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Syndie Ratings Rise Across the Board

Feb 19, 2007  •  Post A Comment

Syndication executives couldn’t ask for a better way to enter the February sweeps: Not one strip was down in the ratings for the week ending Feb. 4.

Talk shows and newsmagazines were especially strong, while dormant off-net strips finally showed some life, according to Nielsen Media Research figures.

Within the talk show ranks, rookie series “Rachael Ray” was the only program to hit a season high, rising 9 percent to an all-time best 2.4 score for distributor CBS Television. Among the veterans, Warner Bros.’ “The Tyra Banks Show” provided the biggest week-to-week jump, growing 23 percent to a 1.6. The Feb. 1 episode, “Models Dying to be Thin,” especially popped the numbers, earning a 2.0.

Elsewhere in the genre, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” continued to rule the roost, rising 4 percent to a 7.0, with “Dr. Phil” a strong second at 5.3, a jump of 6 percent. Buena Vista’s “Live With Regis and Kelly” was up 3 percent to a 3.7, with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Maury” tied at a 2.5. Finally, “Montel Williams” earned its own double-digit increase, rising 13 percent to a 2.8 rating.

Despite the ratings lift throughout the category, only two of these shows boasted year-to-year improvements. “Regis and Kelly” was up 9 percent from the same week in 2006, while “Tyra” was up 7 percent.

Two talk series airing as part of a slow rollout, “Morning Show With Mike and Juliet” and “iVillage Live,” received overnight numbers for the week ending Feb 10. “Morning Show,” in its third week on the air, continues to show growth in the 27 metered markets where it airs. The strip has improved every week since launching, earning a 1.5 rating/5 share. That rating is up 7 percent from the previous week for distributor Twentieth Television. NBC’s “iVillage Live” held even with a 0.6/2 share in its 10th week in its 12 metered markets.

For newsmagazines in the national ratings, the genre benefited from post-SAG Awards coverage and continued the category’s ratings blitz since the beginning of 2007. All of the magazine shows improved in week-to-week ratings, and most of them were up from 2006 scores as well.

CBS Television’s “Entertainment Tonight” rose 2 percent to a 5.7 for the week and was up 6 percent from the same week last year. CBS’s “Inside Edition” is up 3 percent for both the week and the year with a 3.7 score. NBC Universal’s “Access Hollywood” was up sharply with a 7 percent rise for the week and up 11 percent for the year to a 3.1. CBS Television’s “The Insider” set a season best at a 2.9, up 4 percent for both the week and the year. Warner Bros.’ “Extra” finished with a 2.4 average, up 4 percent in week-to-week comparisons and holding even with 2006 numbers.

Series in other genres to hit season bests included three court shows: CBS Television’s “Judge Joe Brown,” up 6 percent for the week to a 2.4; Warner Bros.’ “Judge Greg Mathis” with a 2.7, up 4 percent; and Twentieth Television’s “Cristina’s Court,” up 7 percent for an all-time high of 1.5.

Game show action saw Sony Pictures Television’s “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” hit season bests of 9.3 and 7.5 respectively. “Wheel” was up 3 percent for the week while “Jeopardy!” rose 4 percent.

Among off-net strips, CBS Television’s “Everybody Loves Raymond” earned a season high of 5.9, up 5 percent for the week. Warner Bros.’ “Friends” hit a 4.1, up 11 percent for the week, and Sony Pictures Television’s “King of Queens” earned a 3.7, up 6 percent for the week. “King of Queens” remains the only top off-net strip to score year-to-year improvements, and is up 23 percent over 2006 numbers.