Is Passions being cancelled?

[KLN]

Oh, and I called that "Passions" number yesterday (after closing) and left a message saying "James Reilly sucks." Shame on me!

[Soapsuds]

Kenny you dork!

[daysfan]

[dawn9476]

It won't because Megan's show was syndicated meaning that hour belonged to the affilates, not NBC. If NBC puts the 4th hour of today as a trade in for megan's show, then they are taking an hour from the affilates who make their money off of local advertising during syndicated show like Megan's. If NBC uses the hour that it already has for Passions as the 4th hour of today, then the affilates wouldn't have to give up anything. NBC would just be using an hour that is already theirs.

Since it is Variety, it probably true. They are the bible in the entertainment industry. They were also the first publication to confirm that Hogan was going to be the new HW at Days.

[RionPassions]

Variety didn't say PSNS is cancelled. It said it could be cancelled...not that it was.

[Mason]

Kenny...you are my new hero.

[Soapsuds]

Well, the original article states if The Today Show got a 4th hour Passions would be cancelled. And Variety is reporting TTS will go to a 4th hour.

[Soapsuds]

[bellcurve]

Yeah and OJ didn't do it.

I don't know why DAYS fans seem to have a really positive outlook on the Hourglass's future because of PASSIONS's cancellation. As I have said earlier, NBC will NOT pour money into advertising a one-soap lineup. It just ain't gonna happen. DAYS would have to drastically improve in the ratings between now and the time PASSIONS is cancelled. And I'm talking giving B&B serious competition for #2. Could it happen? Yes. But not under a cancel-happy network like NBC.

I'm not trying to be the Debbie Downer of the group or anything, but the writing is on the wall for DAYS as far as I'm concerned. It wouldn't surprise me at all if affiliates dropped both NBC soaps when PASSIONS is cancelled. Maybe not an O&O station, but surely some of the local affiliates where DAYS doesn't perform well for them will drop it in favor of another talk show, court show, or probably Syndie DEAL OR NO DEAL(not sure if they got a new host since Howie's not gonna do it or if they scrapped it altogether).

And NBC, being the heartless network it is, won't force affiliates to air it like they did PASSIONS. Why? Because, again, they don't own it.

PASSIONS had no effect on DAYS's ratings, you all are totally right about that. But PASSIONS staying with DAYS is the sole reason why NBC hasn't given up on soaps altogether, because, unlike AW, NBC was able to leech off of whatever audience would stick around after DAYS and make more money from it than higher-rated AW. Now that they barely make a profit off of soaps(especially a soap lineup that they don't have part ownership of), NBC won't care about DAYS, unless it is competing with B&B for #2. If it is continuing to stay middle of the pack, NBC won't want to stick with it, neither will it force affiliates to air it.

[dawn9476]

But doesn't the contract that NBC signed with Sony last spring regarding days legally bind them to air Days till 2009. I am sure that if NBC were just to drop Days, Sony has a clause in their contract where they could sue NBC.

ETA: And why wouldn't NBC pour money into advertising Days? Don't they already do that? I see primetime promos for Days all the time but I never see them for Passions. It seems to me that NBC already pour way more money into Days than it does with Passions.

[bellcurve]

Sony has a contract with NBC, NOT NBC affiliates. Unless NBC puts pressure on them to air DAYS, I don't see all of the affiliates doing it, especially those affiliates that hate soaps. ABC also had a contract with PGP to air EDGE. When most of the affiliates in the country announced they would no longer air EDGE in New Year 1985, PGP knew this would reduce the amount of ad money the show would receive, so they were forced to pull the plug. And, as a pre-emptive strike, ABC cancelled it as well. Talk about a harmony hard to find.

Maybe you have seen more ads for DAYS than PASSIONS. I spend my primetime hours keeping up with MyNetworkTV and SOAPnet. This is purely speculations from a soap fan, nothing else.

And even though they are pouring money into promoting DAYS now, that could very well change once 4th Hour TODAY airs. NBC will want to put the daytime budget towards pushing this redundant hour of trash. And if 4th hour TODAY does well? Well, let's just hope it doesn't.

ETA: If NBC has already put feelers out that they may be done with soaps in 2009, I can't see affiliates wanting to build their afternoon lineup around a soap they KNOW will be cancelled in two years.

It's all up to NBC. NBC has got to tell affiliates to stick with DAYS, otherwise, they will stray(just like they did with AW, SB, & BEACH)

[daysfan]

I have been thinking....and I want to stay positive but I am quite frightened now. Sure this might all be false but this Passions cancellation rumour or whatever it is now is getting alot of publicity.....and now several places are saying it's a big possiblity. Has Passions ever had this much cancellation publicity before? I know there have been internet rumours but these are much bigger.

[King]

The 4th hour of Today is a done deal. And it's been a done deal since before Christmas. That was never in question. The question is what it will be replacing.

[daysfan]

Oh yes I agree on that. Something, Passions or not, is gonna go.

[JER Soaps Fan]

Sorry, Drew, that argument won't fly.

Fancy was attacked twice within the past two weeks. It wasn't the same attack.