ABC Daytime to Make Major Lineup Decisions in Coming Weeks

[DRW50]

Ultimately I think that AMC and OLTL are close enough in ratings/demos to where ABC could get rid of either one. Or, for all we know, both. They have that Tori Spelling crap and something else waiting, don't they?

I don't think AMC is beyond saving, but with Frons around that won't happen.

I just can't see this as AMC vs OLTL. Unfortunately, even though the dynamics are not quite the same, I can't help seeing this as being like AW/Sunset Beach and GL/ATWT.

[CassieFan]

Maybe they will cut both shows to half an hour... who knows...

[Vee]

I think that's how it would go soon enough, Carl, but all I can do is focus on which show might go right now.

OLTL quality fluctuates wildly from moment to moment and I'm not that happy with it of late, and I've been livid with a lot of it for almost a year now, But it's easily still a better show than AMC these days IMO. It's my show and I love it and no matter what frontburner dreck they have I don't want it to go. But I do know, at least, as I have for awhile, that if it goes now it won't be because of a sober accounting of the facts, but because they wanted to protect AMC. And sure, that's injustice, but we know that. I could handle it because people know the truth. IMO it's not something where the show was dead on its feet like ATWT or GL. That was far more pathetic.

[dragonflies]

It's obvious how much of a strangle hold Frons has on AMC and GH. OLTL not so much. It doesn't scream "Frons interference" the way the other two do. From what's been said Frons basically ignores it, which is a PLUS in it's favor LOL

[LoyaltoAMC]

You guys make it sound as though OLTL is heads and tails above AMC in the demos. Save for last week, it usually only beats them by a statistically negligible .1 and they are essentially tied in HH numbers. Quality wise, OLTL is probably the better of the two shows, but I don't think either one is safer than the other. I personally think this is all a lot of hot air and that both are safe for the next couple of years. I wouldn't read too much into real or perceived rewrites. It could be Frons micromanaging D&D's storylines and that they could be on their way out. Also, if rewrites were an indication of attempting to tie up loose ends, that would be done nearer to cancellation, and not now. Even if the show were cancelled today, they wouldn't have been rewriting things weeks ago.

[dragonflies]

That would kill both shows, they couldn't survive being a half hour, they'd have NO budget and no cast.

[Vee]

Must I dig up an appropriate JPEG of Lenny Platt?

[Jonathan]

Well, there's also a possibility that the timeslots of the soaps will just change. Most of the ABC affiliates that carry Oprah are just adding another hour of local news when she leaves. This might be a safer bet than going with a talk show that will be cancelled after one season.

[DRW50]

I think GH is the show he is most hands-off with. His hands are all over OLTL - from the Tess mess, to the Fords, to the general lack of storyline for older characters, to the very definitive banishment of minorities and blaming of them for ratings woes.

[dragonflies]

I dunno that screams RC more than anything. The Ford's though that smacks of Frons

[Kylie]

I'm sitting with you. While I know DC is very reliable and that they often break this kind of stuff first, at the end of the day, that piece is akin to a lot of hearsay and gossip. And in it, it never says one of the shows is going...or going when. It may be years away like you say, or it may be a reshuffling of the order. Perhaps OLTL to take AMC's spot and let AMC lead into GH? It could be a number of things. I think it's hard for me to believe that they could acknowledge and KNOW that JHC continues to be the problem, but they'd cancel the show before canning her? They're stupid, but are they really that stupid?

I guess only time will tell.

[DRW50]

To me, even GL was not beyond saving (honestly I think of all the soaps GH is the one that is most beyond saving, so that shows you how right I am), but I do see what you mean.

The reason I compared them was mostly because I don't think ATWT was in as bad of a place as GL, in terms of numbers or characters or production. All they really needed was a shakeup. Instead CBS and P&G chose to get rid of it because they could, because it was easier, right after GL, because they could replace it with something cheaper and just pass it off as "end of an era, move on you suckers," or whatever.

That's what I'm worried about with AMC and OLTL. I don't think OLTL is as far gone as AMC in terms of moving away from what makes it work, but I'm not sure it matters. I'm afraid that getting rid of AMC would be done with OLTL at the same time or right after, and most of the focus would again be on "end of an era, but look, ABC's got Tori Spelling and The View for Men (or whoever), soaps are dead, we all know it and we don't care".

[bellcurve]

I hope it's OLTL, so I can see all of their fans obsess and sh*t a brick.

[Jonathan]

Barbara Walters is going to end up a soap killer.

[dragonflies]

Total Viewers

1. Y&R 5,117,000 (-216,000/-123,000)

2. B&B 2,950,000 (-254,000/-317,000) <----- new low

3. OLTL 2,692,000 (-158,000/same)

4. GH 2,671,000 (-222,000/-215,000)

5. DAYS 2,630,000 (-400,000/-695,000)

6. AMC 2,570,000 (-83,000/-401,0000)

Households

1. Y&R 3.6/12 (-.2/-.2)

2. B&B 2.1/7 (-.2/-.3) <----- ties low rating

3. GH 2.0/6 (same/-.1)

3. OLTL 2.0/6 (same/same)

5. DAYS 1.9/6 (-.2/-.4)

5. AMC 1.9/6 (-.1/-.3)

Women 18-49 Viewers

1. Y&R 987,000 (-91,000/-253,000)

2. GH 758,000 (-100,000/-218,000)

3. DAYS 716,000 (-123,000/-137,000)

4. OLTL 657,000 (-35,000/-126,000)

5. AMC 552,000 (-47,000/-250,000)

6. B&B 522,000 (-116,000/-209,000) <----- new low

Women 18-49 Rating

1. Y&R 1.5/10 (-.1/-.4)

2. DAYS 1.1/7 (-.2/-.2)

2. GH 1.1/7 (-.2/-.2)

4. OLTL 1.0/6 (same/-.1)

5. B&B 0.8/5 (-.2/-.3) <----- ties low rating

5. AMC 0.8/5 (-.1/-.4) <----- ties low rating

********************

AMC has lost the MOST viewers from a year ago than any other ABC soap, they're dead last in almost every demo, the only one they do good is the 12-17 viewers. They're down .4 from a year ago in the 18-49 rating and down 250,000 from a year ago in the coveted demo-which is more than GH and OLTL.

I know some don't want OLTL or AMC cancelled but there's no way to justify cancelling OLTL over AMC