Syndication Ratings: Entertainment Magazines Bask in Light of Golden Globes

Entertainment magazines shone in the week ended Jan. 5 as they spent the week previewing the 77th annual Golden Globes.

Gains came despite all of syndication having to contend with low-rated and preemption-heavy New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, as well as college football bowl games and President Trump’s Jan. 3 press conference on the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, which wiped out regular programming on most channels.

CBS Television Distribution’s Entertainment Tonight, which aired its milestone 10,000th episode on Jan. 10, jumped 19% from the prior frame to a first-place 2.5 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That tied sister show Inside Edition, which added 4%.

NBCU’s Access Hollywood, which had extensive red-carpet preview coverage all week, surged 27% to a 1.4, its second-highest rating of the season. Warner Bros.’ Extra, which was preempted 29 times in the top 50 markets during the week by New Year’s specials and bowl games, added 13% to a 0.9. Extra tied Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which was unchanged.

CTD’s DailyMailTV increased 14% to a 0.8 even though it lost its primary run in four of the six markets on New Year’s Day. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page produced a 0.2 for the 27th consecutive week.

In daytime, ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan finished first in talk for the third time in six weeks, despite being completely in reruns and repacks and dipping 5% from its season high to a 2.1. Among women 25-54, Live also finished first with a 1.0.

CTD’s typical talk leader, Dr. Phil, added 6% to take second place at a 1.9, even with a week of repeats that, unlike Live, included the low-rated New Year’s Day in its week.

Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, also airing reruns, did not have New Year’s Day counted in its average but remained at its season-low 1.6 for a second straight week.

The rest of the talk vets were mostly on par with the prior session that included Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, staying at or near season-low levels.

NBCU’s Maury maintained a 1.2. CTD’s Rachael Ray, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos and Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams all were flat at a 1.0. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz recovered 14% from a series low set in the prior week to a 0.8. Warner Bros.’ The Real, CTD’s The Doctors and NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer all were flat at a 0.5, 0.5 and 0.4, respectively.

Among the rookies, NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson aired reruns on four of the five days but still climbed 8% to a 1.3 to rank among all talkers behind Live, Dr. Phil and Ellen.

Disney’s Tamron Hall, which like Clarkson already has been renewed for season two, also was in repeats but held steady at a 0.9 in households and shot up 67% among women 25-54 to a new season-high 0.5, tying Clarkson.

SPT’s Mel Robbins remained at a 0.4 in households for the 13th straight week.

NBCU’s Judge Jerry stayed at a 1.0 for the third straight week. MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court and Trifecta’s Protection Court both were unchanged at a 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.

Fox’s 25 Words or Less added 11% increase to a new season-high 1.0, while SPT’s off-GSN America Says responded with a 0.7 for a fifth straight week.

Elsewhere in daytime, CTD’s Judge Judy aired four days of repeats and had the lightly watched New Year’s Day included in its average. Still, Judy managed to grow 4% to a 5.6 to lead the court shows for 1,215 straight weeks.

CTD’s Hot Bench advanced 6% to a 1.9. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis and Fox’s Divorce Court all were unchanged at a 1.3, 0.9 and 0.7, respectively. Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence rebounded 25% to a 0.5.

Most of the game shows recovered after getting clobbered over Christmas. CTD’s Jeopardy!, which is currently crushing it on ABC’s primetime with its Greatest of All Time tournament, snapped back 25% from a season low set in the prior round to a genre-leading 6.0. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud added 5% to a 5.8. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune regained 19% from a season low to a 5.7.

Further back, Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask stayed at a 0.5 for the 15th straight week.

Also in first-run, Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute moved up 13% to a new season-high 0.9.

Among the off-net crime series, SPT’s off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol posted a steady 1.1, tying NBCU’s Dateline, which improved 10%. NBCU’s scripted procedural Chicago PD gained 11% to a new season-high 1.0.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory added 4% to lead the off-network sitcoms at a 2.9. Disney’s Last Man Standing spurted 5% to a 2.1. Disney’s Modern Family stood pat at a 1.4. SPT’s The Goldbergs gained 8% to a 1.3. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men remained at a 1.2, tying Disney’s Family Guy, which grew 9%. Disney’s Black-ish barrelled ahead 43% to a 1.0. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls garnered a 13% increase to a 0.9, tying SPT’s Seinfeld and Warner Bros.’ Mom and Mike & Molly, all of which were unchanged.

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.