ALL: Jeff Zucker, "PSNS Cancellation is the Beginning of the End" of Network Soap Operas

[dawn9476]

Jeff Zucker ain't going anywhere. Not with NBC in an upswing with their primetime lineup.

[Ms. Walsh]

Well, AW was on NBC.

Ever since AW was cancelled, I've never been able to trust NBC. From what I've seen, Days seems like a pretty good soap. But I'm sure that if the execs got their way, they'd rather have 8 hours of the Today Show.

[dawn9476]

Well, what do you expect from a guy who came up the ranks at NBC via The Today Show.

[Andre]

Having a show that appeals to many different demos isn't the best. When NBC is selling ads, the advertisers want to target the people that will buy their products. Someone selling male deoderant won't advertise and pay to run during Days because the audience is overwhelmingly female and they will be paying a high rate to reach women who won't buy it. So NBC want women, preferable 18-49. It is all that matters because no one will pay to target men during Days. The financials aren't there.

They don't meantion men because we don't watch in high enough numbers. We seriously don't matter.

[JER Soaps Fan]

Amen, Hogan. What a HORRIBLE thing to read on a Sunday afternoon. I log into SON and THIS is the first thing I see?

BURN FOR ETERNITY, Zucker.

May Satan have NO mercy on you, asswipe!

[Mason]

I'm not sure what upswing you're talking about. Aside from Heroes and Deal or no Deal, NBC really has nothing going for it, which is why they're currently the 4th rated network, even behind Fox. That's not very impressive.

Besides, anyone who even watches TV will tell you that NBC is in the gutter right now, not just soap fans.

[Toups]

NBC is 3rd in HHs for the season. I think they're #2 (behind ABC) in the all important 18-49 demos.

Great post, Andre.

Yes, I hate that NBC soaps will be gone in the future, but I understand that it's just business. The daytime soap audience keeps getting lower and lower each year.

[JER Soaps Fan]

I'll love it if the Fox rumors are true, about picking up "Passions." Yes, they're unlikely, but who knows? The rumors just cropped out of nowhere and "Passions" has demos I know they'd love...anyway, if they are true, Zucker would look like such a [!@#$%^&*] for using this show's cancellation as the beginning of the end. Then we'd have the last laugh!

Hahahhaa, [!@#$%^&*] OFF, asswipe!

[KLN]

It makes sense from a business point of view, but there's a right way to go about it and a wrong way to go about it. They're being so carefree and heartless about it, as if there's no audience listening to what they're saying.

What's more... the networks don't take ANY blame for the erosion of the soap opera audience. They've treated them as such an afterthought (creatively) for years and years, and now that they're failing, they act so fluff about it. Yes, women are working. Welcome to 1972, NBC. And of course that's a big part of the reason for failing ratings, but creativity is so underrated. Soaps are stuck in the 50's. They used to be the raciest programs on television... and now they're so far behind, it's ridiculous. Gay men and women kiss on primetime all the time, but gay folks kissing on daytime is considered an EVENT, complete with a press release announcing the momentous occasion. How ridiculous. And the blame for that lies solely on the networks.

There is an audience for soap operas. Look at how many primetime programs are serialized now. Virtually everything successful nowadays is serialized and packaged like a soap! So the audience is there. Our daytime soaps just need to be pulled from oblivion and turned into creative rivals, and the networks have ignored that fact for years and years now. So, as I said, the blame lies on their own shoulders. Of course, they'll never admit that, but it's true.

[Ridge]

NBC as a whole is dying. Someone should post a comment on that, the network that completely fell apart after Friends. That is the business move that this network has to accept. It is running on Heroes and Deal or No Deal, that's it. It's so far from number one in any section and yes Fox is completley kicking its ass.

[dawn9476]

There is also the addition of Sunday Night Football and the continued success of The Office which has improved its ratings big time from this time last year. NBC still has long way to go but it is doing better than it did last year.

And I wouldn't say NBC is dying. Didn't people say the same thing about CBS before CSI and Everyone Loves Raymond came along? CBS was in the dumps for years. Wasn't the same thing said about ABC a few years ago? NBC can bounce back. The other networks have. And if NBC is dying, why the hell would the NFL sign a deal with them?

And Fox is only ahead of NBC is because of AI. Other than AI, 24, and House, Fox has nothing.

[Toups]

Great post, Dawn!

NBC also has better quality shows this season. They received 4 out 5 nominations (30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, Studio 60, Heroes) for Best New Series in the Writers Guild.

I also love that NBC has faith in the lower rated shows and hopes it will catch on ala The Office. They kept show on even though it had low ratings and now it's a huge success, especially in the 18-49 demos.

So even though NBC dayime is not looking so good, NBC primetime is looking very bright. It's on its way up again.

[KMan101]

They do have good shows, but they aren't bringing in the major ratings.

[Toups]

That's why you keep the show on give it a chance to grow like what they did with The Office.

You can't expect to have instant hits right away.

[Chris B]

My Name is Earl and The Office have improved ratings wise, but they still aren't sizable hits. I do hope the network is kind to Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock, those shows deserve long, long runs.

But for daytime they are still crap, always have been.