shows, CTD's Oprah declined to its lowest
rating in four weeks, sliding 6% to a 3.0. Disney-ABC's Live with
Regis and Kelly
sank 4% to a new season low 2.2. NBC Universal's Maury
dropped 5% to a 2.0, tying Dr. Phil for third place. Sony's Dr.
Oz
declined 5% to a 1.9. NBCU's Jerry Springer, Warner
Bros.' Ellen DeGeneres, CTD's The Doctors and
CTD's Rachael Ray all were flat at 1.5, 1.5, 1.4 and 1.3,
respectively. NBCU's Steve Wilkos fell 7% to a 1.3.
Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams hit a new season low 0.9, down
10%. Warner Bros.' Bonnie Hunt and NBCU's Martha Stewart,
which are both wrapping their runs, each were unchanged at a 0.6 and 0.5,
respectively.

CTD's
Judge Judy led daytime for the 21st time in the past 23
weeks, despite dipping 2% to a 4.1. CTD's Judge Joe Brown and
Warner Bros.' People's Court held steady at a 2.0 and 1.8,
respectively. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis skidded 12% to a 1.5.
Twentieth's Judge Alex was flat at a 1.3. Twentieth's Divorce
Court
declined 8% to a 1.2. Warner Bros.' Judge Jeanine Pirro
and Litton's Street Court, which also is ending its run, each were
unchanged at a 1.0 and 0.5, respectively.

Game
shows were quiet. CTD's Wheel of Fortune slipped 2% to a 5.7.
CTD's Jeopardy! dropped to a new season low 4.7, with a 4% loss.
Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire rose 5% to a 2.3.
Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud and Twentieth's Are You
Smarter than a Fifth Grader
each were flat at a 1.5 and a 1.2,
respectively.

Magazines
all were down or flat. CTD's Entertainment Tonight led the genre
with a 3.4, off 6% to a new season low. CTD's Inside Edition and
Warner Bros.' TMZ each were unchanged at a 2.7 and 1.7,
respectively. NBCU's Access Hollywood fell 6% to a 1.6.
CTD's The Insider also slipped 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.' Extra
faded 7% to a new season low 1.4.

Off-net
sitcoms were mixed. CTD's Two and a Half Men gained 5% to a 4.4.
Twentieth's Family Guy and CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond
remained even week to week at a 3.1. NBCU's newcomer The Office
scored its highest ratings in four weeks, growing 4% to a 2.7. Sony's Seinfeld
added 4% to a 2.5. Warner Bros.' George Lopez was down 8% to a
2.4. Twentieth's King of the Hill eased 4% to a 2.2. Warner
Bros.' Friends was unchanged at a 2.1.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.