Syndication Ratings: Magazines Score Ratings With Post-Oscars Coverage

The 92nd annual Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 9, boosted some syndicated shows in the week ended Feb. 16, but most other programs were steady to lower in a week that included low viewer levels.

Most of the magazines were buoyed by their next-day coverage of the event, even though the Oscar telecast itself was the lowest-rated in history.

CBS Television Distribution’s Entertainment Tonight led for a sixth straight week, matching its season high with a steady 3.0 live-plus-same-day household ratings average, according to Nielsen Media Research . On Monday, Feb. 10, ET rose 13% to a 3.4 single-day rating. CTD’s Inside Edition edged up 4% to a 2.9 for the week, and added 7% to a 3.0 on Feb. 10. NBCU’s Access Hollywood held its ground for the week at a 1.4, and rose 14% on Feb. 10 to a 1.6. Warner Bros.’ TMZ, the only magazine to decline, eroded 8% to a 1.1 for the week, and on Feb. 10 as well. Warner Bros.’ Extra held at its season-high 1.0 for the week and jumped 10% to a single-day 1.1 on Feb. 10.

CTD’s DailyMailTV improved 14% to a 0.8 for the week, and its next-day Oscar show also climbed 14% to a 0.8. DailyMailTV also saw a 29% increase to a 0.9 on Feb. 12 with a broadcast that featured an exclusive on Prince Harry and Megan Markle, who are exiting their posts as senior British royals and moving to North America.

Trifecta’s Celebrity Page stayed at a 0.2 for the 33rd consecutive week.

The top-two talkers, CTD’s Dr. Phil and Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan were the only two to gain among the top-seven veterans.

Dr. Phil McGraw, who was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Feb. 21, saw his show forge ahead 4% to a 2.6, finishing first or tied for first in the genre for the 176th time in the last 180 weeks. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also led with a 1.1.

Live rallied 5% to a 2.2, matching its season high. On Feb. 10, Live’s ninth annual after-Oscars show added 14% to hit a 2.4 single-day household rating.

Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, CTD’s Maury, CTD’s Rachael Ray, and NBCU’s Steve Wilkos all stayed put at a 1.9, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1 and 1.0, respectively.

Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz recovered 13% to a 0.9. Warner Bros.’ The Real retreated 14% to a 0.6. CTD’s The Doctors stabilized at a 0.5. NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer slid 25% to a 0.3.

NBCU’s season-to-date household leader Kelly Clarkson, which will return for season two, was steady for the week at a 1.3.

Disney’s Tamron Hall, which also will come back for a second season, took viewers behind the scenes at the Academy Awards on Feb. 10 and boosted its ratings 33% to a 1.2 single-day rating. That helped the strip rise 11% for the week to a 1.0. Hall also joined Billy Porter, Lily Aldridge and Elvis Mitchell as a co-host on ABC’s official red-carpet pre-show.

SPT’s Mel Robbins, which is not returning after its rookie season, remained at a 0.5.

NBCU’s Judge Jerry, greenlit for a sophomore season, aired repeats on all five days and slipped 11% to a new season-low 0.8.

MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court and Trifecta’s Protection Court remained at a 0.6 and a 0.3, respectively.

Fox’s renewed 25 Words or Less, starring Meredith Vieira, added 10% to a 1.1, while SPT’s off-GSN America Says, which will not return next season, slumped 13% to a 0.7.

CTD’s Judge Judy rose 6% to a five-week high 6.9 to lead all of syndication for the 23rd time in the past 29 weeks with one tie. Judy was one of only a handful of shows to improve for the week and the only court show.

CTD’s Hot Bench and Warner Bros.’ People’s Court both remained at a 2.1 and 1.4, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis moved down 10% to a 0.9. Fox’s Divorce Court cratered 14% to a 0.6. Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence pulled back 20% to a 0.4.

CTD’s Jeopardy! inched up 2% to lead the games at a 6.5. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune faded 2% to a 6.2. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud fell 2% to a 6.0. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask, which has been renewed for two more seasons, was unchanged at a 0.5.

Also in first-run, Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute held at a 0.8 for the third straight week.

NBCU’s off-net crime strip Dateline declined 8% to a 1.1. SPT’s off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol tumbled 10% to a 0.9. NBCU’s scripted procedural Chicago PD held at a 0.8 for the sixth straight week.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-network sitcoms even though it fell back 6% to a 3.2. Disney’s Last Man Standing stumbled 5% to a 2.0. Disney’s Modern Family sagged 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men sank 7% to a 1.3. SPT’s The Goldbergs gave back 8% to a 1.2, tying Disney’s Family Guy, which was steady. SPT’s Seinfeld and Disney’s Black-ish both broke even at a 1.0. Warner Bros.’ Mom and Mike & Molly both dropped 10% to a 0.9. 

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.