Trial coverage crimps syndies

Review based on a national syndicated rating report for the week ending April 25, 2021.

Many daytime shows – especially those cleared on network stations – got hurt, losing all or part of their primary runs on April 19 and 20 due to live news coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial in the session ending April 25. 

One notable exception to the weakness was Live with Kelly and Ryan (four week high 1.8 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 6% from the week before), which opened up a wide lead among talkers. “Live” had been tied at the top for the previous three weeks.

A very heavily preempted Dr. Phil (1.4, down 18%) took second. Ratings for all the other talk shows fell below the 1.0 level.

In access Jeopardy (5.1, down 7%) dropped out of the top spot among game shows with CNN’s Anderson Cooper beginning the first of a two-week stint as guest host.

Family Feud (5.5, up 4%) led the category and all of syndication. Wheel of Fortune (5.1, down 4%) lost ground but landed in a second-place tie with “Jeopardy.”

The top newsmagazine for a third straight week was Entertainment Tonight (2.2, steady). Inside Edition (2.1, down 5%) was next in line. Access Hollywood (0.9) and TMZ (0.8) were unchanged.  Daily Mail TV (0.6) hung tough despite preemptions, plowing into a tie with Extra (0.6, down 14%).