Syndication Ratings: Little Christmas Joy for Syndies Over Low-Rated Week

Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest received a ratings gift in the holiday week ended Dec. 29, which included Live With Kelly and Ryan's Christmas Eve episode and helped drive the strip to a number-one finish in talk with a season-high 2.2 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Among daytime's key demographic of women 25-54, Disney's Live also finished first with a 1.0.

Live was one of the few syndicated shows that managed to hold its own in the otherwise tough holiday frame in which many shows fell to season and series lows.

CBS Television Distribution's usual talk leader Dr. Phil aired reruns on all five days of Christmas week and saw sparsely watched Christmas Day included in its average. Those two factors helped the show fall 25% to a new season-low 1.8, although Phil remained in second place among the talkers.

Christmas was not counted in the household ratings average of Warner Bros.' Ellen DeGeneres but the show still declined 27% to a new season-low 1.6.

The rest of the veteran talkers also were all at or near season lows. NBCUniversal's Maury recovered 9% from a series low to a 1.2. CTD's Rachael Ray retreated 9% to a 1.0, tying NBCU's flat Steve Wilkos as well as Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams, which weakened 23% to a new season low.

Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz descended 13% to a new series-low 0.7. Warner Bros.' The Real receded 17% to a new season-low 0.5. CTD's The Doctors and NBCU's out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer remained at a 0.5 and a 0.4, respectively.

Elsewhere, rookies NBCU's Kelly Clarkson and Disney's Tamron Hall, both of which have been renewed for second seasons, were mostly in repeats during the holiday week. Kelly Clarkson, which had Christmas Day included in its average, gave back 20% to a 1.2 but remained tied for fourth among all talkers behind Live, Dr. Phil and Ellen.

Tamron Hall eased 10% to a 0.9 in a week of mostly reruns.

SPT's Mel Robbins remained at a 0.4 for the 12th straight week.

NBCU's Judge Jerry, starring Jerry Springer, held at a 1.0. MGM/Orion's Personal Injury Court and Trifecta's Protection Court both were unchanged at a 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.

Fox's first-run game, 25 Words or Less, and SPT's off-GSN America Says both were flat at a 0.9 and 0.7, respectively.

The veteran games, like all of TV, played to dwindling crowds in the holiday session. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud downticked 2% to a 5.6 but led all of syndication in the slow holiday week. CTD's Jeopardy! slumped 25% to a new season-low 4.8, tying CTD's Wheel of Fortune, which faltered 23% to a new season low.

Entertainment Studios' Funny You Should Ask stayed at a 0.5 for the 14th straight week.

Disney's internet video show RightThisMinute rebounded 14% from series low levels to a 0.8.

Four of the top six magazines fell to new season lows. CTD's Inside Edition eroded 11% to a new season-low 2.4. CTD's Entertainment Tonight slipped 19% to a new season-low 2.1. NBCU's Access Hollywood gave back 27% to a new season-low 1.1. Warner Bros.' TMZ tumbled 18% to a 0.9, while Warner Bros.' Extra ebbed 11% to a 0.8. CTD's DailyMailTV backtracked 22% to a new series low 0.7. Trifecta's Celebrity Page posted a 0.2 for the 26th straight week.

CTD's court leader Judge Judy, with a week of mainly repeats that saw Christmas Day included in its average, backed off 18% to a new season-low 5.4, coming in second behind Family Feud for all shows in households.

CTD's Hot Bench pulled back 14% to a 1.8.

Warner Bros.' People's Court and Judge Mathis and Fox's Divorce Court all were unchanged at a 1.3, 0.9 and 0.7, respectively. Debmar-Mercury's Caught in Providence plunged 20% to a 0.4.

SPT's off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol pulled into sole possession first place among the crime-focused shows with a steady 1.1. NBCU's Dateline dropped 9% to a 1.0. NBCU's scripted procedural Chicago PD collared a 0.9 for a third straight week.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory imploded 13% to lead the off-network sitcoms at a 2.8. Disney's Last Man Standing slipped 5% to a 2.0. Disney's Modern Family skidded 7% to a 1.4. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men moved down 8% to a 1.2, tying SPT's The Goldbergs, which stood pat. Disney's Family Guy gave back 8% to a 1.1. SPT's Seinfeld celebrated Festivus with a flat 0.9, tying Warner Bros.' Mom, which was minus 10%, and Warner Bros.' Mike & Molly, which maintained a 0.9 for the eighth straight week. Warner Bros.' 2 Broke Girls depreciated 11% to a 0.8.

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