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Third Full Week of Sweeps Good for Daytime

Jun 1, 2005  •  Post A Comment

For the first time since 1992, King World’s “The Oprah Winfrey Show” was the top-rated show in syndication, leading the way for a slew of daytime strips that also saw strong growth for the week.

For the week ended May 22, the third full week of May sweeps, ‘Oprah” scored an 8.1 national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. The top-rated talker edged out both King World’s “Wheel of Fortune” (7.9), which was down 2 percent for the week and 6 percent from the same week last year, and sister program “Jeopardy!,” which was flat for the week with a 7.1, an 8 percent increase year to year.

“Oprah” spinoff “Dr. Phil” was the second-highest talk strip, growing 4 percent for the week and 5 percent for the year to a 5.9. Buena Vista’s “Live with Regis and Kelly,” which saw its best performance for the week on Wednesday, May 18 with a visit from “Desperate Housewives” star Teri Hatcher, was up 6 percent for the week and three percent for the year with a 3.6.

The biggest year-to-year gain for any talk strip was Warner Bros.’ “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which grew 10 percent over its performance for the same week last year, and was up 5 percent over the previous week to a 2.2.

Courtroom strips also had a good week, with genre leader “Judge Judy” from Paramount even over last year and growing 6 percent for the week to a 5.0. Paramount’s “Judge Joe Brown” was also even for the year but up 3 percent for the week to a 3.4. Twentieth’s “Divorce Court” grew 4 percent for the week and 17 percent for the year to a 2.8, while Warner Bros.’ “Judge Mathis” was up 4 percent for the year and 9 percent for the week to a 2.5. Sony’s “Judge Hatchett” was down 10 percent for the year but up 6 percent for the week to a 1.8.

Newsmagazine strips did not fare as well, with only one show, Paramount’s rookie “The Insider,” growing 4 percent for the week to a 2.7. Genre leader “Entertainment Tonight” was down 2 percent for the week and flat with last year with a 5.0, while King World’s “Inside Edition” was flat for the week and down 6 percent from last year with a 3.3. NBC Universal’s “Access Hollywood” was flat for the week and down 4 percent from last year with a 2.5, while Warner Bros.’ “Extra” was flat for the week and down 12 percent from last year with a 2.2.