I posted this thread a few months ago, at Daytime Royalty, DAYS' recent renewal made me think about it again.
Even though CBS and ABC aren't exactly in the best shape right now they have managed to keep strong and consistent line-ups over the years with lots of successes, that hasn't really been the case with NBC. How did the network that started the hour-long soap trend in AW and DYS become such a colassal mess? In the early 70's, NBC had the "young" and "hip" soaps that were doing so much better than most of CBS' and all of ABC's lineup. Then something happened. The whole daytime lineup collapsed in the late 70's and early 80's, and never really recovered. DAYS is the only soap in NBC daytime history, that has managed to consistently be successful (even though it has had some rough periods) throughout its run, and actually remain a contender amongst the ABC and CBS soaps.
What got them here? I have researched and chose a few moments or events.
1. AW's 90 Minute Expansion
This shook up the lineup, an forced The Doctors into the 12:30 pm timeslot. Once SFT joined the lineup, The Doctors was pushed to 12:00, and dropped off many affiliates due to them wanting that time slot for local news. AW was already in ratings decline, but the 90 minute expansion definitely drove them down to the bottom of the pack, where it remained for the remaining 20 years of its run.
2. Texas
The show Texas is also a factor IMO. It was a new soap being put up against powerhouse GH, and a still strongly-rated GL. The show was also criticized in turning Beverly McKinsey's character Iris Cory into a heroine. The network should have stuck with AW in the 3:00 pm timeslot.
3. Letting affiliates do whatever the hell they want!
By the mid 90's, NBC had just cancelled SB, and was down to just AW and DAYS, both shows were in ratings trouble. JER came in and turned DAYS around completely and skyrocketed to #2 in the ratings. AW hardly benefitted from this, as some affiliates either aired AW in different slots or didn't air it at all. Had NBC demanded the affiliates to do so, or work out that problem, AW could have had a similar ratings reneissance.
4. Not taking newer soaps seriously
I do applaud NBC for trying with SuBe and Passions, but these shows were farces and were never taken seriously. I understand they had their own identity and what not, but a little more traditional soap moments and less over the top stuff could have helped tremedously.
5. AW/SuBe cancelled in same year
The final and ultimate blow to NBC daytime, was the cancellation of AW and SuBe in 1999. NBC Daytime pretty much bowed out of the soap game that year. Between all the cancellation rumors surrounding DAYS, and what happened to Passions showed that they really didn't care. SuBe should have gotten the axe before AW. NBC should have seriously tested a DAYS/AW/Passions lineup, and at least tried to get affiliates on board. NBC went out of their way to make sure Passions aired after DAYS in most markets, why couldn't they have done that with AW?
To sum it up, those are the reasons IMO why NBC Daytime has never recoverd the large amount of viewers they lost in the late 70's. DAYS has pretty much carried NBC Daytime on its back for the past 30 years, and had NBC (and P&G) actually tried with AW they show could have lasted longer. (Hell, it could still be on today.) While I was/always will be a fan of Passions, it was a mistake to cancel AW for it. It was inevitable that NBC wanted JER to have his own soap, so at least SuBe could have bit the bullet. Maybe if NBC showed any effort, DAYS wouldn't have to be the lone soap on the network.
This is what my random thought about DAYS this afternoon turned into
I posted this thread a few months ago, at Daytime Royalty, DAYS' recent renewal made me think about it again.
Even though CBS and ABC aren't exactly in the best shape right now they have managed to keep strong and consistent line-ups over the years with lots of successes, that hasn't really been the case with NBC. How did the network that started the hour-long soap trend in AW and DYS become such a colassal mess? In the early 70's, NBC had the "young" and "hip" soaps that were doing so much better than most of CBS' and all of ABC's lineup. Then something happened. The whole daytime lineup collapsed in the late 70's and early 80's, and never really recovered. DAYS is the only soap in NBC daytime history, that has managed to consistently be successful (even though it has had some rough periods) throughout its run, and actually remain a contender amongst the ABC and CBS soaps.
What got them here? I have researched and chose a few moments or events.
1. AW's 90 Minute Expansion
This shook up the lineup, an forced The Doctors into the 12:30 pm timeslot. Once SFT joined the lineup, The Doctors was pushed to 12:00, and dropped off many affiliates due to them wanting that time slot for local news. AW was already in ratings decline, but the 90 minute expansion definitely drove them down to the bottom of the pack, where it remained for the remaining 20 years of its run.
2. Texas
The show Texas is also a factor IMO. It was a new soap being put up against powerhouse GH, and a still strongly-rated GL. The show was also criticized in turning Beverly McKinsey's character Iris Cory into a heroine. The network should have stuck with AW in the 3:00 pm timeslot.
3. Letting affiliates do whatever the hell they want!
By the mid 90's, NBC had just cancelled SB, and was down to just AW and DAYS, both shows were in ratings trouble. JER came in and turned DAYS around completely and skyrocketed to #2 in the ratings. AW hardly benefitted from this, as some affiliates either aired AW in different slots or didn't air it at all. Had NBC demanded the affiliates to do so, or work out that problem, AW could have had a similar ratings reneissance.
4. Not taking newer soaps seriously
I do applaud NBC for trying with SuBe and Passions, but these shows were farces and were never taken seriously. I understand they had their own identity and what not, but a little more traditional soap moments and less over the top stuff could have helped tremedously.
5. AW/SuBe cancelled in same year
The final and ultimate blow to NBC daytime, was the cancellation of AW and SuBe in 1999. NBC Daytime pretty much bowed out of the soap game that year. Between all the cancellation rumors surrounding DAYS, and what happened to Passions showed that they really didn't care. SuBe should have gotten the axe before AW. NBC should have seriously tested a DAYS/AW/Passions lineup, and at least tried to get affiliates on board. NBC went out of their way to make sure Passions aired after DAYS in most markets, why couldn't they have done that with AW?
To sum it up, those are the reasons IMO why NBC Daytime has never recoverd the large amount of viewers they lost in the late 70's. DAYS has pretty much carried NBC Daytime on its back for the past 30 years, and had NBC (and P&G) actually tried with AW they show could have lasted longer. (Hell, it could still be on today.) While I was/always will be a fan of Passions, it was a mistake to cancel AW for it. It was inevitable that NBC wanted JER to have his own soap, so at least SuBe could have bit the bullet. Maybe if NBC showed any effort, DAYS wouldn't have to be the lone soap on the network.
This is what my random thought about DAYS this afternoon turned into
Edited by Eric83