Syndication ratings fell across the board as expected during the Fourth of July holiday week ended July 9, with many shows slipping to their lowest household deliveries of the season.
In addition to viewers on vacation and away from their TVs, shows faced numerous preemptions due to Wimbledon tennis coverage.
In daytime, the top two talk- and courtshows sank to season lows and were off by double digits vs. a year earlier.
Top talker "Oprah" skidded to its fourth season low in the last five weeks, dropping to a 4.7, down 10% week to week and 15% year to year. No. 2 talker "Dr. Phil" plunged to a season low of 2.9, sliding 9% from the week prior and sinking 11% from last year at this time.
"Live With Regis and Kelly" was down 6% to a 3.1, and fell 9% year to year. "Maury" was up 4% to a 2.7, but still down 7% from a year ago, while "Jerry Springer" was up 6% to 1.9 but down 14% year to year. "Montel Williams" was down 11% to a 1.7 and fell 26% from last year.
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" was broken out as specials every day of the week, due to numerous preemptions.
Rookie talker "Tyra" went unchanged at a 1.4 while "Martha" was specialed out all week.
"Judge Judy," although still the top gaveler, tumbled to a new season low of 3.9, down 13% on the week and down 15% from last year.
"Judge Joe Brown" lost 7% to a season low 2.7 and was down 13% year to year. "People's Court" averaged a 2.6, down 4% week to week and year to year. Also at a 2.6 was "Divorce Court," which was up 8% for the week and held steady with year-earlier levels.
In access time periods, all top-tier strips were lower.
Among off-net sitcoms, six of the top seven shows hit season lows. "Everybody Loves Raymond" was down 6% to a low of 4.7, off 11% from last year, while "Seinfeld" declined 4% to a season low of 4.4, down 15% year to year.
Even the high-flying magazine shows came back down to Earth.
"Entertainment Tonight," the No. 1 mag, took a 13% hit to a season low of 4.1, down 2% from last year.
"Inside Edition" fell to a low of 2.9, down 6% for the week and 3% from last year. "The Insider" dropped 12% to a season low of 2.3 and was off 4% year to year.
"Extra" drew a 1.8 -- a 10% drop week to week and year to year, while "Access Hollywood" sank 23% week to week and year to year to a 1.7.
Contact Addie Morfoot at
news@variety.com