Although coverage of the Colorado movie massacre on Friday, July 20, forced widespread preemptions, ratings for many syndicated shows were up in the week ended July 22.
CBS Television Distribution's top talker, Dr. Phil, improved 9% for the week and the year to a 2.5 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. Phil improved the most of any talker for the week, as well as tacking on 22% among women 18-49. Conflict talker and summer favorite, NBCUniversal's Maury, which tied Phil for the lead in the prior session, slipped to second place but tacked on 4% to a 2.4. Disney-ABC's Live! With Kelly advanced 5% to a 2.3. Sony's Dr. Oz, on the other hand, declined 4% to a 2.2 and fourth place. Warner Bros.' Ellen and CTD's The Doctors both held firm at a 1.6 and 1.5, respectively. NBCU's Jerry Springer, which had the sharpest decline among talkers in the previous week, recovered 8% to a 1.4. CTD's Rachael Ray retreated 7% to a 1.3. NBCU's Steve Wilkos weakened 8% to a 1.2. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams was flat at a 0.8.
Among the first-run rookies, Warner Bros.' Anderson was flat at a 1.1. Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle sank 20% -- or one-tenth of a ratings point -- to a 0.4, tying Entertainment Studios' We the People, which was flat. In late night, CTD's Excused was steady at a 0.7.
CTD's Judge Judy ruled the first-run roost with a 6.1, up 3% from the prior week. CTD's Judge Joe Brown was flat at a 2.4. Warner Bros.' People's Court rebounded 6% to a 1.9. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis slid 7% to a 1.4. Twentieth's Judge Alex was flat at 1.3, tying Twentieth's Divorce Court, which added 8% to a 1.3. Entertainment Studios' America's Court climbed 13% to a 0.9.
The games were fairly quiet. CTD's leaders, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! each stalled at a 6.0 and 5.2, respectively. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud added 7% to a 3.2. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was in the black, gaining 4% to a 2.4.
Magazines, which rallied on the news of the Tom-Kat divorce in the prior week, gave back some of their gains. CTD's Entertainment Tonight dipped 3% week to week to a 3.5, but still grew 3% from last year at this time. CTD's Inside Edition lost 3% to a 2.9. Warner Bros.' TMZ was flat at a 1.8. NBCU's Access Hollywood slipped 6% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.' Extra and CTD's The Insider both held steady at a 1.5.
Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory remained the syndication leader, climbing 6% from the prior week to a 6.6. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men added 2% to a 5.2. Twentieth's Family Guy was flat at a 4.0. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother rallied 3% to a 3.0. Twentieth's King of the Hill climbed 4% to a 2.5. Sony's Seinfeld skidded 4% to a 2.3. CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond and Warner Bros.' Friends each were flat at a 2.1 and 1.9, respectively.
