ABC Daytime: The Sinking Ship

[RuAsRuAnAu]

If you compare the ratings of 2003 vs 2007, GH, DOOL, GL, AMC, ATWT are losing the most viewers. And out of those shows, GH & ATWT have the potential to increase the most. That will only occur if major creative changes are implemented now.

[Sylph]

[ChangedBYSon]

Brian Frons is going....NOWHERE.

So sorry to tell you.

He is being given more power and more lee-way if you really want to know

what's skipping.

And I don't mean jump rope.

**

[RuAsRuAnAu]

One word to describe it: insanity. Are they purposely sabotaging their daytime lineup, ChangedBYSon? AMC is in the gutter, OLTL is disappointingly underwhelming, and GH fails to capitalize on its tremendous assets. Potential on all three shows is right before their eyes, yet they are either blind or unintelligent to realize it.

I really think Frons will shorten AMC to 30 minutes, then OLTL will follow its lead.

[Vee]

Not if you take over!

[RuAsRuAnAu]

Frons had many oppurtunities to be innovative. He's been the head of ABC Daytime for almost six years. It is past time for him to go.

[RuAsRuAnAu]

Now that Frons is in charge of SOAPnet, his position at ABC-D is rock solid. In essence, he received another promotion last month.

Another thing to consider is the WGA strike that may last for several months like the one in 1988. This will only lead to worse ratings if Disney continues to broadcast AMC, OLTL & GH.

Does anyone think Guza Jr. will quit GH next year? His third stint is going on six years now, and the show just cannot/will not give B&B a run for its money. Now ATWT is beating it?

When was the last time AMC was in last place? I think that was in 1972! Are Esensten & Brown short term HWs because I never thought GL would have more viewers than AMC?

Does anyone know if Nixon continues to watch either AMC or OLTL? What about Broderick & Michael Malone?

With the news of higley returning to DOOL as Co-HW, does anyone think Frons will allow McTavish to get a unprecedented fourth stint on AMC? At this point it would not surprise me.

I have a feeling that if LML quits Y&R next year (it is highly unlikely that she'll get fired), Frons will try to get her to HW or consult for GH or OLTL. This means many of her friends might follow her to those shows. Is N.M. Slater considered a friend?

Week of October 22-26, 2007

Total Viewers (Last Year) (Same Week 2003)

4. GH 2,982,000 (+4,000/-522,000) (-963,000)

6. OLTL 2,713,000 (-75,000/-297,000) (-779,000)

8. AMC 2,536,000 (-142,000/-344,000) (-1,008,000)

[TC]

And so sayeth the lord.

I couldn't agree more.

Brian Frons' tenure at ABC is like the Peter Principle on steriods. He just got promoted to another level of incompetence.

[DevotedToAMC]

I am so sick of Brian Frons being employed at ABC and what is even worse is Sweeney continues promoting him when he clearly is a hack (to me she is worse than him. She allows this sh1t to happen and does nothing about it. Same goes for the top brass at ABC/Disney). Ratings are not the best (GH 3, OLTL 5, and AMC last) compared to CBS who usually buts out of storytelling unless it's ATWT and GL since they are owned by Proctor & Gamble....Frons is a micromanager and an idiot and I am so fed up with how he has destroyed ABC Daytime. I say get rid of him and hire Felicia Minei Behr to be the new President...after all, between Angela Shapiro (Who I had no problem with) and Brian Frons she was the interim president. Why not just keep her? She would have NEVER let McTavish rewrite the abortion (Then again she probably would not have hired her back since those two dislike each other with a passion) and of course she would care about quality on GH and OLTL. Felicia would more than likely also can Phelps and Guza and bring back Labine and Riche at GH.

To the people who say not to fire him over one week of bad ratings....ABC has had plenty of bad weeks in the ratings and their highest rated soap is no. 3 (I am not even counting NBC since they just got one show). CBS has three of four soaps in the top three...want to know why? It is much more organized and there is less interference. You notice how Bloom barely gives interviews. Same with the ones in charge of NBC. Frons is ALWAYS mouthing off about storylines, thus having writers rewrite them so not to spoil the audience and just saying inappropriate things (e.g. Genie Francis, nursing home, Kathy Brier).

Fire Frons and hire Felicia Minei Behr

[RuAsRuAnAu]

FMB's last known position was as Senior Vice President, ABC Daytime from May 2000 to May 2004. I do not know if she has retired from television or is taking a break. Does anyone know if FMB was ever asked to be an EP on GH, OLTL or GL? She did wonders on AMC and turned ATWT from a sinking ship into a force to reckon with. Some of Goutman's earlier success at ATWT was caused by FMB's 1996-1999 tenure.

Claire Labine is in her 70s.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

^FMB is well into her 60's, I believe. She started on AMC in the 70's, so I assume she's in retirement these days. She was a great talent though and AMC best EP.

[Khan]

Here's a name many might not expect:

Michael Filerman, former EP, w/ David Jacobs, on KNOTS LANDING, who cut his teeth, so to speak, working under Fred Silverman at CBS Daytime in the early and mid-'70's.

Now, he is someone who I think would be good for ABCD. He tends to stay out of writers' way.

[RuAsRuAnAu]

Interview: http://www.knotslanding.net/interviews/michaelfilerman.html

MF's IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0276871/