Syndication Ratings: Live Stays in Talk Lead

Updated Thursday, Jan. 15, 4:15 pm PT

Most of syndication returned to normal in the week ended Jan. 4, which included New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, after plunging during the little-watched Christmas week. The gains came despite preemptions for special New Year's Eve and New Year's Day programs, and of course, sports.

CBS Television Distribution's leader Entertainment Tonight regained 24% from the prior week to a 3.1 live plus same day rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. CTD's Inside Edition increased 17% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.' TMZ rebounded 6% to a 1.8. NBCUniversal's Access Hollywood surged 15% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.' Extra improved 8% to a 1.4. CTD's The Insider advanced 9% to a 1.2.

Coverage of this past Sunday's Golden Globe Awards also buoyed the top magazines' metered market primary-run household averages on Monday, Jan. 12.

With a 3.9 rating/6 share, ET improved 3% from its time-period average in January 2014. CTD's Inside Edition gained 7% to a 3.1/6. NBCU's Access Hollywood was up 9% to a 2.5/5. Warner Bros.' Extra grew 10% to a 2.2/4. In Los Angeles, Access Hollywood and Extra tied to lead all entertainment magazines at a 2.8/4, while Extra led all magazines in New York on Monday with a 3.9/6.

TMZ rose 13% to a 1.8/3 and The Insider climbed 7% to a 1.5/3.

Back in the weekly national ratings, Twentieth's Dish Nation, which has been renewed through 2016-17, lost 10% to a 0.9. Trifecta's OK! TV declined 33% to a 0.2 from a 0.3.

Elsewhere in access, CTD's Wheel of Fortune rebounded 7% from its season low in the prior session to a 6.4, although that was still down 6% from last year at this time. CTD's Jeopardy! grew 3% to a 6.2, unchanged from last year. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud fell 2% to a 5.7, but picked up 4% from last year. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire rose 6% to a 1.8, but was down 22% from last year.

Meanwhile MGM's video variety show RightThisMinute, for which Sony Pictures Television just acquired ad-sales responsibilities, was flat at a 1.5. In daytime, most shows remained in repeats for the week.

Disney-ABC's Live with Kelly and Michael, in originals on two of the five days, was the top talker for the second week in a row among households and key female demographics, despite dipping 6% to a 3.1 from its season-high 3.3 in the previous week. Live was steady at a 1.7 among women 25-54 to lead the talkers among that key group.

CTD's Dr. Phil, Warner Bros.' Ellen, NBCU's Maury and NBCU's Steve Harvey all were flat at a 2.4, 2.3, 2.0 and 1.8 respectively.

CTD's Rachael Ray receded 6% to a 1.5, but was up 12% among women 25-54 to a 0.9. NBCU's Steve Wilkos was one of only three talkers that grew in households, adding 7% to a 1.5 and tying Rachael. SPT's Dr. Oz held firm at a 1.4, tying NBCU's Jerry Springer, which spiked 8%. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams was flat at a 1.3.

CTD's The Doctors felt better, gaining 10% to a 1.1. SPT's soon-to-conclude Queen Latifah was unchanged at a 1.0, while Meredith's The Better Show remained at a 0.1.

Among this season's rookies, all of which will be back next season, CTD's Hot Bench lived up to its name. The panel judge show heated up 21% to a 1.7 in households to match its series high even though the show remained in repeats all week. Hot Bench also topped the rookies among women 25-54, spiking 29% to a 0.9.

Debmar-Mercury's Celebrity Name Game recovered 9% to a 1.2 in households and jumped 17% in the demo to a 0.7. NBCU's Meredith Vieira was steady at a 1.1 in households, while growing 20% to a 0.6 in the demo. Warner Bros.' The Real dropped 10% to a 0.9 in households, but was flat in the demo at a 0.7. Finally, Trifecta's Judge Faith jumped 14% to a 0.8, while remaining at a 0.4 among women 25-54.

CTD's Judge Judy added 13% to a 6.3 with another all-rerun week, leading a lively group of court shows that were all up or steady for the week.

Warner Bros.' People's Court increased 13% to a 1.7, tying Hot Bench. Twentieth's Divorce Court was flat at a 1.6. Warner Bros.' added 8% to a 1.4, while MGM's sophomore Lauren Lake's Paternity Court climbed 9% to a 1.2.

Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory added 8% to a 5.5 to lead the off-net sitcoms. Twentieth's Modern Family advanced 6% to a 3.8. Warner Bros. Two and a Half Men dropped 7% to a 2.8. Twentieth's Family Guy fell 12% to a 2.3, tying Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother, which declined 4%, and Warner Bros.' rookie Mike and Molly, which improved 10%. Warner Bros.' The Middle came back to life now that it was no longer being preempted on the Hallmark Channel for holiday programming, exploding 110% to a new season-high 2.1.

SPT's Seinfeld sank 10% to a 1.8, while Twentieth's The Cleveland Show and King of the Hill both were flat at a 1.7 and 1.5, respectively.

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