Syndication Ratings: Coverage of Penny Marshalls Death Buoys Magazines

Coverage of the life and death of actress and director Penny Marshall kept losses among the access entertainment magazines to a minimum during the typically slow pre-Christmas week ended Dec. 23.

CBS Television Distribution's magazine leaders Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight each slipped 3% to a 3.0 and a 2.9 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. NBCU's Access held steady at its season-high 1.3 and took over sole possession of third place among magazines as Warner Bros.' TMZ lost 8% to a 1.2. The two shows had been tied for the prior three weeks.

Warner Bros.' Extra, CTD's DailyMailTV and Twentieth's Page Six TV all held firm at a 1.1, 1.0 and 0.7, respectively, while Trifecta's Celebrity Page posted a 0.2 for the 12th week in a row.

CTD's court leader Judge Judy, which was mainly in repeats, dropped 5% for the week to a syndication-leading 7.0, claiming that title for the 21st straight week.

In second place among the courts, CTD's Hot Bench cooled 4% to a 2.3 but still ranked third in daytime behind only Judy and CTD's talk leader Dr. Phil.

Warner Bros.' People's Court and Judge Mathis, and Twentieth's Divorce Court all were unchanged at a 1.4, 1.0 and 0.7, respectively.

Talk shows were all flat to down, with Dr. Phil leading for the 120th straight week with three ties, dipping 3% to a 2.9. Among daytime's key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also finished first with a 1.2.

Back in households, Disney's Live with Kelly and Ryan eased 4% to its best levels of the season to a 2.2 but snared exclusive claim to second place in talk for the first time since the week of Oct. 29. Live also was second in the target demo with a 1.0.

Warner Bros.' Ellen DeGeneres, which was in repeats on four of the five days, dropped 17% in households to a 1.9

NBCUniversal's Maury was unchanged at a 1.4. NBCU's Steve also held steady at a 1.3. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams weakened 7% to a 1.3, including viewing on diginet Bounce.

As for the rest of the chat pack, NBCU's Steve Wilkos withered 8% to a 1.1, tying CTD's Rachael Ray, which remained at a 1.1.

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Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz stayed at a 1.0 for a third consecutive week. Warner Bros.' The Real remained at a 0.7. CTD's The Doctors stayed at a 0.6. The syndicated run of NBCU's out-of-production Jerry Springer stayed at a 0.4 for the 15th straight week. Disney's Pickler & Ben surrendered 20% to a 0.4.

Among the rookies, CTD's panel talker Face the Truth was unchanged at a 0.8, while Debmar-Mercury's Caught in Providence was penalized 17% to a 0.5.

Turning to true crime, NBCU's off-network version of Dateline surged 8% to a 1.4. SPT's off- A&E Live PD Police Patrol sagged 15% to a 1.1 and off-Investigation Discovery's True Crime Files was unchanged at a 0.3 for the 15th consecutive week. NBCU's scripted police procedural, Chicago PD, held at a 1.0 for a third straight week.

Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud led the games at a flat 6.4 for the second straight week. CTD's Wheel of Fortune skidded 2% to a 6.2 but still tied CTD's Jeopardy!, which remained at a 6.2.

Disney's Who Wants to be a Millionaire broke even at a 1.6, while Entertainment Studios' Funny You Should Ask stood pat at a 0.5 for the 22nd consecutive week.

Disney's viral video show RightThisMinute slowed 8% to a 1.2.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory upticked 2% to lead the off-net sitcoms at a 4.6. Twentieth's Last Man Standing slumped 21% to a 2.2. Twentieth's Modern Family fell 5% to a 1.9. SPT's The Goldbergs stumbled 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men moved down 7% to a 1.4. Twentieth's Family Guy fell 7% to a 1.3. Disney's Black-ish, Warner Bros.' Mike & Molly, Warner Bros.' 2 Broke Girls and Mom all were steady with a 1.2, 1.1, 1.0 and 0.9, respectively, while SPT's Seinfeld shrank 10% to a 0.9, tying Warner Bros.' Mom.

LINK:	https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/syndication-ratings-coverage-of...
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