The latest on GL going to Lifetime

[jfung79]

The wording of that statement is very interesting -- "daytime serials", not "Guiding Light." I have been saying for over a month now that Guiding Light should become a primetime weekly serial. How hard would it have been to say "We will not be adding Guiding Light or any other soaps." Why the vague "daytime serials"? I still say that leaves an opening.

Also, P&G is talking to *somebody*, even if it's not Lifetime. I am firm in my conviction that Brian Cahill is not lying to the fans and to the show about that. See Cahill's latest statement, from May 6th: http://daytimeconfidential.com/2009/05/tel...-future-options

Could be Oxygen as suggested by Daytime Confidential, could be TV Land as suggested by Robert Newman, could be someone else, could be trying to figure out how to to make the Internet thing work with sound and video -- with Another World Today's text-based episodes interspersed with classic clips as a test case.

The show only tapes a little over a month in advance, so there is still plenty of time for a decision. I think they just need to know for sure by June to be able to write the final couple months in the right way.

[SouthOfSoap]

Maybe its because Telenext are trying to shop ATWT and GL to Lifetime as a package deal and Lifetime may not be interested in either? Rather than list each soap by name, they said daytime serials for brevity's sake. To be nitpicking about semantics should be evidence enough of fans grasping at straws and nothing more.

[All My Shadows]

Lifetime wouldn't knowingly jerk people around like that. If they were seriously considering GL, in any form, they wouldn't say what they said, then expect people to try to read between the lines. There's always hope, but IMO, GL on Lifetime is a dead, dead issue.

Oxygen and TVLand wouldn't dare pick up GL. Hallmark is the only cable network that would pick up GL and try to keep it as true to itself as possible.

[baller]

WHile I don't doubt he still thinks GL has a home somewhere else, the casting choices of GL recently seems to tell a very different story about the future of GL.

I agree as well that semantics discussion seems off. It seems if they were even considering, they'd wouldn't have such a strong "nope" be said all the time.

[jfung79]

Even if GL moves on somewhere else, it will need returns on CBS to close out the CBS years in style.

[GenErAlHospital]

i am sorry gl fans about the loss of your show

72 years on radio and tv thats just wow

guiding light shoudent be cancelled

i was never a fan of the show myself (last watched in 2007)

but im deeply sadend about gls end

RIP GL 1937-2009

[RoseVioletDaisy]

I have to agree, I just don't see what the point would be in Lifetime jerking the GL fans around if indeed they were considering taking it on. It is not wise to discourage potentially loyal viewers of a show you're trying to bring to your network. It's one thing not to tip your hand in negotiations and quite another to pour cold water on a fire because it's getting out of hand. Speculation about Lifetime coming in to "save the day" was running rampant and a small group of GL fans even pitched a tent at Lifetime's own message boards with their campaigning. If Lifetime were seriously pursuing a deal for GL, the easiest and least risky thing for them to do would be to remain silent until an agreement was reached but they didn't. Ever since this "save GL" campaign began, they've sent out letters and e-mails explaining unequivocally that they were not pursuing this option and for them to come out again and discourage the very idea in an official statement to the leaders of the campaign from a programming executive is extremely telling.

As much of a longshot as Lifetime was, Oxygen and TVLand seem like even less likely options. TVLand airs old reruns and it's original production capacity is geared exclusively to cheap reality shows and their weekday afternoon reruns do surprising well. Oxygen is a lot like Lifetime only with fewer subscribers, lower ratings, more reruns, and, like TVLand, reality shows are it's only original programming.

[Marc]

It doesn't surprise me that Lifetime wouldn't pick it up. They're trying to be "television for woman," without being totally cliche. Meanwhile if SOAPnet doesn't put in a bid to pick up GL (if it's indeed being shopped around) I will never understand it for as long as I live. Here we have a network that is marketed as a haven for soaps, while the mother of all soaps is looking for a new home (while large numbers of its fans are rallying behind finding it one.)

Like, duh.

SOAPnet, this is your opportunity to step in and be a "hero," saving the flagship show of the institution that your network is based on...and spin it into more self-promotion.

[Eric200]

So what is next? GL on Blomberg News? The Cartoon Network? The Home Shopping Network?

[Rakesh]

Since they are shopping it around, they might as well offer it on HSN. lol

[Kwing42]

Well from my experience in the business world, and really, what this all comes down to is the business end of things: When we asked if our Bank was going to merge or be purchased by another we were told NO NO NO...that will not happen. We will do everything we can to avoid that.

What happened, we were bought out a few weeks later. Talks were going on for months.....

It is common business practice to DENY.

But on the flip side, it is common practice to keep hope alive ....so who really knows...no one on this board knows anything more than the other. It is all opinion based. We can not speak for Telenext or Lifetime or anyone.

[DRW50]

Frons hates soaps. The only way GL would get his interest is if they pretended to be a reality show from Canada.

[marceline]

We don't have to speak for Lifetime. Lifetime spoke for Lifetime.

[Kwing42]

I guess you missed the point entirely.

[marceline]

I got your point. Companies often make denials and plead ignorance, usually to keep from losing business but there's no business for Lifetime to lose here.

Sometimes no means no and I believe that's the case here especially since it was never Lifetime making the claims that they were interested. It's been GL essentially begging Lifetime to take them and trying to "keep hope alive." This isn't Lifetime playing some kind of PR game this is them looking at GL and saying "Sorry but I'm just not that into you."