ATWT going into syndication

[Soapsuds]

In a recent interview Chris Goutman's wife said they are trying to get ATWT to go the syndication route.

[EricMontreal22]

This is super anal of me but can we please rename threads like this--maybe at least put a question mark at the end? As it is, I thought it was fact.

[Mr. Vixen]

yea i agree, because i got all excited, then bam, my excitement died.

[EricMontreal22]

I wish I thought syndication were possible--but is it? Syndication for anything but talk shows is pretty much dead... In 1974 when Secret Storm was canceled they worked out a syndication deal--had over 100 stations agreeing to carry it yet it fell through. That was in the 70s when syndication stood a MUCH better chance (didn't Search or Love of Life try for the same?)

[Soapsuds]

Sorry about that..forgot the question mark.

I was going to ask how possible is it for ATWT to go syndication.

[bellcurve]

Um, the Syndie Convention in Vegas has come and gone. Unless they plan on selling to desperate CW/MyNet/Retro affils, who the hell's gonna want ATWT? Besides, Swift Justice with Nancy Grace was the only thing people were talking about anyway. Syndication is a bitch and a tough sell.

There's no way they can sell ATWT that fast.

And besides, who's gonna distribute the show? CBS/Paramount(Formerly King World/Big Ticket)? Les Moonves oversees them too and CBS/Paramount is the big dog. Trifecta can't foot the bill of a show taping in New York, nor can they foot the expense of moving to Stamford or Jersey.

The show is over. They need to quit lying to themselves and to fans and just accept reality.

[Soapsuds]

They should have moved the damn show to the west coast like they did AMC.

[Adam]

I know it would never make money, but my personal hope is after all these shows are gone (including ATWT), that soap reruns are shown. I mean, I'd take anything from before 1997 on AMC ahead of what is going on now. I know it would be dated, but IMO if the writing is solid that wouldn't matter.

[bellcurve]

Retro Televison Network. Re-scored. Your best bet.

I'd kill to see EDGE on RTN. It's the perfect show for its lineup.

[Saving ATWT]

Pretty sure I know what she is talking about. Last year, the Prez of Associated Television (or whatever it is called), same company that does Daytime Emmys, wanted to do a deal on GL where would become a weekly show filmed up in Toronto. The cast would have been stripped down to reduce production cost. I don't know whatever happened regarding the deal but I never heard anything else about it. It was either DC or We Love Soaps. The guy has connections and could probably get the show up for mid-season. I could see CW and MY stations airing the show considering they once showed Zena and stuff like that.

[Chris B]

I say spin-off or nothing still, but I would love to see classic episodes syndicated, for GL and ATWT. Both are better known than the long canceled soaps and could easily be promoted on SOAPnet. Unfortunately, SOAPnet doesn't want soaps. Who else could pick them up? Hallmark? I'd say DVD is a good option. Hacienda Heights, a new syndicated soap coming soon, will be interesting to watch. I can't wait to see how many stations pick that show up and how they schedule it. If it does well it could mean a new life for soaps.

[Saving ATWT]

I just wonder who would be willing to take a chance on a spin off. GL/World Turns are damaged brands yet, still brands, that would have built in viewers. People here on SON would be aware of a spin off but the general population might have little to no idea.

The only sort of 'spin off' that would work would need to retain original name but only focus on, at most, three characters. Example: Jack and Carly move to NYC and something new is built around that but the name World Turns is retained. Within one year, GL will be a blank slate for most viewers, too.

[bellcurve]

It's way too early to tell, but one of the good things about Hacienda Heights versus a show like Rituals is that they're taping the show in a studio in San Fransisco to offset the cost of production. And they also know exactly who they want to target, which is important because the audience will follow. So, even if the ratings aren't good, but are stable, it may be just enough for them to get renewed, because of the cheap cost to produce the show.

[edgeofnight]

I am so glad to think that there is someone out there, besides me, who knows of the attempt that was made to syndicate Secret Storm after it was cancelled by CBS in February 1974. I was not quite 18 at the time, but I do, distinctly, reading about the effort.

A decade later, I was thrilled beyond belief that within a year after Edge of Night's cancellation, reruns of the show's last 3 1/2 years were picked up by the USA cable network. It was also later done for Search.

In the late 1980s/early 1990s, I was acquainted with the wife of an American Home Products executive. AHP owned Secret Storm, and I have always regretted not asking him about their efforts to syndicate Secret Storm.

I may have stated this before on a thread, but I am to be featured in a new book entitled The Survival of the Soap Opera Genre, published by the University of Mississippi Press. In conjunction with the book's publication, I have been invited to speak at the American Popular Culture Association Conference in St. Louis, Mo., from March 31 - April 3, 2010.

There has to be an answer. There must be some network, cable or otherwise, who is willing to take the bold step to save ATWT and other shows that are in danger of cancellation.

[Mitch]

I rememeber that, and that guy was full of [!@#$%^&*]. He knows nothing about soaps except producing the daytime emmys (and they are a joke in the industry) and was just trying to get his name in print. The long suffering Mrs. Gautman has a history of denial. She deserves better then the two no talents that have made problems for her.

The only hope GL had was actually Lifetime, which actually would have considered picking up GL but the cancellation came after they had announced their fall line up. Not so with World Turns, which is a better prospect for success then GL, so I dont know what is going on there.

Someone had suggested a move to California, but I dont think it needed to be that drastic. Televest, if they gave two shits, could have moved both their shows to some studio on Conn. had twice the studio space at half or a third of the cost and stil used Wheeler's "innovative," production technigue. As it is they did GL half ass, building three permanent sets and making Wheeler and co. hike out to Peapack, (and evne then leasing the bottom of the barrel) to set them up to failure. Or they could have sold them to a production compnay which would have done that. The sad fact is that both GL and ATWT did/have life left in them, but PG wants out, and they dont like somoene else having their old products. Marcia McCabe, everyone else quatoing what they are doing is smoke and mirrors, they want the shows to end. period, so they will.