Coverage of Madonna and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gave the syndicated magazine show genre the strength to grow its ratings for the week ending Oct. 26.
All six shows inside the genre boosted household ratings week-to-week, as Gov. Palin’s appearance on “Saturday Night Live” and Madonna’s publicized split from husband Guy Ritchie were grist for the shows’ coverage mill.
CBS Television Distribution’s “Entertainment Tonight” led the pack with a 4.3 rating, up 5%, followed by CBS’ “Inside Edition” with a 2.9 rating, increasing 4%. CBS’ “The Insider” tied Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution’s “TMZ,” both posting a 1.9 and moving the needle up by 6%.
NBC Universal Television Distribution’s “Access Hollywood” grew to a 1.8, up 6%, while WB’s “Extra” landed at a 1.7, also up by 6%.
In the rookies, NBCU’s “Deal or No Deal” crept up by 6% to a series high of a 1.9. The game show has grown 19% from its premiere.
CBS’ “The Doctors” (1.5), along with the rest of the rookie pack including WB’s “The Bonnie Hunt Show” (0.8) and Sony Pictures Television’s “Judge Karen” (1.0), stayed flat.
In the talk show realm, WB’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (2.2) is quietly gaining ground on ABC-Disney’s “Live With Regis and Kelly” (2.5). “Ellen” boosted itself by 5% to close the gap with “Regis,” which was flat, to its smallest ever.
Leading the genre, CBS’ “The Oprah Winfrey Show” increased 4% to a 4.9, followed by “Dr. Phil” with a 3.4, upping by 6%. CBS’ “Rachael Ray” also increased by 6% to a 1.7 rating, tying a flat NBCU “Maury.”
For game shows, CBS’ “Wheel of Fortune” (7.5) and “Jeopardy!” (6.1) increased by 9%, moving to a season high. The rest of the genre stayed flat.
In court shows, the leader of the pack grew even more as CBS’ “Judge Judy” (4.4), “Judge Joe Brown” (2.3) and WB’s “The People’s Court” (2.1) moved up by 5%. The rest of the genre was flat, save for Twentieth Television’s “Divorce Court” (1.4), which fell 7%.