iTunes plays 'Days'

Sony pumps soap opera

By JOSEF ADALIAN

Apple's iTunes marks the debut of 'Days of Our Lives' on Tuesday.

"Days of Our Lives" is headed to Apple's iTunes Music Store in a move that's part of Sony's effort to help shore up the long-running sudser.

Full episodes of "Days" will be offered at the standard $1.99, but consumers will be able to cut that to just 50¢ per seg by ordering a 20-episode multipass for $9.99. Skein will make its iTunes debut Tuesday.

There have been conversations about including bonus scenes on the iTunes version of "Days," though nothing has been decided yet.

"Days" now will be the most widely distribbed daytime sudser in the U.S., with episodes available on broadcast (NBC), cable (SoapNet) and online (iTunes). The first sudser with a digital outlet was NBC's "Passions," but it will revert to a TV-only model in the fall, when it moves exclusively to DirecTV.

While Sony no doubt hopes to realize some incremental coin from the iTunes play, the main value of the online effort likely will be promotional. Ratings for "Days" have taken a dramatic dip in the past year, in part because of increasingly weak lead-ins from NBC skeins such as the barely breathing "iVillage Live."

While it remains strong with women 18-34, "Days" has been impacted by the decade-long ratings drought that's hit all daytime dramas. It hasn't helped that NBC Universal supremo Jeff Zucker told reporters earlier this year that "Days" likely would be canceled when NBC's license agreement expires in two years.

Putting "Days" on iTunes could help attract younger eyeballs, some of whom presumably would decide to start watching on-air rather than online. As with most major new iTunes offerings, Apple is expected to feature "Days" prominently on the splash page for the iTunes Music Store during its first days on the service.

Sony and Corday Prods., which produces "Days," are planning creative changes to the show. A behind-the-scenes exec shakeup is said to be in the works, people familiar with the situation said.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111796661...yid=14&cs=1

I myself couldnt care less about DAYS being available on Itunes. But I guess its a good thing and will maybe attract a few more younger viewers. I am very interested though in this "behind-the-scenes exec shakeup". What is it for creative changes on DAYS that Sony and Corday Productions are planning?

Awesome!! This means the entire episodes can be downloaded, right?!

Here's hoping those responsible for the end-effect on the episodes are fired. Also, an exec shakeup is good news; something needs to change to get people with a passion for the genre to ressurrect the show.

Edited June 11, 200718 yr by Andre

Hmmmm..talk to me whne I have the money. I may be interested...

Good news fpr DAYS. Now if Brad Bell can get his sorry ass in on iTunes, I can drop my cable subscription.

The change can either be good,or bad.I hope for people who can update the show while respecting what it is and was.

and please,fire whoever is in charge with effects.

There are already sites offering full episode downloads for free (with good quality picture). To make this work, Sony will either have to crack down on these sites or offer tons of special features to induce people to switch.

There are already sites offering full episode downloads for free (with good quality picture). To make this work, Sony will either have to crack down on these sites or offer tons of special features to induce people to switch.

Ponz: for purely scientific reasons, could you PM me the link to one of more of these sites, if you have them off the top of your head?

I'm taking it as a positive that Sony appears to be trying to save DAYS. With the sinking ratings that daytime soaps have been experiencing for several years, it would be easy for them to just give up in 2009 when/if NBC lets it go. (And it does appear almost certain; I read something the other day about the new NBC guy wanting Rosie to do a daytime talker for them, plus a game show--unless Zucker is willing to give up an hour of "Today", this would probably take DAYS' place.)

good now i can download episodes on my ipod

Ponz: for purely scientific reasons, could you PM me the link to one of more of these sites, if you have them off the top of your head?

Check your inbox.

NBC will begin cracking down on the sites that give free episodes of DAYS. PSNS did it when they began having their episodes on iTunes....but I think it defeats the purpose since you can just watch the PSNS episodes on NBC.com

This is a vote of confidence from Sony.That makes me feel better AND its about DAMN time we see some exec shake ups behind the scenes. IF ken Corday was smart, he would fire himself and Hire some of those ousted Y&R folk

I don't know how much of a exec change Ken can afford. He is already coming out of his own pocket for the latest cast returns. Maybe he will fire his vets behind the screens, in order to hire cheaper newer ones. Which could be good. Breath new life in DAys.

I really hope Ken fires himself

Edited June 11, 200718 yr by aMLCproduction

I'm dying to know what these exec shake-ups are going to be. Do you think Sony and Corday Productions are in talks of giving the show's ownership to ABC. Could that be in DAYS' future? If it keeps DAYS on the air, I don't care what they do. I want to continue to watch my show and however they go about doing that, I will be fine with.

I mean really, would it really be that bad if DAYS went to ABC? I know Frons has a hand in a lot that goes on ABC daytime, but what makes him any different than what we have been experiencing from Corday?

If Days can stop its bleeding of its ratings and at least maintain something the ABC shows are getting ABC will INDEED pick it up, or CBS , though unlikely may vie for it. Days aint going no where. You can bet that

I'm dying to know what these exec shake-ups are going to be. Do you think Sony and Corday Productions are in talks of giving the show's ownership to ABC. Could that be in DAYS' future? If it keeps DAYS on the air, I don't care what they do. I want to continue to watch my show and however they go about doing that, I will be fine with.

I mean really, would it really be that bad if DAYS went to ABC? I know Frons has a hand in a lot that goes on ABC daytime, but what makes him any different than what we have been experiencing from Corday?

Maybe Sony/Corday are preparing for a worse-case scenario. That being come fall, some affiliates may be dropping DAYS in favor of syndicated programming.

We haven't heard anything yet, which is a really good sign. NBC Affiliates haven't had the best reputation with supporting their network's soap lineups.

Edited June 11, 200718 yr by bellcurve

I am not disagreeing with none of you but why would ken corday sell his parents show. Days of our lives is his parents(ted and betty) corday's baby.

If days gets picked up by ABC in the furture, which i do look for to happening why cant corday still be the owner of days while on ABC. I rather have ken corday in charge of days then Fronz, yea corday lies but right now Days Of Our Lives is the most insteresting soap on TV. Ken knows how to be a EP, look back in the 90's,Ken corday was in charge in the 90's and look how great days was. Look how boring the abc shows are in the exception of general hospital because GH is the best ABC soap, but days was boring from feb-march on nbc. I dont care if abc picks it up or cbs i dont care i just want my soap to cont, i do think abc will pick up days in the furture, having both my soaps on the same network, Days and GH would be awesome that means higher ratings for ABC if they pick up days. Who cares if days is the 3 highest priced soap, for abc it would be a great investment because days has a great head writer in hogan sheffer and he can write, his writing is back, it feels like sep-dec again. Days is climbing back up in the ratings and they are not stopping. If hogan keeps this up, he will get days in top 3 in ratings and if he keeps up his consistent writing, he will keep days in their when it times in 2009, to ether renew with nbc or find a new network and they wont have no problem. This is days of our lives, they can do it they always do. come on if passions found a home on directTv then days can find a home on a network channel most likely abc. Days has really improved.

i do agree, days of our lives is not going anyway in 2009, they may leave nbc but ether cbs or abc will pick them up. I rather abc because they like to focus on the teens/younger set too but with cbs they like the older generation. Dont get me wrong i still want bo and hope in storylines in the furture, im not that crazy about john and marlena but the fab 4 has plenty of their storylines in the past, its now time to move over for awhile for nick and chelsea.

but i am glad that full episodes will be on itunes, so i can now put them on my ipod, watch it in school next year at lunch time and study hall lol.

Edited June 11, 200718 yr by LuLu_and_Chelsea_Fan