AMC: "Grossly over-budget"

[Wendy]

I am the very first to bang the "GH Sucks!" drum. Guza has gutted the heart out of it for a marathon of mob with a side of mob and more mob, with the crumbs left to the hospital side, so he can claim the name of the show does still have merit.

That said, GH also goes dark plenty. Actors have tweeted about their breaks and whatnot, and GH now tapes a bunch of episodes at once, too. Then again, while going dark may save some money, well...the maintenance of the HD equipment and, more importantly, using the usual airhogs WAY OVER their contract minimums must negate all of that.

So I can only guess, where GH is concerned, that it stays afloat due to its name, past glory, and, while it is true that its HH ratings are no different from OLTL/AMC, it often does do better in the almighty demos (and even those aren't great; but #2 of a shrinking pie is still #2, and Frons is obsessed with demos.)

One last reason/theory I can think of is, while online is still often seen as "fringe" versus offline? I have noticed that while ALL soaps do have passionate fans, the GH/Days fans are a breed unto themselves. And I think that as crazy as it can get, maybe the network takes that "passion" into account, as well. Sure, a sinking ship is a sinking ship. But #2 demos + rabid fans + coasting on past glory/history + Frons backing = GH safe (for the moment).

The AMC/OLTL fans seem more rational/moderate/calm. But maybe I'm wrong there. It would not be the first time.

Just my rambling thoughts.

[EricMontreal22]

Cuz TV Union labour is significantly cheaper than in NYC. (BTW out of curiousity what talk shows are in CT?)

[Errol]

The added factor to moving AMC to LA was that Frons wouldn't have to fly to NY to talk face to face with actors, producers, writers, etc. That saves the company lots of money. First class airfare everywhere you go with a company car driving you everywhere you want to go just for a day or two in the city is very costly.

[EricMontreal22]

I dunno how big a part it plays, but that's undoubtedly true (everyone remember the Days of Our Lives/sometimes GH Awards--ie the SOD Awards?)

[Errol]

I think it is high time I do that article I've been planning on how much a 30 second ad costs for AMC, GH, OLTL....

[EricMontreal22]

True dat.

[marceline]

I can fix that. Fly coach and use cabs.

There, I guess I'm a budget whiz too.

[EricMontreal22]

YES please do!

[AllMyDaysatGH]

AMC doesn't fly Alicia back and forth, she and her family bought an apartment in LA. They only go to NY to check on her husbands restaurants, according to her.

[EricMontreal22]

*votes Marceline for head of ABCD*

While it adds up, I'm pretty positive Lucci, since doesn't she work three weeks on, two off or something, has a condo in LA now. The thing is flying her return every 6 weeks isn't the kind of thing that really makes budgets unmanageable.

[LeClerc]

Frons did some video Q&A thing with Laura Wright a while back and basically said he can move money around as he sees fit when he thinks something is worth the $$$. And of course that moving around is probably uni-directional to GH. That really bugs me.

[Southofnowhere]

AMC hasn't spent a cent on AM or CBL" moves to LA.

[All My Shadows]

Put Minshew and fam. up at a Ramada Inn, and you've got yourself an under-budget show.

[LeClerc]

Thanks!

I second that motion. Curious to see that.

[leahanna]

me too. I can understand GH having a larger budget but it kind of seems unfair that AMC and OLTL's budgets have to be cut so GH can have more money