Oops, I missed it in the thread.

I predict there will be a whole lore constructed about what exactly special soaps are. Y&R and B&B? But that would contradict his own stand that this is the end of the client-owned soap. Who knows...

<p><span style="font-size:19.5pt;"><font face="Verdana">'As the World Turns' canceled</font></span>

<span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><b><font face="Verdana">CBS says the soap, on the air for 54 years, will end in September.</font></b></span>

<span style="font-size:7.5pt;"><b><font face="Tahoma">By Denise Martin December 9, 2009</font></b></span>

<span style="font-size:9pt;"><font face="Verdana">CBS has pulled the plug on another long-running soap opera.

Just three months after "Guiding Light" aired its final episode, CBS announced Tuesday that it will end "As the World Turns" in September, after 54 years and more than 13,000 episodes. Its cancellation will leave CBS with just two soaps: daytime's most-watched serial, "The Young and the Restless," and "The Bold and the Beautiful."

"World," which launched in 1956 and is the oldest of the remaining broadcast soap operas, had long been rumored to be the genre's next casualty. The show averages 2.5 million total viewers this year (down from 2.6 million in 2008), which is less than half of the audience that tunes in to "The Young and the Restless," which averages just over 5 million.

Lynn Leahey, editorial director of Soap Opera Digest, said the move does not come as a surprise for daytime industry observers. "Still, it's a punch in the gut for fans," she said. "This is a show they've been holding near and dear for decades."

"World" follows the denizens of small town Oakdale, Ill., and has seen such actors as Marisa Tomei, Meg Ryan and James Earl Jones come through town.

CBS declined comment, but in a statement Barbara Bloom, senior vice president of daytime programming, said, "The almanacs will show 'As the World Turns' as a pioneer of the format, a hallmark for quality with its numerous Emmys, the launching pad for many television and film stars and a daytime ratings powerhouse for parts of three decades."

But the bottom line, Leahey said, is " 'As the World Turns' just isn't making money."

Soap operas' viewership has been in a steady decline for decades and in more recent years has plummeted as more women have joined the workforce and the number of cable outlets and entertainment choices has exploded.

Meanwhile, daytime has seen success with talk shows and other less expensive formats, while serials require much larger budgets for their big ensemble casts, producers and writers. Most daytime soaps have issued major pay cuts in recent years; in October, longtime "The Young and the Restless" star Eric Braeden publicly threatened to leave the show after being asked to take yet another cut to what is reportedly a seven-figure salary. (He and "Y&R" producer Sony eventually came to an agreement.)

Also, in a cost-cutting move, ABC is planning to move "All My Children" from New York to California at the end of the year, according to sources at the show. The decision will save an estimated $10 million annually for the company, which both owns and produces the show, according to sources.

Brian Cahill, senior vice president and managing director of TeleNext Media, the subsidiary of Procter & Gamble that produced both "Guiding Light" and "World," told the Associated Press that the company is shopping "World" to other outlets in the hopes of continuing production. TeleNext has tried but has failed to find another home for "Guiding Light."

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<span style="font-size:7.5pt;"><b><font face="Tahoma">http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-world-turns09-2009dec09,0,5309736.story</font></b></span></p>

Edited December 9, 200916 yr by Sylph

I said the same thing. I prefer truthful words and responses from Moonves. No faking of emotion. The man cancels shows all the time. He isn't attached to any of them or their fans. He is already looking for the next ratings draw for CBS. I think that some people are extraordinarily sensitive at the moment.

It's the stages of grief. I have zero attachment to ATWT and goodness knows I'm well-documented on this board as being firmly in the camp of letting these shows die a natural death but even I feel a twinge of sorrow. It didn't have to be this way, not for ATWT, not for any of the soaps.

And Moonves is still kicking his own ass for cancelling Moonlight.

It's the look in Moonves's face that ticks me off. Like he *knows* that canceling ATWT, in the grand scheme of TV history, is a big thing, but it's like "Yeah, we canceled a soap today LOL It's whatever, you know, somebody had to come along and start taking these shows off the air anyway, so yeah, it's whatever haha"

I'm not looking for any feigned affection, though. Just an acknowledgment of what this show meant to his network for the better part of its 54 years would be nice. For many across the country, As the World Turns is the quintessential soap opera.

It's the look in Moonves's face that ticks me off. Like he *knows* that canceling ATWT, in the grand scheme of TV history, is a big thing, but it's like "Yeah, we canceled a soap today LOL It's whatever, you know, somebody had to come along and start taking these shows off the air anyway, so yeah, it's whatever haha"

I'm not looking for any feigned affection, though. Just an acknowledgment of what this show meant to his network for the better part of its 54 years would be nice. For many across the country, As the World Turns is the quintessential soap opera.

Precisely. I don't think he should've used an I'm sorry or anything resembling that because that would have been seen as feigned affection.

However, a nice, polite reply saying that this truly was a huuuge show which changed TV in many ways, but that ultimately the reality of this business is that it had to go... Or something like that.

From Media Life:

It's an increasingly legitimate question: How long can the daytime soap operas survive? ABC, NBC and CBS have all canceled shows in the past six years, and yesterday CBS nixed its second in just one year, which will reduce the number of daytime dramas on the network to two.

"As the World Turns" will air its final episode in September after 54 seasons. It will mark the first time in decades that Procter & Gamble, the show's sponsor, will be without a daytime drama.

Earlier this year, CBS canceled "Guiding Light" after more than 70 seasons. It aired its series finale in September.

The genre has been struggling in the ratings for years. Blame social realities -- a decreasing number of women are home all day to watch the soaps -- and increased competition -- cable networks have proliferated over the years and now offer more original daytime programming -- for the decline.

"World" averaged 2.6 million total viewers during the 2008-'09 season, according to Nielsen, down from 2.97 million the previous year, a decline of 12 percent. It was the second-least-watched soap on the Big Three, behind only "Light's" 2.1 million.

More alarming, the show had plummeted 19 percent among the key women 18-49 whom advertisers target.

At the same time, "World" was not cheap to produce, what with the large cast necessary for any soap, as well as writers, producers and production staff. Actress Martha Byrne left "World" last year in a contract dispute as producers tried to reduce costs.

CBS has not yet said what will replace "World," but a game show is a possibility. Those are much cheaper to produce, and the network already has subbed in "Let's Make a Deal" for "Light."

Come September, there will be six surviving soaps on television: NBC's "Days of Our Lives," CBS's "The Bold and the Beautiful" and top-rated "The Young and the Restless," and ABC's "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital."

NBC canceled "Passions" two years ago, and ABC nixed "Port Charles" in 2003.

The guy who told Moonves the news is married to Marie Masters daughter who played Emily as a child.

From the NY Post:

Eileen Fulton predicted that everybody will land on their feet. "We're all very good at what we do, and we'll all be working again," she said.

Well, she sure is nice but all I'm gonna say is two words: Marnie...Shoulderburns. Schokenblurg. Cronenberg. Burdenburg. Whatever the [!@#$%^&*] The 40-Year-Old Alison's name is. You know what I mean.

And also: Frank Dicopoulos. But seriously, sadly, a lot of these daytime players, good or bad, will likely not be seen again. I don't see Marie Wilson (who I like despite her years eating the show), Michael Park, Maura West, Noelle Beck, the Hensleys or many others setting Hollywood ablaze. And not because they're bad actors. Because they're daytime and many simply will not get work unless they're under 30.

From the NY Post:

Well, she sure is nice but all I'm gonna say is two words: Marnie...Shoulderburns. Schokenblurg. Cronenberg. Burdenburg. Whatever the [!@#$%^&*] The 40-Year-Old Alison's name is. You know what I mean.

And also: Frank Dicopoulos. But seriously, sadly, a lot of these daytime players, good or bad, will likely not be seen again. I don't see Marie Wilson (who I like despite her years eating the show), Michael Park, Maura West, Noelle Beck, the Hensleys or many others setting Hollywood ablaze. And not because they're bad actors. Because they're daytime and many simply will not get work unless they're under 30.

I don't think anyone is planning to "set Hollywood ablaze." For the vast majority of actors, working is simply working. Acting. Not necessarily in big box office flicks or as a regular on a high-profile primetime show. Work is work.

While I am not surprised at all by ATWT's cancellation it nonetheless makes me very sad for the industry as a whole and the fans of the show. Yes, it is terrible another show has been canceled but we have to look at the positives in the industry. Days has been able to reduce production cost and has increased its viewership. ABC has shown a vote of confidence in AMC by relocating it to California and like it or not Y&R has had year over year growth ratings wise. Soon we will be down to six soaps but maybe the six that remain will pull out all the stops and be able to stop this dreadful trend that seems to be upon us. I am trying to look at the positives but also never forgetting ATWT, GL or any of the other soaps we have lost over the years.

Edited December 9, 200916 yr by skiman12082004

I don't think anyone is planning to "set Hollywood ablaze." For the vast majority of actors, working is simply working. Acting. Not necessarily in big box office flicks or as a regular on a high-profile primetime show. Work is work.

Many of these actors are going to have to make a move out West for jobs if they want to stay in soaps or find a long term gig in primetime. If they can't make the move they aren't likely to be seen again except in occassional episodes of Law & Order or some other procedural. There's always the theatre I suppose.

Edited December 9, 200916 yr by trish672

Ausiello:

And then there were six. The ailing soap industry took another hit this morning with the announcement that CBS has canceled As the World Turns. The show will end its 54-year run in September.

The move, which comes just three months after CBS bid adieu to Guiding Light, will leave just six soaps on the air. The number could soon shrink to five if ABC axes One Life to Live, as has been rumored.

“We are disappointed and saddened by the news that the show is not being renewed,” said ATWT exec producer Chris Goutman in a statement. ”It will certainly be a loss for all of us, and for the show’s loyal audience.”

Producers are shopping the show around to other outlets, but don’t hold your breath. A similar effort was mounted for GL, and we saw how well that worked out.

ATWT’s demise wasn’t unexpected, but it still stings. As you probably know, I got my start covering soaps. In fact, my first college internship was at ATWT. To watch the once-mighty industry wither away like this is beyond depressing.

Many of these actors are going to have to make a move out West for jobs if they want to stay in soaps or find a long term gig in primetime. If they can't make the move they aren't likely to be seen again except in occassional episodes of Law & Order or some other procedural.

But my point is that working doesn't have to mean staying in soaps or finding a long-term gig in primetime. Many of the older cast members at ATWT have done little outside of the show. I don't think they're looking to do much now.

Such sad news, even more so then GL THIS is truly an end to an era. ATWT was what people thought of when they thought "old fashioned soap," (and I don't find that an insult.)

Hold on as this is going to be a sentimental, sugar sweet ode to ATWT, one in which I will be embarrased I wrote as soon as I post, but...I like many grew up on this show and its characters. Weird story but my mom found out she was preggers with me on of all days, the day Kennedy was shot. She still remembers coming home from the docs turning on "World Turns," and then having it interrupted by Cronkite to tell the bad news. She always mentions that it was ATWT she was watching....as if she is still incredulous that such horror and reality could pop up in the middle of the safe, cozy world of Oakdale. As a kid my mom was so into "Word Turns," that she scheduled my nap/quiet time for 12:30, and I would lay there as she rocked me and listen...my mom saying things like"Oh that DAMN Lisa!" and like a radio show voices, to this day the Wagners, Fulton and Hastings voices make me feel, as goofy as it sounds, like I am wrapped in a warm blanket. It is astounding that the characters and actors who were there as early as I can remember we there when I was in high school, college, starting a job, making various moves and up to this day. It was totally comforting that in a freaked out world that is in constant flux, there was one thing that didn't change. I remember watching this and GL with my grandmother and laughing at how she would get into it and talk to the TV...."Watch out you damn fool, he is hiding behind the door!" "Oh for Christ's sake can't they see that person standing just behind them listening!"

I am in the minority, but it was in the later part of Marland's run that I started finding myself rather bored with Oakdale. I loved that Marland brought class and great plots and family and put the vets exaclty where they belonged, but his ATWT was not the ATWT I grew up with,it was too cold, too stoic, too freaking polite. This was happening at the time I was getting back into GL, which did not have its core intact like ATWT, but it was loud, sometimes messy but always passionate and full of heart. Marland, to me, took the heart and the passion out of ATWT, which is anathem to most viewers. After he died the show just stumbled and fell apart and, though I check back and occasionally watch, I never came back for good.

However, I always valued that seeing, and most importantly hearing, Bob, Lisa, Nancy, John, Kim, Susan made me feel like a little kid, curled up and safe at home.

Blah, I am making myself sick!!!

But my point is that working doesn't have to mean staying in soaps or finding a long-term gig in primetime. Many of the older cast members at ATWT have done little outside of the show. I don't think they're looking to do much now.

Pretty much. We know from previous cancelled soaps that only a small number of actors will find work on other soaps. A few will rely on prime time guest stints, and commercial, infomercial and voice over work. Stephen Schnetzer who was Cass on Another World has done several Law and Order guest spots and has a nice commerical/voice over career going. However, most of the actors will end up pursuing new careers, especially the older ones. I hope that they have been frugal with their money because losing that reliable income is tough.

Edited December 9, 200916 yr by Ann_SS