SOAPnet Sets All Time High Viewing Records in Prime-time in 2009

[Toups]

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/12/30/soapnet-sets-all-time-high-viewing-records-in-prime-time-in-2009/37331

SOAPnet Sets All Time High Viewing Records in Prime-time in 2009

Posted on 30 December 2009 by Robert Seidman

via press release:

Ratings Highlights for 2009

Final National Ratings

SOAPnet Sets All Time High Viewing Records in Prime in 2009

Growing its Audience for the 8th Consecutive Year in Prime,

2009 Ranks as SOAPnet’s Most-Watched Year Ever in Total Viewers

2009 Stands as SOAPnet’s Most-Watched Year

in the Net’s History in Target Women 18-49

“All My Children” and “One Life to Live” Hit All Time Annual Highs in Viewers and Women 18-49, Posting Hefty Double-Digit Percent Increases Year to Year

SOAPnet (2009)

SOAPnet delivered a record setting year in 2009, generating the Net’s largest Total Viewer (353,000) and Women 18-49 (133,000) audiences of all-time in Prime. Impressively, SOAPnet posted its 8th consecutive year of growth in Prime in Total Viewers.

* Year-to-year, SOAPnet grew by a solid 9% in Total Viewers (353,000 vs. 325,000) and by a substantial 18% in Women 18-49 (133,000 vs. 113,000).

“All My Children” (M-F, 8:00-9:00 p.m.)

“All My Children” delivered its largest annual audience ever on SOAPnet in Total Viewers (462,000) and Women 18-49 (175,000).

* Versus 2008, “All My Children” increased by an impressive 24% in Total Viewers (462,000 vs. 374,000) and by a greater 42% in Women 18-49 (175,000 vs. 123,000).

“One Life to Live” (M-F, 9:00-10:00 p.m.)

“One Life to Live” hit new highs in 2009, generating its largest Total Viewer (441,000) and Women 18-49 (172,000) audiences of all time on SOAPnet.

* Compared to 2008 levels, “One Life to Live” garnered huge increases up by 19% in Total Viewers (441,000 vs. 371,000) and by 32% in Women 18-49 (172,000 vs. 130,000).

Source: Nielsen Media Research (National Ratings, 2009: 12/28/08-12/27/09, Most Current: Live + SD blended with Live + 7, when available).

[All My Shadows]

Daytime ratings go down while primetime ratings for the same shows are going up...hmmm....WONDER! WHY!?

[Chris B]

Wait. Where's Bank On Mom and Dad's press release? Holidate? You mean people are watching soaps on SOAPnet? You've got to be kidding me!!! Explains why the dumped all the classic primetime soaps during the day and haven't picked up any international soaps. *rolls eyes*

If you consider the SOAPnet ratings and online, then the ABC soaps really aren't doing as terrible as we think. Surely them airing on SOAPnet should make some money for them so they don't just have to depend on the network.

[JackPeyton]

"Holidate" registered series highs in Total Viewers (329,000) and Women 18-49 (125,000)

I dont have the numbers for Being Erica but it did really well on soapnet.

I have no idea how Bank of Mom & Dad did, i never dave enough to look into it.

They dumped the classic soaps in the day because they didnt bring in ratings. I lost the info i had on Another World, but it was really bad. And you can only loop dallas and dynasty so much.

Soapnet is doing things right, as much as soap fans hate it. Industry magazines have published what a turn around that network has made and how well its doing. Based on this year alone, mostly summer-now.

[All My Shadows]

If Holidate's 329,000 is a series high (a high just for that show? or for the originals collectively?), then I don't see how that's any competition for AMC/OLTL, if they're doing an average in the ballpark of 450,000.

To be fair, in the time it takes to loop Dallas once, The OC loops almost four times. I'm real curious to see their current daytime ratings. There had to have been a reason why they pulled the old switcheroo with OTH and OC a few months back.

[JackPeyton]

I dont know how soapnet pays for their shows, meaning the abc soaps. i am sure they dont just get them for free. they could be paying less for the reailty/international shows as most networks do, but idk all the details.

you also have to take into account that advertisers may be more inclined to buy ad time on a reality show than a soap opera, even on a network called soapnet. there is a reason that a lot of low rated reality shows are faves of advertisers, because the ad time is cheaper. its not always about top rated, its usually more about ad time. Its odd. I mean, look at NBC. The three shows with the most ad time are 30 rock, The Office and The Biggest Loser. Of those three, TBL is the higest rated (i believe, i know it was at some point this season).

i can try and get the daytime ratings and see.

as for the oc/oth vs dalls/dynasty, the former brings in a much younger demo and younger demo = money.

[Chris B]

Another World was low rated, but Knots Landing was the highest rated show on SOAPnet for a long time. AW had a 0.0 rating IIRC. Knots Landing did so well on SOAPnet that even TV Guide wrote about how SOAPnet renewed their contract with the show. It was used (along with Dallas) to help launch 90210 and Melrose on the network. Then they dumped it once they got OTH and OC. I think considering they show two episodes each of OC (which is only four seasons!) and OTH, there is room to please everyone. It may be a diffenret demo, but Dallas and Knots did bring in ratings.

As for Holidate, 300,000 is terrible for any cable network. Now if that's a series high they then need to be ashamed of themselves. Even for a reality show that is dreadful. Now reruns of their soaps getting between 400,000-500,000 weekly average is very good. Especially since the soap ratings keep going up. Being Erica has done well, but I doubt it's doing that great. I'd say 500,000 tops. It helps that they don't produce the show like Night Shift. I don't think it's a soap though. They could throw in Hollyoaks and they'd have a well produced teen soap that caters the the demo they want.

[Toups]

I think that's a great idea and see how it does.

[JackPeyton]

Oh yeah, i forgot all about KL. I wish they would bring it back because it does hold up well and could easily fit. The network def needs more shows to air. But i dont think classic soaps are the answer, and after AW, a show people lobbied for them to get, failed they will try it again. it would be nice if they did tho now that the network gets higer ratings.

Even if Dallas and KL bring in the ratings tho, do they bring in the same ad rev that Oc/OTH do? Thats the million $ question here.

I would love it if they got some international soaps because i do think they would do well if they got the promotion. MTV is taking on Skins, that would be interesting. But then again BBCAmerica has droped the soaps they aired because of ratings.

For a first season reality show on a niche cable network, 300,000 is not bad. bridezillas and other reality shows on like cable networks did worse than that in the begining but then grew. the fact that soapnet is producing the show, just paying a fee to air it, helps a lot i am sure. This is how The-N started becoming its own hiot network. They did the same thing and eventually made it to the point where they could produce their own shows.

[Cheap21]

Who the heck is still watching SN? With ABC now offering its soaps online, there is little to no reason to even bother with SN especially since its morphed into something completely different than what it was originally intended to be

[JaneAusten]

How come they don't mention Days, Y&R or GH? Do these shows now fall outside of the primetime slot? Didn't they move Days so that it now airs during primetime? I thought Y&R was Soapnet's highest rated show. They are on at 8:00 EST right?

[All My Shadows]

SOAPnet's current "daytime in primetime" lineup is, in CST: 5pm DAYS, 6pm Y&R, 7pm AMC, 8pm OLTL, 9pm GH. I don't know what Neilsen considers primetime to be...I would guess Y&R-GH, but I'm not sure.

BBC America...I don't know what to say about that steaming pile. Yeah, in the end, they're probably getting better ratings now than they used to, but geez. I just don't get why people would want to watch the same crap day in and day out, all day long. The network is obviously run by Americans, because I'm sure UK people would throw ratings to the wind as far as EastEnders is concerned and show it at least in special marathons every now and then or whatever. It's never aired on the channel at all since 2003.

[alphanguy74]

Who's watching on soapnet? People who want to watch television on a nice, large screen TV in the comfort of their living rooms, instead of on a small computer screen while sitting in an office chair. Isn't soapnet owned by ABC? Then I'm sure they pay nothing for the re-brodcast of OLTL and AMC. OTC and OC are WORN OUT, they need to get something else. Re-broadcast of Knots Landing would be nice, since it's been out of rotation for a while... but the most obvious choice, IMO.. is FALCON CREST. Wouldn't hurt for them to give Flamingo Road a twirl as well... I know I loved it when I saw it the first time around. What do these ratings say about prime time? That most of the network's prime time offerings are sh!t. Any ratings available for Y&R's prime time telecast?

[jcar03]

Unless of course you have a laptop and can sit where ever you want.

[alphanguy74]

True, but when you have the choice of a laptop or the choice of a 46 inch flatscreen... most people choose the flatscreen. I only have a 27 inch CRT, but it's still WAY better than watching on a 19 inch computer monitor.