If you're going to copy/paste, please link back. Thank you.

Numbers are based on Live+Same Day ratings

Ratings for the week March 31 - April 4, 2008

(Compared to Last Week/Compared to Last Year)

Total Viewers

1. Y&R 5,205,000 (-248,000/-173,000)

2. B&B 3,666,000 (-378,000/-103,000)

3. GH 2,842,000 (+23,000/-430,000)

4. DAYS 2,823,000 (-19,000/+213,000)

5. ATWT 2,795,000 (-348,000/-201,000)

6. OLTL 2,414,000 (-16,000/-487,000)

7. AMC 2,413,000 (-48,000/-596,000) <------ new low

8. GL 2,306,000 (-271,000/-451,000) <------ new low

HH

1. Y&R 3.8/13 (same/-.3) <------- ties low rating

2. B&B 2.7/9 (-.1/-.2)

3. DAYS 2.1/7 (same/same)

3. ATWT 2.1/7 (-.1/-.2)

3. GH 2.1/7 (same/-.4) <--------- ties low rating

6. AMC 1.9/6 (same/-.5) <-------- ties low rating

6. OLTL 1.9/6 (same/-.4) <------- ties low rating

8. GL 1.7/5 (-.1/-.4) <------------- new low rating

Women 18-49 Viewers

1. Y&R 1,123,000 (-134,000/-62,000)

2. GH 1,007,000 (-19,000/-153,000)

3. DAYS 959,000 (+109,000/+86,000)

4. B&B 834,000 (-134,000/+34,000)

5. OLTL 816,000 (-8,000/-178,000)

6. AMC 763,000 (-39,000/-185,000)

7. ATWT 757,000 (-144,000/+32,000)

8. GL 703,000 (-89,000/-57,000)

Women 18-49 Rating

1. Y&R 1.7/12 (-.2/-.1) <--------- ties low rating

2. DAYS 1.5/9 (+.2/+.2)

2. GH 1.5/9 (-.1/-.3)

4. B&B 1.3/8 (-.2/+.1)

5. OLTL 1.2/8 (same/-.3) <-------- ties low rating

5. AMC 1.2/7 (same/-.2)

7. ATWT 1.1/7 (-.3/same)

7. GL 1.1/7 (-.1/-.1)

Girls 12-17 Viewers

1. GL 43,000 (-4,000/+8,000)

2. ATWT 38,000 (-9,000/-12,000)

3. GH 33,000 (-11,000/-54,000)

4. DAYS 30,000 (-26,000/-23,000)

5. B&B 22,000 (-19,000/-27,000)

5. Y&R 22,000 (-12,000/-69,000)

7. OLTL 20,000 (-17,000/-37,000)

8. AMC 16,000 (-4,000/-45,000)

Women 18-34 Rating

1. DAYS 1.0/7 (same/-.3)

1. GH 1.0/6 (same/-.3)

3. Y&R 0.8/6 (-.2/-.6)

3. OLTL 0.8/5 (same/-.3)

5. AMC 0.7/5 (-.1/-.3)

6. ATWT 0.6/4 (-.2/-.2)

6. B&B 0.6/4 (-.2/-.3)

8. GL 0.5/3 (-.1/-.3)

Men 18+ Viewers

1. Y&R 1,401,000 (-15,000/+179,000)

2. B&B 912,000 (-295,000/+116,000)

3. ATWT 672,000 (-36,000/+65,000)

4. DAYS 567,000 (-16,000/+83,000)

5. GL 523,000 (+11,000/-47,000)

6. GH 516,000 (-8,000/-35,000)

7. AMC 492,000 (+18,000/-72,000)

8. OLTL 443,000 (+7,000/-26,000)

-------------------------------------

Day-To-Day HH Ratings - HH/Total Viewers

AMC

Monday: 2.0/2,674,000

Tuesday: 1.9/2,519,000

Wednesday: 1.9/2,426,000

Thursday: 1.7/2,228,000

Friday: 1.8/2,218,000

ATWT

Monday: 2.2/3,012,000

Tuesday: 2.1/2,721,000

Wednesday: 2.1/2,845,000

Thursday: 2.0/2,714,000

Friday: 2.0/2,684,000

B&B

Monday: 2.8/3,794,000

Tuesday: 2.7/3,735,000

Wednesday: 2.6/3,722,00

Thursday: 2.6/3,655,000

Friday: 2.5/3,425,000

DAYS

Monday: 2.2/3,035,000

Tuesday: 2.0/2,654,000

Wednesday: 2.1/2,842,000

Thursday: 2.2/3,026,000

Friday: 1.9/2,557,000

GH

Monday: 2.3/3,217,000

Tuesday: 2.2/2,961,000

Wednesday: 2.0/2,566,000

Thursday: 2.0/2,725,000

Friday: 2.1/2,740,000

GL

Monday: 1.8/2,498,000

Tuesday: 1.7/2,209,000

Wednesday: 1.7/2,421,000

Thursday: 1.6/2,237,000

Friday: 1.6/2,166,000

OLTL

Monday: 2.0/2,763,000

Tuesday: 2.0/2,523,000

Wednesday: 1.8/2,263,000

Thursday: 1.7/2,298,000

Friday: 1.9/2,223,000

Y&R

Monday: 4.0/5,496,000

Tuesday: 3.8/5,289,000

Wednesday: 3.7/5,105,000

Thursday: 3.6/4,951,000

Friday: 3.7/5,187,000

----------------------

For the SEASON September 24, 2007 through April 6, 2008

HH

1. Y&R 4.1

2. B&B 2.9

3. GH 2.4

4. ATWT 2.3

5. OLTL 2.2

6. AMC 2.1

6. DAYS 2.1

8. GL 1.9

Women 18-49 Rating

1. Y&R 2.0

2. GH 1.6

3. DAYS 1.5

4. OLTL 1.4

4. B&B 1.4

6. ATWT 1.3

6. AMC 1.3

8. GL 1.2

Edited April 11, 200817 yr by Toups

I have said this before I know, but ratings across the board are lower and not just for daytime. Whether or not SoapNet is included or even the other multimedia outlets, if the networks are able to make a profit on the soaps because of the other options the shows may have a fighting chance. Y&R and GH are still getting over a million 18-49 female viewers to watch their shows everyday and I think that is an accomlpishment in this day and age. If they can maintain that I think that will be an encouraging sign. I guess my point is that if the shows are still able to show they are profitable and by all accounts a billion dollars in ad revenue a year is still a lot of money coming from daytime, then soaps will survive. What they look like in five years is anyones guess, but I am going to try and remain optimistic.

Edited April 12, 200817 yr by skiman12082004

And Mary Beth Evans said that when she left Days she quit watching it too. IF a fan does that he is considered a disloyal fan, but many of these actors and actresses are put on pedestals and yet they are not fans of the show either.

But isn't it still the case that Peter Bergman is considered an oddity in the industry because he does watch all the soaps? It wouldn't be a shock if many actors weren't all that interested in their shows as shows, as opposed to day jobs, whether audiences like it or not.

I always get amused by the Soapnet question(not DVR or TIVO) as if Soapnet draws in tons of viewers. Now maybe I am naive, but I did not think it amounted to that much, soapnet is also losing viewers, and is also not available in all markets.

I have always wanted to know how SoapNet affects AMC's ratings in particular. In Dallas, the #5 market in the country, AMC is shown a daybehind. I live in Oklahoma City and we were a daybehind until the first of this year. It was far easier for me to DVR or watch AMC in its timeslot at 7pm CST on SoapNet then to wait until the following day.

Also, SoapNet is available with most cable providers in this region, including the satellite providers. I know that I automatically received SoapNet in the upgraded package I had to get with a DVR.

No one can afford to get access to SoapNet's ratings. I checked about Nielsen access for my site SoapsWEB. The more you ask for the higher the price goes to get the ratings report each week. The SoapNet ratings report alone was quoted to me at almost 10,000 a year.

Yikes! I knew they cost. I didn't know they cost that much. Thanks.

If you're going to copy/paste, please link back. Thank you.

Numbers are based on Live+Same Day ratings

Ratings for the week March 31 - April 4, 2008

(Compared to Last Week/Compared to Last Year)

Total Viewers

1. Y&R 5,205,000 (-248,000/-173,000)

2. B&B 3,666,000 (-378,000/-103,000)

3. GH 2,842,000 (+23,000/-430,000)

4. DAYS 2,823,000 (-19,000/+213,000)

5. ATWT 2,795,000 (-348,000/-201,000)

6. OLTL 2,414,000 (-16,000/-487,000)

7. AMC 2,413,000 (-48,000/-596,000) <------ new low

8. GL 2,306,000 (-271,000/-451,000) <------ new low

Looking at viewers only, I averaged the weekly data for 1Q 2008 and compared it to the weekly average for 1Q 2007:

Total viewers (weekly average for 1Q 2008)

(Compared to weekly average for 1Q 2007/%change)

1. Y&R 5,621,000 (-60,000/-1.1%)

2. B&B 3,990,000 (-34,000/-0.8%)

3. ATWT 3,133,000 (-11,000/-0.3%)

4. GH 3,003,000 (-689,000)/-18.7%)

5. DOOL 2,913,000 (-230,000/-7.3%)

6. AMC 2,657,000 (-592,000/-18.2%)

7. OLTL 2,632,000 (-557,000/-17.5%)

8. GL 2,622,000 (-223,000/-7.8%)

ALL SOAPS (ex. PSNS) 26,571,000 (-2,396,000/-8.3%)

Some observations:

-- remarkable stability for Y&R, B&B and ATWT

-- absolute tanking of ABC soaps. If it weren't for this, the year-to-year-comparison wouldn't be so bad.

-- DOOL and GL are mediocre. However, GL has been dead flat since 2Q 2007 (not shown here) and DOOL has been in recovery mode since Ed Scott took over. DOOL's weekly numbers are flat for 2008, however, except for a spike during Feb. The ball is squarely in Higley's court.

Just some more food for thought. The total soap picture may not be as bad as it looks (except for ABC).

I have said this before I know, but ratings across the board are lower and not just for daytime. Whether or not SoapNet is included or even the other multimedia outlets, if the networks are able to make a profit on the soaps because of the other options the shows may have a fighting chance. Y&R and GH are still getting over a million 18-49 female viewers to watch their shows everyday and I think that is an accomlpishment in this day and age. If they can maintain that I think that will be an encouraging sign. I guess my point is that if the shows are still able to show they are profitable and by all accounts a billion dollars in ad revenue a year is still a lot of money coming from daytime, then soaps will survive. What they look like in five years is anyones guess, but I am going to try and remain optimistic.

I agree with you a lot. The biggest things soaps have against them is that ad revenues are down and production costs are way up.

Days for instance in 1975 (according to Afternoon TV magazine) cost a little over $100, 000 per week to produce.

By 2002, the show had increased its production cost to 1.9 million dollars per week. Tha's almost $385,000 per episode. In 2003, the budget decreased a little to $340,000 per episode. By 2006, the weekly budget was cut to 1.3 million per week.

Even with the rate of inflation figured in that is a big jump.

In 1975, Days pulled over 100,000 per day in ad revenue. It doesn't do that any longer.

The only soap that has been cut drastically at this point is Guiding Light. If the ad revenus continue dropping then either the shows will price themselves out of the business or cut budgets drastically to make up for it.

Ad revenues are way down while production costs are going up.

Edited April 13, 200817 yr by SteveFrame

I agree with you a lot. The biggest things soaps have against them is that ad revenues are down and production costs are way up.

Days for instance in 1975 (according to Afternoon TV magazine) cost a little over $100, 000 per week to produce.

By 2002, the show had increased its production cost to 1.9 million dollars per week. Tha's almost $385,000 per episode. In 2003, the budget decreased a little to $340,000 per episode. By 2006, the weekly budget was cut to 1.3 million per week.

Even with the rate of inflation figured in that is a big jump.

In 1975, Days pulled over 100,000 per day in ad revenue. It doesn't do that any longer.

The only soap that has been cut drastically at this point is Guiding Light. If the ad revenus continue dropping then either the shows will price themselves out of the business or cut budgets drastically to make up for it.

Ad revenues are way down while production costs are going up.

Ok so if I am reading this right, add revenues for DOOL now are less than 500K per week and production cost is 1.9 million per week which means they are losing money or maybe I misunderstood How much add revenue do thy actually make per day now?

If they put the DVR/SOAPNET on with the rating they

will not be so bad. I know that SoapNet get great rating.

DVR same day ratings (I think if you watch within 24 hours) are counted in these ratings reported. I thought that the Soapnet ratings have been going down and didn't think they were that great to begin with.

Ok so if I am reading this right, add revenues for DOOL now are less than 500K per week and production cost is 1.9 million per week which means they are losing money or maybe I misunderstood How much add revenue do thy actually make per day now?

I don't know what ad revenues are right now as I have not seen them posted in any mags or message boards. I just know they are going down each year for the last several years.

The networks are even having to give away free advertising on primetime shows to make up for promises they make to daytime advertisers. I think they promise advertisers a certain amount of coverage or something or proposed increase from their advertising. If the ratings don't live up to what the advertiser is promised then they have to give them free advertising on another show.

The last thing that I read is that the percentage that production costs has gone up is not where near what ad revenues are today. So in other words where the networks and production companies used to recoup a large portion of procution costs they are no longer doing that.

Can someone explain this to me? I know ABC/Disney owns their soaps while Sony owns DOOL and Bell owns a couple of the CBS Soaps. Whle continuing to be perplexed at why ABC has done nothing major to try and make improvements while their shows continue to nosedive, a friend mine who was an avid soap watcher said she thinks ABC is actually in better shape financially because they own their shows. Is this actually true? I am not sure I understand the logoic here.

ABC owns their shows and does not have to pay any licensing fees to outside companies.

Sony only owns a portion of Days. Corday Productions owns the biggest portion of Days.

I don't know what ad revenues are right now as I have not seen them posted in any mags or message boards. I just know they are going down each year for the last several years.

The networks are even having to give away free advertising on primetime shows to make up for promises they make to daytime advertisers. I think they promise advertisers a certain amount of coverage or something or proposed increase from their advertising. If the ratings don't live up to what the advertiser is promised then they have to give them free advertising on another show.

The last thing that I read is that the percentage that production costs has gone up is not where near what ad revenues are today. So in other words where the networks and production companies used to recoup a large portion of procution costs they are no longer doing that.

The networks have to do make-goods if they charge based on a certain saturation rate and it doesn't hit that rate. Most of the daytime shows are losing viewers -- some really quickly. Because they estimate saturation based on sweeps months, when it drops so dramatically from one year to the next, daytime isn't getting anywhere near its saturation guarantees.

From a long time, daytime was able to subsidize nighttime. Productions costs were so low, they raked in profits and those profits could be used to help offset primetime costs. I suspect daytime still makes a profit or it would be gone. I really don't see how many of these shows can survive much longer in their current state. Overall, I guess CBS shows can carry each other for a while. All of ABCD is in the tank (rightfully so in my opinion. All three of them are dreadful).

ABC owns their shows and does not have to pay any licensing fees to outside companies.

Sony only owns a portion of Days. Corday Productions owns the biggest portion of Days.

Ok so call me ignorant I guess. How does that mean it is less costly for ABC. Does CBS for example still have to pay production costs for Y&R plus licensing fees or does Bell pay the production costs and CBS pays the licensing fees. I am still trying to understand why it would be less costly for ABC than it would be for CBS for example or NBC for Days.

I am also wondering since DOOL, Y&R, B&B, ATWT, and GL are broadcast overseas how substantially does this help offset the cost. I am not aware of any of the ABC/Disney shows being shown outside of NA but maybe they are.

Because ABC does not have to split what little profits that the soaps are making these days.

NBC has to pay the licensing fees and then has to split the profits for Days up among themselves, Corday and Sony.

CBS has to give a chunk of ATWT & GL to P&G; for B&B they give to Bell; and for Y&R they give to Sony and Corday.

Because ABC does not have to split what little profits that the soaps are making these days.

NBC has to pay the licensing fees and then has to split the profits for Days up among themselves, Corday and Sony.

CBS has to give a chunk of ATWT & GL to P&G; for B&B they give to Bell; and for Y&R they give to Sony and Corday.

Ok thanks for explaining. Sometimes my head is a tough one to crack. So in reality from a financial standpoint, ABC is probably in better shape than the others(profitwise) although their revenues are down I am sure, they have no one they need to split profits with. Perhaps this is why we have seen very little if any changes at ABC, although I would hate to see the bottom completely drop out before they initiated anything.

So what advatage does CBS have over ABC or do they in terms of the soaps. Yes their soaps are better quality but why are the soaps on CBS not owned by CBS and those on ABC are owned by ABC?

Edited April 14, 200817 yr by emilyq