Daytime leaders deliver double digit increases as fall fades

Review based on a national syndicated rating report for the week ending December 16.

The rich got richer in the session ending December 16, the last before the winter solstice. Both top talker “Dr. Phil” and top jurist “Judge Judy” pulled even further away from their respective syndicated competitors, clocking double digit increases. 

Dr. Phil (four-week high 3.0 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 11% from the week before) widened its lead on the other 13 talk shows and led the category for the 119^th week in a row.

Also moving ahead in talk was Live with Kelly and Ryan (2.3, up 5%), which jumped into a tie for second place with Ellen DeGeneres (2.3, unchanged).

Other gabfests in the top tier included Maury and Wendy Williams (both 1.4, up 8%) and Steve (1.3, steady), helmed by the popular Steve Harvey.

On the legal front Judge Judy (7.4, up 12%) both blitzed the court shows for the 1,160th consecutive frame – or more than 22 years – and dominated all first run and off-net syndicated programs for the 20^th straight week.

Hot Bench (2.4, up 4%), a courtroom strip created by Judge Judy Sheindlin, was the third highest show in daytime behind only ‘Judy’ and ‘Dr. Phil.’

On the magazine rack Inside Edition (3.1, up 3%) and sister show Entertainment Tonight (3.0, up 3%) led the pack.

Elsewhere in access Family Feud (6.4, up 3%) regained the exclusive top spot among the games.

In off-net action, police procedural Chicago P.D. surged 25% in the coveted W25-54 age group and maintained its season high 1.0 household rating for a second straight week.