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Syndicated Shows Score Holiday Ratings Gains

Jan 12, 2007  •  Post A Comment

The Christmas season brought gifts of ratings gold for syndicators, with talk shows and court programs showing dramatic spikes, according to Nielsen Media research for the week ending Dec. 31.

Families on a holiday break turned to the television. Among talk shows, three veteran series and one rookie strip hit new season highs despite airing repeats, with “Montel Williams,” “Jerry Springer” and “Maury” all scoring new season bests.

Of the three veterans, NBC Universal’s “Maury” took the highest score, rising 8 percent to a 2.8 rating. Fellow NBCU strip “Jerry Springer” rose 17 percent week-over-week to a 2.1 rating. Meanwhile, CBS Television Distribution saw a huge gain for “Montel,” which grew a whopping 33 percent to a 2.0.

Topping the charts in the genre, as usual, was “The Oprah Winfrey Show” from CBS Television Distribution. The series was up 2 percent for the week, pulling a 5.4 rating. Other veteran shows to benefit from the Christmas effect included Warner Bros.’ “Ellen DeGeneres,” up 5 percent to a 2.2 rating, and “Tyra Banks” which matched its best outing of the season with a 14 percent increase to a 1.6.

Rookie leader “Rachael Ray” also matched its best outing, growing 10 percent to a 2.3 score for CBS Television Distribution. Warner’s “Dr. Keith Ablow” set a new ratings record for the freshman series, growing 9 percent to a 1.2. Sony’s “Greg Behrendt” rose 13 percent to a 0.9.

Court shows also posted gains, although on a smaller scale, with three series earning their best ratings of the season. Veteran series “Divorce Court,” from Twentieth, rose 10 percent to a 2.2 rating, Sony’s “Judge Hatchett” jumped 21 percent to a 1.7 and rookie series “Judge Maria Lopez” grew 10 percent to a 1.1 score, all season bests.

Fellow rookie “Cristina’s Court” matched its best outing of the year for Twentieth with an 8 percent climb to a 1.4. Meanwhile, genre leader “Judge Judy” grew 2 percent to a 4.8 rating.

(Editor: Baumann)