Syndication Ratings: World Cup Strikes Syndies Again

CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil was the only talk show out of 15 to improve in the week ended June 22 as daytime shows continued to take a hit in the second week of preemptions for coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Fox. In addition, network cut-ins for reports on President Trump’s executive order ending family separations at the border also blew out some shows on June 20.

Even so, Dr. Phil added 4% to a 2.8 live plus same day national rating, according Nielsen Media Research. Despite the fact that the show was in repeats on all five days, Dr. Phil finished first among the talkers for the 94th week in a row with two ties. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also led with a 1.1.

Back in households, Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, which aired repackaged shows on four of the days, held steady for the week at a second-place 2.0. In third place, Warner Bros.’ The Ellen DeGeneres Show dropped 5% to a 1.9. NBCU’s Maury eroded 8% to a new series-low 1.2. NBCU’s Steve held steady at a 1.1, even though it was in reruns for part of the week.

Outside of the top five, NBCUniversal’s Jerry Springer, which has ceased production, and Steve Wilkos, which, along with Maury, has been renewed for two more seasons, both fell 10% to new season lows of 0.9. That marked Springer’s lowest rating in nearly a decade.

Related: ‘Jerry Springer’ Moving to The CW This Fall

The two conflict talkers tied CTD’s Rachel Ray, which slumped to a new series low and also dropped 10% to a 0.9, and Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz, which held at its all-time low for a second week.

Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen pulled back 13% to a new season-low 0.7, tying CTD’s The Doctors, which flatlined at its season-low for the ninth straight week. NBCU’s already-canceled Harry was unchanged at its series low 0.6, tying Debmar-Mercury’s retitled Wendy Williams-World Cup Repeats, which deteriorated 25% to a 0.6.

Warner Bros.’ The Real, which is cleared on Fox-owned stations in top markets, entered unchartered waters, sinking 20% to a new series-low 0.4.

The first-rookies also all remained at their lowest levels of the season. CTD’s DailyMailTV posted an unchanged 0.9, and sank 20% to a 0.4 in the key demo. Twentieth’s Page Six TV held at a 0.6 in households for the second straight week with a flat 0.3 in the demo. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask stayed at a 0.4 in households and a 0.2 in the demo. Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, produced by Scripps in Nashville, clocked its usual 0.3 for the 40th straight week, but rose 100% — one one-tenth of a ratings point — to a 0.2 in the demo.

CTD’s Judge Judy did not air for most of the week in several markets due to the World Cup, and gave back 5% to a new season-low 6.3, tying Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud for the overall syndication lead.

CTD’s Hot Bench aired three days of repeats during the week and dropped 18% to a new season-low 1.8. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis both remained at their season lows of 1.4 and 0.9, respectively. Twentieth’s Divorce Court rose 13% to a 0.9, tying Mathis. Trifecta’s Judge Faith faded 17% to a new season-low 0.5.

The game shows all were up except for Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire, which fell back 7% to a new season-low 1.4. Leader Feud climbed 5% to the aforementioned 6.3. CTD’s Jeopardy! recovered 4% from a season low in the prior frame to a 5.6, tying corporate sibling Wheel of Fortune, which picked up 2% for the week.

Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute moved down 7% to a 1.3, matching its season low, tying NBCU’s off-net true-crime strip Dateline, which was unchanged for the fifth straight week.

The race tightened among the magazines. CTD’s Entertainment Tonight stabilized at a 2.8 to tie sister show Inside Edition, which declined 3%. NBCU’s Access and Warner Bros.’ Extra held steady at a 1.1, tying Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which dropped 8% to a new season low. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page improved 50% to a 0.3.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory rebounded 5% from a season low in the prior week to lead the off-network sitcoms at a 4.4. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing grew 5% to a 2.1. Twentieth’s ModernFamily, SPT’s freshman The Goldbergs and Twentieth’s Family Guy all were flat at a 2.0, 1.6 and 1.5, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved up 7% to a 1.5, tying FamilyGuy. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly remained at its series low 1.2 for a second week. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls gave back 9% to a new season low 1.0, tying Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show and SPT's Seinfeld, both of which held steady.

Warner Bros.’ newcomer Mom held at a 0.8, while CTD’s rookie The Game ended the week at a 0.4 for the 20th time in 21 weeks.

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.