Few Syndications Climb as 2022 Closes

Few Syndications Climb as 2022 Closes

Review based on a national syndicated rating report for the week ending January 1, 2023.

Calendar year 2022 ended on a negative note for most of syndication thanks to holiday scheduling, football preemptions and the fact that many shows offered only repeats.

For the frame ending January 1, 2023, only three of the veteran strips in all of first run above a 0.6 household rating were able to advance from last year at this time: Kelly Clarkson (0.9 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 13% from the same week one year ago), Drew Barrymore (0.8, up 60%) and Tamron Hall (0.7, up 17%).

On the down side from last year, Maury (0.5, down 38%) — which is no longer in original production – was the biggest loser in talk. Even top talker Live with Kelly & Ryan (1.6, down 11%) took a breather, although still finishing strongly in first place for the 32nd week in a row.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of prime time access programs featured nothing but minus signs compared to the same week in 2022. Quiz and giveaway mainstays Jeopardy (5.2, down 7% from last year), Family Feud (5.0, down 7%) and Wheel of Fortune (4.8, down 4%) all lost ground.

Looking at week to week household numbers, the only strip above a 1.0 rating anywhere in syndication gaining ground was court show Hot Bench (six-week high 1.3, up 8% from the week before), which recently added new all-star judges to its line-up for its current ninth season.

Among other bright spots, the three newcomers to talk all shrugged off reruns and refused to decline.  In an extremely tight rookie race Jennifer Hudson (0.6 steady) and Sherri (0.6, steady) both stayed the course and battled for the lead, with Karamo (0.4, steady) looming close behind.  Not surprisingly, Jennifer Hudson and Sherri were both given enthusiastic early renewals today.

By Magid | 01/11/23