CBS Daytime Free Fall

[RuAsRuAnAu]

Does anyone see CBS Daytime's ratings improving significantly in the near future? ATWT & GL are up for renewal next year (I believe in July 2008), and Y&R's contract expires in May 2009. I don't know about B&B's contract status. At this point, GL, even ATWT, cannot afford to have more budget cuts. Are substantive changes going to be implemented? If so, when and how?

[koos]

Isn't it possible that, if certain soaps completely erased all traces of camp, they'd lose the "funny-haha trainwreck" viewers and gain back the viewers who enjoyed credibility, subtlety, and realism? Or is it entirely a one-way street, a point of which lost fans never return?

I just about had a brain hemorrhage when PGP soaps finally succumbed to silliness and camp. I used to think ATWT was the most sensible, realistic, and satisfying (if conservative) soap, but it just got worse and worse, until that confounded spa storyline pushed it completely over the edge. Likewise, GL was reasonable until the cloning and time travel.

[stenbeck212]

^Even after Marland had previously shrunken Shannon's head, spoilers about the spa story alarmed me because I knew it was a point of no return.

[RogerNewcomb]

Since the last week of May when ATWT reached a new low, the show has gained over 300,000 viewers and seems to be in a slow but steady climb in the ratings.

[RuAsRuAnAu]

Week of September 24-28, 2007

Total Viewers (Last Week/Last Year) (Same Week: 2003)

1. Y&R 5,364,000 (-175,000/-104,000) (-639,000)

2. B&B 3,526,000 (-163,000/-613,000) (-914,000)

5. ATWT 2,883,000 (-114,000/-427,000) (-1,072,000)

8. GL 2,364,000 (-238,000/-564,000) (1,034,000)

Households: 2007/Same Week 2003

1. Y&R 4.0/4.5 (-.5)

2. B&B 2.7/3.5 (-.8)

6. ATWT 2.2/3.0 (-.8)

8. GL 1.8/2.6 (-.8)

[RuAsRuAnAu]

GL is the most vulnerable on CBS Daytime. It is consistently low rated and its contract is up for renewal in about 8 months.

Week of October 1-5, 2007

(Compared to Last Year) (Compared to 2003)

7. GL 2,558,000 (-348,000) (-631,000)

Women 18-49 Viewers (2006)

8. GL 684,000 (-59,000)

Women 18-49 Viewers (2003)

9. GL 927,000

Men 18+ Viewers (2006)

7. GL 509,000 (-104,000)

[DaytimeFan]

Let me just say that Y&R and B&B aren't going anywhere. Those shows are run on budget, on schedule and make money hand over fist. Y&R's contract goes through 2009 and B&B's through 2010. CBS would have to be suicidal to end either of those shows, they cement the daytime lineup (as well as PIR).

ATWT and GL on the other hand are very vulnerable. With the very recent news about crew cuts and moving to outdoor sets (which I'll admit does actually sound good) it seems that Barbara Bloom et al are working like crazy to get the shows as profitable as possible.

[Sylph]

Ratings from Aug. 2005 so far:

[Sylph]

Or it could destroy her reputation forever.

[Sylph]

But, until they don't find a successful business model to replace daytime serials with, soaps will still be on "life support".

[ChangedBYSon]

I can't wait to see the new way that ATWT and GL are going to be filmed

from now on.

My suspicion and my hope...is that they will look like the British soaps.

That, to me, is so exciting.

I can't wait to see how American viewers react to that "look" during daytime,

and if it's done right, it could really be great.

That's IF...it's done right, mind you.

To be honest, that's the only thing I'm really hyped up and looking forward to in soaps.

[Sylph]

I want to see that, too, ChangedBySON.

[RogerNewcomb]

Me too. I love Friday Night Lights and can't wait to see ATWT filmed in that style. It's the perfect way to make the show more profitable and make it look better at the same time. A "win-win".

[Sylph]

ATWT ratings from August 2005 onwards (based on SON data):

[NeoAngelicLiz]

I'm sorry but I'm not really sure what the difference is between US and British soaps in terms of how they appear...

Could someone post a clip from a british soap so I can see? Or at least describe what makes it so much better? Is it more realistic?