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April 20-24, 2009


Toups

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Yes. These last two days, I have been home sick, and I observed exactly what you say. GH actually seemed kind of normal...family and relationship based.

ABC will say "oh no...we need explosions...we need sweeps stunts". They still don't realize that every time they do this, they actually damage their brand a little more.

I mean, I think even tonight's Nightline is, at some level, ABC trying to send the message that the end is nigh for soaps. It's ABC--using its News division-- trying to "soften the ground" for the cancellations to come.

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I agree: Frons is the common denominator and, ultimately, the buck stops with him. Until he is fired, it doesnt' matter who's writing the shows or whether they're fired... change begins at the top. (Tho after Frons is fired I hope the new Exec replaces all three Head Writers ASAP)

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I was thinking the exact same thing about the Nightline thing tonight softening the ground for cancellations, specifically AMC's since, except for a couple of words from Frank Valentini, it's all completely AMC-centric.

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GH's steep ratings decline reminds me of what Y&R went through during the strike and the beginning of MAB's tenure. No real explanation for the sudden drop. Like with Y&R, I cannot begin to fathom the reason other than people are tuning out in droves. Y&R was able to stabilize and its demos rebound somewhat when they added Sheffer as a co-headwriter and Rauch as the ex-producer. Their team approach has saved Y&R from MAB's indulgence and worse implusive which people have conveniently forgotten. Y&R has also decided to mine its history to find interesting stories. GH has Guza and Phelps running it into the ground and it spits on its history. Look at how Luke gleeful announces that he cheated on Laura so he can be big teeth's father. Who wants to hear that [!@#$%^&*]? If the ratings do not rebound, GH will find another mob family to go up against Sonny and Jason.

ITA about the Nightline show. ABC is preparing fans for the cancellation of their soaps. If the ratings continue to tread downwards like this, I don't see how any of the ABC soaps can make it more than a couple more years. This is close to GL territory in terms of the demos.

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I could see Frons transferring Pratt to GH if he finally decided Guza had to go. And I could see Pratt being all for that since he probably hates AMC.... what with its older characters and black characters and such.

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New management is severely needed at ABC Daytime, but Anne Sweeney couldn't care any less apparently. I've yet to see why Frons continues to get all of these promotions, while keeping his position at ABCD, something isn't right there.

If these record low demos don't get Guza fired, nothing will.

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Very pleased GH continues to sink, but it will continue being a knifefight in the gutter between the shows for lowest place until someone gets Frons and his minions out of the kitchens. I'd rather OLTL keep its creative team and lose the bad airhogs.

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If low ratings haven't gotten rid of Kreizman and Passanante, I doube that low ratings will get rid of them on GH right now. I have a feeling that the execs know they are dying so why put the money and effort in them at this time to start over with new teams and work out contracts with these folks. I fear they will stick with the status quo at this point.

As others said this experiment of giving the fans more family drama stuff and the ratings dropping will be what Guza and Frons need to go back to all mob all the time.

I konw some of you are happy and thrilled about GH falling - some because you are angry over things like Liason and stuff. I am not sure how I feel. A show like GH who so many have predicted would be one of the final shows to fall like this really hurts the longetivity hopes of any of the soaps. If GH falls like this and can't recover the genre is dead sooner than I ever dreamed.

I personally don't find GH and OLTL as bad as ATWT. I can't even watch that show. It is so bad. And that has always been my show. I try to tune in and it is sooooooooooooo bad. Right now for me ATWT is the worst show in daytime with B&B not far ahead of it.

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