Syndication Ratings: Live, Original Is Key As Viewing Levels Soar With Everyone Home

With original episodes produced via video chat, Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan soared to first place among talkers in the week ended March 29. The show increased 18% for the week and 24% for the year to a new season-high 2.6 live plus same day national household ratings average, according to Nielsen Media Research. That marked the morning staple’s best performance since the week of Jan. 15, 2018.

Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live also led with a 1.3.

In repeats for part of the week, CBS Television Distribution’s typical top talker Dr. Phil fell 13% to a 2.1 and was peppered with pandemic preemptions. Similarly, Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres declined 6% to a 1.7.

Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams and NBCUniversal’s Maury both moved up 9% to a 1.2, tying Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz, which was stable at a 1.2.

CTD’s Rachael Ray and NBCU’s Steve Wilkos remained at a 1.1 and 1.0, respectively.

Related: 'Rachael Ray' Offers New Episodes Shot From Her Home

CTD’s The Doctors and Warner Bros.’ The Real both rallied 20% to a 0.6, which was a new season high for The Doctors.

NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer sprang up 33% -- or one-tenths of a ratings point -- to a 0.4.

Among the freshman talkers, NBC’s leader Kelly Clarkson, in repeats on two days and preempted in multiple markets for coronavirus coverage, gave back 7% to a 1.3, good enough to rank fourth among the 14 talk shows.

Related: 'Kelly Clarkson' Adds Original Episodes to Talk Show Starting April 6

Disney’s Tamron Hall, in repeats all week, nevertheless rose 11% to a 1.0. Tamron Hall returned to original episodes shot from Hall’s home in the week of March 30.

SPT’s Mel Robbins, which will conclude its run after this season, retreated 20% to a 0.4.

CTD’s Judge Judy was preempted in several large markets during the week and dipped 2% to a 6.5, but remained the court leader for the 1,227th consecutive week.

CTD’s Hot Bench added 5% to hit a new season-high 2.3, ranking third in daytime behind only Judy and Live.

Warner Bros.’ People’s Court stayed at a 1.4, while its Judge Mathis moved ahead 11% to a 1.0. Fox’s Divorce Court climbed 14% to a new season-high 0.8. Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence powered up 25% to a 0.5.

NBCU’s renewed rookie Judge Jerry, starring Jerry Springer, aired repeats all week to hold steady at a 0.9.

MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court increased 20% to a 0.6, while Trifecta’s Protection Court remained at a 0.3 for the 28th straight week.

CTD’s Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune both were flat at a genre-leading 7.3 and 7.2, respectively. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud came in third with an 8% increase to a new season-high 7.1. All three shows led all of syndication in first, second and third place, with frequent leader Judge Judy coming in fourth overall in households.

Further back, Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask spiked 20% to a new season-high 0.6.

Fox’s rookie game show, 25 Words or Less, starring Meredith Vieira leapt 18% to a new season-high 1.3, while SPT’s off-GSN America Says shot up 13% to a new season-high 0.9.

Also in first run, Disney’s internet video show Right This Minute marched up 13% to a 0.9.

CTD’s Inside Edition led the magazines at an unchanged 3.2. CTD’s Entertainment Tonight pulled back 9% to a 3.0. Warner Bros.’ Extra tied Warner Bros.’ TMZ for third place in the category with Extra staying at its season-high 1.2, and TMZ falling back 14% to a 1.2. Year to year, Extra also showed the genre’s most growth, improving 20%.

NBCU’s Access Hollywood, which aired a mix of original and repackaged material on all five days, clocked a 1.1 after Nielsen completely broke out its ratings in the prior session.

CTD’s DailyMailTV, which is moving from 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nexstar’s KTLA Los Angeles, effective March 30, stayed at its season-high 0.9.

Trifecta’s Celebrity Page held at a 0.2 for the 39th consecutive week.

NBCU’s off-network true-crime strip Dateline dashed ahead 8% to a 1.3. SPT’s off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol slowed down 10% to a 0.9, tying NBCU’s scripted Chicago PD, which held steady for a fourth straight week.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory sagged 3% to lead the off-network sitcoms at a 3.4. Disney’s Last Man Standing jumped 5% to a new season-high 2.3. Disney’s Modern Family fell 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, Disney’s Family Guy, SPT’s The Goldbergs and SPT’s Seinfeld all stood pat at a 1.4, 1.2, 1.1 and 1.1, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Mom and Mike & Molly and Disney’s Black-ish all remained at a 1.0, tying Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls, which added 11%. 

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.