Syndication Ratings: Talk Down in Second Week of Sweep

None of the 15 talk shows showed gains in the week ended Feb. 15, the second full week of the February sweep.

CBS Television Distribution's Dr. Phil made it five weeks in a row as the talk leader, despite dipping 5% for the week to a 3.5 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. Phil grew 13% from last year at this time, the second biggest annual increase of any show in the category. Phil also led the genre among daytime's key genre of women 25-54 with a steady 1.7.

In second place, Disney-ABC's Live with Kelly and Michael dipped 3% to a second-place 3.2, but added 3% from last year at this time.

In the metered markets on Monday, Live's fifth annual after-Oscars show earned 4.6 rating/14 share, the show's highest single-day rating of the season.

Warner Bros.' Ellen DeGeneres also dipped 3% to a 2.8. In fourth place, NBCUniversal's Maury held steady at a 2.1, and grew 15% among women 25-54 to a 1.5, tying Ellen. NBCU's Steve Harvey rounded out the top five at a 2.0 in households, a 5% decline from its season high in the prior week.

Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams remained at its all-time high 1.9, and gained 19% from last year at this time, the most of any talker.

NBCU's Steve Wilkos remained at a 1.5, but added 10% in the demo to a 1.1. Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz, which ran into several weather-related news preemptions in key markets, slipped 6% to a 1.4, tying NBCU's steady Jerry Springer and CTD's Rachael Ray, which receded 7%. CTD's The Doctors remained at a 1.1. SPT's soon-to-end Queen Latifah lost 9% to a 1.0, while Meredith's The Better Show, which will depart after this season, remained at a 0.2.

Elsewhere in daytime, CTD's Judge Judy led the court shows for the 960th consecutive week at a steady 7.3.

Warner Bros.' People's Court was a distant second with a 5% slide to a 1.8. Twentieth's Divorce Court, Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis and MGM's sophomore Paternity Court all were unchanged at a 1.6, 1.5 and 1.3, respectively.

Among the first-run rookies, all of which will return next season, CTD's Hot Bench led the way for a 22nd straight week in households at a steady 1.8. Debmar-Mercury's Celebrity Name Game was unchanged at a 1.4. Warner Bros.' The Real retreated 8% to a 1.2.

Among women 25-54, however, The Real led the pack at a 1.0, followed by Hot Bench and Celebrity Name Game, which tied at a 0.8.

NBCU's Meredith Vieira yielded 8% to a 1.1 in households and averaged a 0.5 in the demo. Trifecta's Judge Faith climbed 13% to a new season-high 0.9 in households, and a 0.5 in the demo, tying Meredith.

Magazines were mixed, after most scored big gains in the prior week.

CTD's leader, Entertainment Tonight, held steady at a 3.8. CTD's Inside Edition edged ahead 3% to a 3.4. Warner Bros.' TMZ tumbled 9% to a 2.1. NBCU's Access Hollywood eased 5% to 1.9. Warner Bros.' Extra backed off 6% to a 1.7, after hitting a new season high in the prior week. CTD's The Insider was the genre's most improved, rallying 8% to a 1.4 and matching its season high.

Twentieth's Dish Nation dropped 8% to a 1.1, while Trifecta's OK! TV sank 33% to a 0.3 to a 0.2.

Meanwhile, the veteran magazines, which treat the Oscars as their Super Bowl, surged with next-day coverage of Sunday's 87th annual Academy Awards.

ET increased 16% from its prior four-week average to a first-place 4.3 rating/7 share metered market primary-run household average on Monday. Inside Edition added 9% to a 3.4 rating/7 share. Access Hollywood climbed 12% to a 2.7/5. Extra surged 26% to a 2.4/5. The Insider jumped 20% to a 1.8/4, tying TMZ, which added 5% on Monday, even though that show's focus is not on awards shows or red carpets.

Remaining in access, the game shows were down or flat.

CTD's Wheel of Fortune faded 5% to a 7.4. CTD's Jeopardy! also softened 5% to a 7.1. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud slipped 4% to a 6.5. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire was flat at a 1.9.

MGM's viral video show RightThisMinute remained unchanged at a 1.5.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory led the off-net sitcoms at a 6.1, although it was down 8% for the week. Twentieth's Modern Family gained 3% to a 3.9. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men, which ended its network run, upticked 3% to a 3.3. Twentieth's Family Guy, Warner Bros.' Mike & Molly and Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother all were flat at a 2.6, 2.5 and 2.3, respectively. SPT's Seinfeld sagged 9% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.' The Middle rebounded 33% to a 2.0, while Twentieth's The Cleveland Show and King of the Hill were both unchanged at a 1.9 and 1.7, respectively.

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