ATWT Canceled

[SFK]

I've always felt that I got SoapNet two years too late, and I bet a lot of fans feel the same way. Our college cable provider didn't carry it, I didn't get it until I graduated and moved into my apartment. By that time, The Colbys, Falcon Crest, Hotel, Sisters, all of those were gone, and TC and FC were what I wanted the network for to begin with. It was almost cruel how they reran Dallas ad nauseam and that was the only one of the bunch readily available on dvd! It made no sense to me that they weren't airing The City, and following Ryan's Hope was like following Carmen Sandiego. They had even cut one or two of their soap-related magazine shows by that point. It's sad, I felt a little duped and now I do not miss it at all.

[JaneAusten]

I'm not endorsing Soapnet by any means and the station is total garbage but I want someone to show me where quality=viewership. If that was the case, so many shows cancelled never would have been. But it's business and these stations need to do what they need to do to survive. Maybe Soapnet should go after the NFL for a contract to broadcast football. That seems to be the ONLY programming that seems to continue to increase.

As for changing the name, well look at MTV.

[Chris B]

Look at Hallmark. They're doing well. I just think SOAPnet is focused on the wrong demographic. If people wanna see The Real Housewives or The Hills, they'll go to the networks known for that stuff that does it best. SOAPnet needs to find it's own niche and do something original to get people attracted to the network.

[DRW50]

I don't know if anyone has said quality = viewership. It's just that most of their lineup is pure garbage, it looks like leftovers no one else wanted. If this makes them money, then fine, but if they are going to move in a non-soap direction, then I think they could find some better stuff which probably wouldn't be that much more expensive.

I also wonder how much of an identity a network loses when they become too much about one thing. I used to watch Lifetime for years, reruns which came on in the afternoon or morning, and now when I look at their schedule it's 5 days a week of nothing but Wife Swap, Deseperate Housewives, Will & Grace, and Grey's Anatomy. Their entire morning and afternoon lineup. How long is that going to be popular? They don't even show Christmas movies anymore.

As for changing the name, MTV is a brand more than music TV. Soapnet isn't a brand. If MTV had a Music TV logo onscreen, they probably would have changed it. Like when TNN tried to claim those letters stood for something besides The Nashville Network. They quickly saw the folly, and just went with Spike. Or when whatever Comedy Central used to be, they had all types of names, before they finally chose that one.

[JaneAusten]

Chris you know what I think we are both saying the same things differently. Soapnet is garbage and IA. To me they are a true contradiction. They put on programming to attract a younger demo but keep the programming on that Frons claims are for nursing home viewers. It's like they want both. If they want to be another CW, invest in it and drop the rest of the lineup. If you want to be a soap channel, drop the rest and focus on it. It's not hard IMO.

Guess who owns Lifetime and Soapnet?

[Sylph]

I was just reminding myself of why MyNetworkTV telenovelas tanked. Writers, of course! They were not very good writers and expensive. MyNetwork wanted to keep them as "translators", but when the WGA intervened...

[Sylph]

<br><br>Lifetime is a joint venture by Hearst Corp., ABC and NBC Uni.

[P.J.]

And inevitably when people did say something, and rhapsodize about "the Marland years" they were told to shut up and enjoy what was on the air now, not gloss over the problems with the show under Marland's pen.

When the show wasn't cancelled there wasn't any reason to "outpour" and reminisce about how/why/when they watched the show.

People do it with every show. Heck, even I watched the last couple of eppys of ER, when it left. Even though I really didn't understand most of it and cringed at John Stamos playing a doctor.

[JaneAusten]

I thought ABC was the majority owner?

[Sylph]

Lifetimes is owned by AETN and AETN is owned by Hearst, ABC (each 37.5%) and NBC Uni. (25%).

[DRW50]

I had almost wondered if they'd had new ownership at Lifetime in the past year or so because their lineup changes baffle me. Can showing 10 or 12 or 14 episodes of the same shows during the morning and afternoon really bring in viewers?

[JaneAusten]

I think Soapnet should become MLBN( The Major League Baseball Network) and broadcast only Baseball games, rebroadcast legendary games, and do baseball specials. They could be similar to the NFL Network except for Baseball.

Now I am kidding but who knows with the geniuses running this network what could happen.

[Sylph]

There's also this:

http://marlenadelacroix.com/?p=304

http://marlenadelacroix.com/?p=303

[DRW50]

I sure hope not.

[DRW50]

It's interesting to hear that Marlena burst into tears when she learned of this news. Marlena loves to talk about "thinking fans" and never catered or pandered or debased herself the way some soap writers have. She could have taken the route some soap critics have and sneered or shrugged or offered empty platitudes which are a codeword for "Nothing to see here, move along." That she instead offered such honest emotion is nice to know.