You know that GL is *really* in trouble when 2 of its biggest markets (Pittsburg and Baltimore) move the show from its timeslot. I bet Hurricane Katrina didn't help either, considering New Orleans has been the source of GL's highest ratings in the the country.

One reason so many CBS o&os, including KDKA and WJZ, run Dr. Phil

at 3 is because he and Oprah have a noncompete clause; they cannot

air against each other.

I read on another discussion site that GL pulls its best ratings in

North Carolina and Virginia, and in both states every CBS affiliate

is still running GL at 3. Indeed, GL is still on at 3/2 Central and

Pacific in most of the country. The exceptions:

9 AM (Eastern)

WBZ Boston

WKMG Orlando

WGME Portland, ME

WSBT South Bend, IN

10 AM (Eastern)

WCBS New York

WBBM Chicago

KYW Philadelphia

WWJ Detroit

KDKA Pittsburgh

WJZ Baltimore

WFOR Miami

WRGB Albany, NY

WANE Ft. Wayne, IN

WYOU Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA

WNEM MY5 (digital 5-2) Flint, MI

4 PM (Eastern)

WTOC Savannah, GA

not at all

KOVR Sacramento, CA

Notice a pattern. Nearly all of these stations are

in the Northeast or in the old "Rust Belt." Many

of these markets are the homes of the oldest ABC

stations (WABC New York, WLS Chicago, WPVI

Philadelphia, WXYZ Detroit, to name a few), and

these stations picked up a loyal following in the

early days of television when they had to do a lot

of local programming to fill all the hours when ABC

didn't run anything. The ABC habit has carried over.

Likewise, Orlando and Miami have strong ABC affiliates.

The point is, it's no surprise that GH would beat GL

head-to-head in these markets (except, maybe, Savannah,

where ABC is on a UHF).

But as for the rest of us, GL is still part of the CBS block

in the afternoon. Indeed, it might cause a commotion if

any CBS stations in North Carolina tried to change it:

WBTV Charlotte was inundated with protests this summer

when a (false) rumor started that the station was going to

drop the show; WFMY Greensboro aired GL at 9 AM back

around 1980 and received so many complaints that the

show soon went back to 3 PM and has stayed there ever

since. And as far as I'm concerned, let it stay that way.

I'm afraid that a 10 AM start would subtly wreck my day.

GL's contract is up in 2007. Will Procter & Gamble Productions renew?

Here in Orlando, GL moved from 10 AM to 9 AM to accomodate Rachel Ray. Dr Phil moved to 10 AM & Rachel Ray is on at 3PM.