Syndication Ratings: 'Modern Family' Continues to Climb

Twentieth’s Modern Family was syndication’s hottest rookie in the week ended Oct. 13, advancing 13% for the week to a 4.4 live plus same day household rating in its third week.

Meanwhile, Twentieth’s animated entry, The Cleveland Show, sagged 5% to a 1.8. Warner Bros.’ The Middle was flat at a 1.3, while Sony Pictures Television’s Community, which does not count its run on Comedy Central in its national ratings, was steady at a 0.4.

Among the veteran sitcoms, Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory recovered 4% from the prior week to a 5.3, although it was still widely preempted on TBS for MLB playoffs. Warmer Bros.’ Two and a Half Men remained at a 3.6. Twentieth’s Family Guy gave back 4% to a 2.5. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother was flat at a 1.9. Warner Bros.’ Friends fell 11% to a 1.7. Twentieth’s King of the Hill was down 6% to a 1.6. SPT’s Seinfeld was steady at a 1.5, while its Rules of Engagement tumbled 13% to a 1.4.

CTD’s Dr. Phil grew 4% from the prior week to reclaim sole possession of first place at a 2.8. Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael was steady at a 2.7 for the week and up 4% from last year. Warner Bros.’ Ellen, SPT’s Dr. Oz, NBCU’s Maury and Disney-ABC’s Katie all held firm at a 2.4, 2.0, 1.9 and 1.6, respectively.

NBCU’s Steve Harvey also was unchanged at a 1.6, but improved 23% over last year at this time, the largest year-to-year increase of any talk show and tying Katie for sixth place among the talkers.

CTD’s Rachael Ray rallied 8% to a 1.4. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos also strengthened 8% to a 1.3, tying Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which was flat for the week at a 1.3, but up 18% compared to last year at this time.

NBCU’s Jerry Springer, CTD’s The Doctors and NBCU’s Trisha all were stable at a 1.2, 1.1 and 0.5, respectively, while Meredith’s The Better Show lost one-tenth of a ratings point to a 0.1.

Among the rookies, SPT’s Queen Latifah ruled for the fourth consecutive week, despite slipping 8% to a 1.1. In second place, Warner Bros.’ Bethenny was steady at a 0.8.

CTD’s conflict talker, The Test, reduced its grade by 17% to a 0.5.

In late-night, CTD’s Arsenio was steady at a 0.7.

CTD’s courtroom champ, Judge Judy, which has been the top rated show in first run for almost six months, widened its lead over the field with a 6.9, up 1% from the prior week and up 3% from last year at this time. By comparison, Judy’s household rating was greater than the sum of the next four court shows.

The genre’s second-highest rated show was Warner Bros.’ People’s Court, unchanged at a 1.6, although down 20% from last year. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis and Twentieth’s Divorce Court each added 7% to 1.5, tying Twentieth’s Judge Alex, which climbed 15%. MGM’s freshman, Paternity Court, picked up 13% to a 0.9.

Among the games, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! both declined while Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud and Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire improved. Wheel skidded 4% from the previous session to a 6.4, while Jeopardy! lost 2% to a 5.9. Feud finished 2% higher at a 4.3. Who Wants to be a Millionaire, with new host Cedric the Entertainer, gained 5%, the category’s biggest weekly gain, to a 2.1.

CTD’s magazine leader, Entertainment Tonight, was off 3% from the prior week to a 3.6. CTD’s Inside Edition, celebrating 25 years on the air, also dropped 3% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was flat at a 1.8. NBCU’s Access Hollywood held firm at a 1.7 and had the largest year-to-year increase of the top six magazines, improving 6%. Warner Bros.’ Extra dipped 6% to a 1.5, while CTD’s omg! Insider yielded 7% to a 1.4.

On the lower tier of the magazine rack, Twentieth’s Dish Nation, MGM'sRightThisMinute, and Trifecta's America Now and OK! TV all were unchanged at a 1.0, 1.0, 0.3 and 0.2, respectively.

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.