Syndication Ratings: Live, Oz Manage to Grow in Down Week

Breaking news and World Series games created widespread preemptions in the week ended Oct. 26, the final week before the November sweep.

Only two of the top ten talkers managed to score weekly gains: Disney-ABC's Live with Kelly and Michael and Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz. Live, second only to CBS Television Distribution's Dr. Phil, grew 4% to a 2.9 live plus same day household average, according to Nielsen Media Research, and improved 12% from last year at this time, while Dr. Oz increased 7% to a 1.5, that show's best rating since the week ended Sept. 29.

Dr. Phil was the highest rated talker for the eighth straight week with a 3.1, off 3% from the prior session but up 3% from last year at this time. Season to date, Phil is up 10% from the same point one year ago and it's also tops in talk among daytime's key demographic of women 25-54 with a steady 1.6.

Warner Bros.' Ellen was flat at a third-place 2.6. NBCUniversal's Maury eased 5% to a 1.9. NBCU's Steve Harvey also yielded 5% to a 1.8. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams, coming off a series high, weakened 11% to a 1.6. NBCU's Steve Wilkos gave back 7% to a 1.4. CTD's Rachael Ray receded 7% to a 1.3. NBCU's Jerry Springer stayed at a 1.2. SPT's Queen Latifah dipped 9% to a 1.0, tying CTD's The Doctors, which was flat. Meredith's The Better Show recovered 100% from a 0.1 to a 0.2.

CTD's Hot Bench continued to lead the rookies among households, holding steady at its season-high 1.5. Among women 25-54, Hot Bench also finished first with a 0.8.

Debmar-Mercury's Celebrity Name Game, with access clearances in 11 of the top 30 markets, was steady at a 1.2. Among women 25-54, the show sank 33% to a 0.6.

NBCUniversal's Meredith Vieira, renewed for season two, downticked 8% to a 1.1 in households. Among women 25-54, Meredith dipped 14% to a 0.6.

Warner Bros.' The Real was flat in households at a 1.0 for the fourth week in a row. Among women 25-54, the show fell 14% to a 0.7.

Trifecta's Judge Faith lost 13% to a 0.7 in households, and was flat at a 0.4 in the demo.

CTD's Judge Judy led all syndicated strips for the 31st consecutive week at a steady 6.9. Warner Bros.' People's Court sank 6% to a 1.6. Twentieth's Divorce Court was flat at a 1.5, tying Hot Bench. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis sagged 7% to a 1.3. MGM's Lauren Lake's Paternity Court faded 8% to a 1.1.

Elsewhere, MGM's video variety show RightThisMinute was flat at a 1.6.

In access, the magazines all were flat to down, thanks to widespread preemptions due to the World Series and Thursday Night Football on CBS.

CTD's leader Entertainment Tonight slipped 3% from the prior week to a 3.2. CTD's Inside Edition declined 3% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.' TMZ slumped 10% to a new season low 1.8. NBCU's Access Hollywood retreated 6% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.' Extra dipped 7% to a 1.4. CTD's The Insider was steady at a 1.2.

Twentieth's Dish Nation dropped 9% to a 1.0, while Trifecta's OK! TV slid 33% from a 0.3 to a 0.2.

Among the games, CTD's Wheel of Fortune rolled to a 6.5, up 2% from the prior week but down 7% from last year at this time. CTD's Jeopardy! answered with a 6.3, up 3% for the week and year. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud, after tying Jeopardy! for second place in households in the prior frame, dipped 3% to a 5.9 but was still up 26% from last year at this time. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire declined 10% to a new season-low 1.8 in its seventh week with new host Terry Crews, losing 18% from last year at this time.

Off-net sitcoms also were affected by preemptions and competition. Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory dropped 9% to a new season-low 5.3. Twentieth's Modern Family also fell to a new season low, sliding 10% to a 3.5. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men lost 9% to a 2.9. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother added 4% to a 2.4. Twentieth's Family Guy relinquished 4% to a new season-low 2.2. Warner Bros.' newbie Mike & Molly, which has been climbing each week, backtracked 5% to a 2.0 tying Warner Bros.' The Middle, which grew 18% to a new season high. SPT's Seinfeld spiked 6% to a 1.8. Twentieth's The Cleveland Show receded 6% to a 1.7, while Twentieth's King of the Hill descended 13% to a 1.4.

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