“Disney Junior” Replaces SOAPnet in 2012

[Eric83]

Unlike most, I think that Frons could be telling the truth. Yeah, he has denied OLTL's cancellation rumors time and time again. Why do that if he doesnt give a damn about the show?

I still think AMC/GH are his main priorities, and One Life will die first, but I am going to choose to believe his statements he said in that Michael Logan interview.

[bellcurve]

OLTL's cancellation isn't up to Frons. Even if OLTL survives massive budget cuts and cast purges, if the network wants to downsize daytime or replace one of the three soaps with a newscast or talk show, it's gonna happen.

Frons also wanted to keep Port Charles. We saw what happened there...

[Jonathan]

I agree. It's to Frons's benefit that soaps remain on the air. His "specialty" is supposed to be soaps. If the daypart were filled with just The View and other talk shows, his position would most likely be eliminated and his duties would just then be absorbed by someone else.

[Ann_SS]

I don't believe that Frons wants the soaps to die either. He has a vested interest in keeping them alive, but he is cognizant that the genre is running out of steam. Frons must be counting on budget cuts to keep these shows going for the next couple of years because the ratings are not good. I don't see how things are going to get better in the future. If anything Days' recent decline shows that soaps cannot rebuild their viewership and sustain that growth for a substantial period of time. Look at how GH has lost almost all of its increase from sweeps. Y&R is the only soap that is holding on to its key demo which is why I don't understand the news that it will have another major budget cut.

[Saving ATWT]

Frons cares about keeping his job which would be gone if all the ABC soaps die. I don't think OLTL to handle more cuts considering the recent cast shake ups; however, ATWT has been doing more with less for a very long time and managed to hide it from viewers--the only thing wrong with the show has been the writers but that has nothing to do with cash. Perosnally, I wish Frons would go out on a limb and try something new with OLTL, some sort of new production model. I still see room for a new and different mode of storytelling and wish he'd play with a new option. Frons has nothing to loose with OLTL and everything to gain if something new takes off. A soap taking on the feel of a stage play by using only two or three sets would save money and could be really interesting because it would mean most of the characters would be interacting all of the time. Also, cutting cast could be a good thing because it would force writers to focus on character driven story. Another idea might be for ABC prime time characters to 'cross over' into Llanview for a few days or a story arch.

Sony is going to drain Y&R and pull out as much profit as possible before the end. Sony knows that soaps have, at most, another decade and, in the mean time, wants to make bank. If the show drops a few points in demos it won't really matter very much in terms of ad revenue. It costs the same to buy ad time for OLTL, ATWT, and AMC even though the demos slightly vary.

[Saving ATWT]

They are probably worried about brand ID plus the idea of young children flipping on soaps and seeing a sexy bed scene.

I think this means ABC is about to be sold. This, or ABC daytime is about to get slashed. There is no reason for the company to be killing off a money making asset.

[Eric83]

If Frons wasn't playing favorites with certain characters, there could be a cast purge on OLTL and the show could survive, but ONLY if they could net at least 3 or 4 character returns. (At the top of my list would Kevin and Rachel)

The show could drop Rex, Gigi, Greg, Ford, John, and maybe 2 or 3 others and be fine.

Then they could focus on utilizing the talents of other people on canvas, who always get the shaft (Susan Haskell, Kassie DePavia,etc.) The show is need of a MAJOR overhaul, and I'm not talking about firing 4 or 5 contract players, who barely got anything, I mean the big guns that Frons loves so much. (Michael Easton!!!!)

I thought about that too, maybe if they did more of that Peapack style shooting that could save money. But of course, I would NEVER want them to do that full-time.

[bellcurve]

Tried and failed.

It's called GL circa 2005-Early 2008. There were ratings increases, but Wheeler and Kreizman were one trick ponies at GL.

[SFK]

It *could* have worked had they not deliverd such snoozey writing unhelped by even snoozier folksy Starbucks music in the background. In the '70s, they produced two of Tennessee Williams' one-acts on tape in a production called Dragon Country, just two characters on three wall theatre sets, and they have a very soapy look to them. Granted, we're talking Williams and actors like Kim Stanley and Lois Smith here, but the right actors and writing can carry anything.

They never focus on what's truly important anymore, the stuff that put and kept the soaps on top in the first place.

[Khan]

Better there, though, than seeing it on "the streets" -- or worse, their parents' bedrooms.

My prediction: by December 2012, all soaps will be gone.

[All My Shadows]

Good Lord, people will politicize anything, won't they? I found this in a comment section on that skeeze Perez's website...

Dontchaknow. They're punishing people for working and being successful, you see, by taking away their soaps. Now, the only way you can get to watch is if you have no job and are at home all day long. It's the government's fault, that's what it is. It's all Barack Obama's fault. Mhm. Yep.

GMAFB.

ETA: Amazingly, there's not a single "Good, soaps suck and are a waste of time blah blah blah" comment.

[asa]

Why is this a bad? They make the logical--and frankly, correct--point that it's likely later viewers are DVR'ing episodes and watching them whenever rather than making prime time appointment television to tune into SoapNet. Times are a'changing.

Of course, I don't see why Disney needs a Jr. channel other than to fruitlessly compete with Nickelodeon in a market that Nick has cornered for more than a decade and isn't about to give up.

[bellcurve]

That's beside the point. Not everyone watched SOAPnet or wanted to watch SOAPnet for the same days.

[DAMfan]

Just what all kids need a 24 hr channel and parrents will be so happy when kids want to watch and not go to bed!!

[Scotty]

And according to some people, so will the Earth.