I'm sorry what ratings are you looking at. I see that AMC has lost close to 100,000 total viewers than from last year they were in the plus with 45,000. These are not good numbers.

WOW. Good for AMC. It was able to keep most of its viewers. Also up from last year!

I think GL fans (or some of us anyway) want to like the whole show, but there's a big disparity in the quality of some of the material. I think GL is moving closer to being a show with one theme, but they have a long way to go, if they even get the opportunity. I was watching almost every scene until they brought Grady and the kidnapping and Mallet and Marina back.

On most of the soaps, you start to think you can tell who the favorites of the producers/headwriters/network heads are, which might be from the influence of the Internet, what other fans say give you ideas, or the people who run the shows are now less even-handed than they were in the past. I think it's especially heavy-handed on Frons shows, and on Y&R and ATWT. I think when the people who run the shows are blatant in their preferences, the audience is more likely to have the same attitude.

I agree but as I have said before they often listen to the dog that barks the loudest. And sadly the fan bases are the ones who are barking the loudest these days. They write more letters and do the campaigns while many of us sit back and don't say anything.

I think some of us speak out on message boards from time to time, but even with that the messages are not as loud. Most often the letters you read in the magazines are even from - for the majority anyway - the fan bases. How many letters got printed about Kendall, Zendell and how much the fans missed her and Zendell while Kendall was in the coma and missing. the mags didn't print any letters from fans who really didn't miss them at all.

So yes there are some personal biases in play on the part of the some of the backstage folks but often they are giving fans what they think they want.

For years now the powers that be have been in this philosophy of focusing on what they feel are the targets or a limited area of viewership. For instance the 18-49 demo or trying to please what they feel are a big part of their audience. So they focus on those performers and try to put those performers on there and hope that the fans will just be happy with them being there and often they are.

They esp. have to think so when they read things like I said before where I have seen people say that ATWT was great just because Nuke were on even if it was just a few moments.

This is not all of the problem with soaps today but it is a big part of it.

I try and try to understand that level of viewing that you talk about but I just never have been able to wrap my mind around it. I guess I am just not built that way. I am not or never have been a Zendell fan on AMC but I don't FF through their scenes. I watch them and critique. I don't enjoy them as much as some folks do but they are part of my show and my overall impression of the show takes all that into account. I don't enjoy the show any more or any less if they are on or not on.

Edited March 5, 200916 yr by SteveFrame

I second that. Its gotten to the point where I really don't care about the state of the shows, I just want them to go up so that advertisers can continue to have confidence in the soaps to live on forever.

With all due respect, I don't believe it's in the genre's best interest to reward mediocrity. Soap viewers deserve better. They deserve intelligent, topical, creative entertainment and if these shows can't provide that then they don't deserve to continue.

I am so happy GH is falling. Fire Guza!

I agree but as I have said before they often listen to the dog that barks the loudest. And sadly the fan bases are the ones who are barking the loudest these days. They write more letters and do the campaigns while many of us sit back and don't say anything.

I know fan bases can hold too much sway (they were part of the death knell for Michelle and Danny on GL and for the supercouples at DAYS), but I'm not sure if they have so much power on today's soaps. People talk about the Zendall fans, but I don't think the current AMC is catering to them. I know so many GH fans who love Liasion and have spent months kicking up a fuss, with GH refusing to bow down to them. People talk about how much they hate Reese, but she's AMC's main heroine for as long as TB stays on the show. A lot of fans hate Michael Easton at OLTL, but he continues to be their leading man, year in and year out.

I think now the decisions are more about what the people in charge want, and the fans are increasingly irrelevant. That's not always a bad thing, for reasons you've given, but when I see GH I wonder if they're even trying to please any fans at all.

I try and try to understand that level of viewing that you talk about but I just never have been able to wrap my mind around it. I guess I am just not built that way. I am not or never have been a Zendell fan on AMC but I don't FF through their scenes.

I'm not proud of FFing scenes, sometimes I think if I didn't, I would enjoy the show more, but I've become so used to the practice that when I go back to watching too many scenes with characters I can't stand, I feel alienated from the show.

I didn't start FFing soaps until around 1994-1996. At the time, I was still watching ATWT on a regular basis, and I knew I would quit watching if I had to keep sitting through scenes with Rosanna and Mike. Then with GL, there were characters I couldn't take anymore, and finally by 1996 I was so sick of Dinah and all the characters who had been ruined for her I would start FFing anything she was in. Eventually if I realize I'm zapping through 90% of a show every day, I do quit watching, but I think there are a lot of soap fans today who don't want to admit defeat, even if their soaps no longer appeal to them.

I know fan bases can hold too much sway (they were part of the death knell for Michelle and Danny on GL and for the supercouples at DAYS), but I'm not sure if they have so much power on today's soaps. People talk about the Zendall fans, but I don't think the current AMC is catering to them. I know so many GH fans who love Liasion and have spent months kicking up a fuss, with GH refusing to bow down to them. People talk about how much they hate Reese, but she's AMC's main heroine for as long as TB stays on the show. A lot of fans hate Michael Easton at OLTL, but he continues to be their leading man, year in and year out.

I think now the decisions are more about what the people in charge want, and the fans are increasingly irrelevant. That's not always a bad thing, for reasons you've given, but when I see GH I wonder if they're even trying to please any fans at all.

You bring up some very good examples. Obviously the Zendall fanbase is loud, but volume isn't everything. It couldn't keep AMC from dropping to the bottom these past few years. I think Pratt is willing to tell them to [!@#$%^&*] off and hope for the best. I also think he has the support of the actors in that. IMO, Frons is the only reason Zendall is still together.

And as for ME, I know that lots of people hate John McBain and so do I. I adore Michael Easton - enough that I go to his fan events - but I don't watch OLTL (and I've told him that to his face.) A lot of ME fans would be perfectly comfortable with a cut in his airtime if it meant that he wasn't playing the same lame stories over and over again: McBain as hero, McBain as savior, McBain as the man in the middle of a tri, blah, blah, blah...

Soaps stopped caring about the fans years ago. The genre is a dumping ground for out of touch wannabe players who would be better served putting on versions of Our Town in a suburb somewhere. Unfortunately, due to a sick twist of fate and an unjust universe, they get to decide what the rest of us see.

I'm not proud of FFing scenes, sometimes I think if I didn't, I would enjoy the show more, but I've become so used to the practice that when I go back to watching too many scenes with characters I can't stand, I feel alienated from the show.

Argh! I hate this! Why are you apologizing for taking charge of your entertainment options? YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER! It their job to please you. If they're giving you something unsatisfactory, that's on THEM. You don't owe any of these shows your viewership. This is a business, not an economic development initiative.

Edited March 6, 200916 yr by marceline

I'm sorry what ratings are you looking at. I see that AMC has lost close to 100,000 total viewers than from last year they were in the plus with 45,000. These are not good numbers.

Well its not as bad as CBS soaps.

And why do you hate AMC so much? Looking at your past post all you do is BASH AMC. If you don't like AMC don't bother to watch or say anything about it. Its get annoying......

Also I hoped Y&R would get a bump. OLTL is getting a bit boring but knowing Ron he can bring me back into OLTL.

Does anyone know what B&B's record low ratings in HH and total viewers is? Surely these ratings must be close to it?

I wonder how long before it merges with the middle pack because I don't know when last the gap between #2 and the middle pack was this small...

OLTL is the only soap to continue sucking hind tit when other soaps were increasing in ratings. It is up marginally this week, but it never is up much. Even during snow storms, it was a bottom feeder. The truth about OLTL is it is where it will always be. The only viewers who remain are those who are able to tolerate ReRon's campy crap. I wonder how many people who watch OLTL watch out of habit. OLTL will have tiny gains and tiny losses. I suspect, all will remain in the margin of error for a survey of this size. I suspect it will slowly inch downward, but not by much over time.

Young and Restless is doing well. It is about the only soap doing anything interesting.

As far as Michael Easton, it is a shame that a man with his talent is relegated to OLTL. People can complain about his airtime, but I believe he is being used by OLTL. He has a fan base and the show has killed off or buried most folks who have one. My question is why does he stay? I think OLTL provides him a pay check and that enables him to do his creative work. He enjoys acting and can do that on OLTL as well as anywhere. I suspect his passion is for the work he does outside of soapdom.

Edited March 6, 200916 yr by Jess

I love Y&R. I think they are the best Soap happening right now. And, yes I HATE AMC right now and I'm NOT watching. I haven't watched this horrible Soap in months. Everything was plot driven when Pratt came on. I was hoping for some character driven storylines and a well balanced Soap, but I didn't see it in the six months I tuned into the show. I'm glad you like what he's writing, good luck, because from what I'm reading on different boards beside this one this show could very well get cancelled within a year and if so Pratt, Frons and Carruthers are getting everything they deserve for putting this type of mess on the air.

Well its not as bad as CBS soaps.

And why do you hate AMC so much? Looking at your past post all you do is BASH AMC. If you don't like AMC don't bother to watch or say anything about it. Its get annoying......

Also I hoped Y&R would get a bump. OLTL is getting a bit boring but knowing Ron he can bring me back into OLTL.

The ABC Soaps had a monster day in Chicago on Monday March 2, 2009 with the Chicago Public School students having an off day there. I have the Friday February 27, 2009 and Monday March 2, 2009 local ratings for the TOP 5 markets in the nation along with the ratings for St. Louis, Atlanta, Detroit, Cleveland, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Denver, and Ft. Myers, Florida. If I have time later I will post them. If not today then tomorrow for sure.

I always look forward to seeing those. Thank you for posting.

And as for ME, I know that lots of people hate John McBain and so do I. I adore Michael Easton - enough that I go to his fan events - but I don't watch OLTL (and I've told him that to his face.) A lot of ME fans would be perfectly comfortable with a cut in his airtime if it meant that he wasn't playing the same lame stories over and over again: McBain as hero, McBain as savior, McBain as the man in the middle of a tri, blah, blah, blah...

Marceline, once again you've expressed my sentiments perfectly. I just can't bear to watch this again.

OLTL is the only soap to continue sucking hind tit when other soaps were increasing in ratings. It is up marginally this week, but it never is up much. Even during snow storms, it was a bottom feeder. The truth about OLTL is it is where it will always be. The only viewers who remain are those who are able to tolerate ReRon's campy crap. I wonder how many people who watch OLTL watch out of habit. OLTL will have tiny gains and tiny losses. I suspect, all will remain in the margin of error for a survey of this size. I suspect it will slowly inch downward, but not by much over time.

Young and Restless is doing well. It is about the only soap doing anything interesting.

As far as Michael Easton, it is a shame that a man with his talent is relegated to OLTL. People can complain about his airtime, but I believe he is being used by OLTL. He has a fan base and the show has killed off or buried most folks who have one. My question is why does he stay? I think OLTL provides him a pay check and that enables him to do his creative work. He enjoys acting and can do that on OLTL as well as anywhere. I suspect his passion is for the work he does outside of soapdom.

Puh-leeze. Yes Y&R is so stellar and groundbreaking. There is nothing "interesting" about Y&R.

Goofy never ending plot with Katherine held hostage by a campy villian.

A mystery character whose head is covered in bandages

Tyra and the "borings"...

Y&R is every soap cliche in the book but with good lighting and nice sets.

4 days of ho hum and one day of decent a week, just like OLTL.

The only thing that Y&R does right is feature veteran characters front burner.

And I won't even comment on that "poor Michael Easton" crap.

More like "Poor OLTL viewers who have to be tortured by him and his gigantic BORE of a character."

I think soaps are absolutely mediocre right now and I see no return to form in sight- .

Y&R (and to a lesser extent, OLTL) are considered the best things going right now- to me they are both barely watchable most of the time.

B&B deserved its loss with the horrid Rick/Steffy crap.

B&BFan- you always find something good to say about B&B, even in the worst of times!

That above comment is NOT a good sign!

I think B&B is the worst soap on the air- and an embarrassment to the industry and to the craft of acting. Flannery excluded.

Edited March 6, 200916 yr by rangethatrover

That jackass is a terrible writer. How come fans can watch Y&R 5 days a week? Good writing = fans tuning in. How can you recast all these people and expect people to keep tuning in too? I swear, uneducated ass clowns are in charge of the P&G soaps.

Correct

Not only do I watch Y/R every day but marathons on Soapnet,

sometimes my favorite clips. Still watching Jesse leap to the helicopter.

The timing of that whole deal was riveting, the momentum/pacing

was all there, all the players in place

also the train deal. I still blubber like it just happened.

I can't get enough of good scenes; I'm thirsty for them.

Re-watched when Reese fell on the table w/Zach; I like friendships

so I always re-watch Jesse /Tad/Crystal/Angie scenes

Probably rewatch Angie' scene w/Frankie she acts

(when she tells him to back off and don't treat

the miscarriage) and when JR grabbed David

In other words, its cah-cah

I watch from the 80's,

Humphrey Bogart. I wasn't even born

...If its good I'll watch, & watch again.

Good scenes never die.

Its a reason they call them "classics."

I see ATWT lost almost 1 millions viewers from last year. Way to go Pissy and DumbGoutman!!