I don't think reality shows will ever have much of a foothold in daytime. NBC already tried one (Starting Over) and it failed, and they haven't tried again. Talk shows also generally fail.

I think daytime programming is just going to get lower and lower ratings until the networks finally give up.

The networks won't give up on daytime. They will never give the hours up to the affiliates because once they do it's hard to get them back. NBC has had some flops but they are currently syndicating the Real Housewives franchise in daytime and they're airing it on their O&O affiliates in a daytime block with DAYS and Ellen. I'm not familiar with the ratings for this but I can't imagine them being terrible.

ABC is not in the business of making friends, they are in the business of making money.

If that was all that mattered they would have found a better producer for AMC years ago.

I don't think ABC knows what they're doing. I think they are just aimless and probably desperate. So now they're lurching towards another quick fix.

Edited to add: Also with the Guza rumors floating around I could see Frank and Ron taking over GH once OLTL is done. ABC has them contracted for 2 more years. Frank has a proven track record of staying under budget while maintaining production value. I think in time all the recent rumors floating around will link together to form one big picture.

This is exactly what I am thinking.

The networks won't give up on daytime. They will never give the hours up to the affiliates because once they do it's hard to get them back. NBC has had some flops but they are currently syndicating the Real Housewives franchise in daytime and they're airing it on their O&O affiliates in a daytime block with DAYS and Ellen. I'm not familiar with the ratings for this but I can't imagine them being terrible.

IMO they are giving up daytime when they put on things like a ten cent remake of LMAD. Putting crap on and assuming viewers will automatically watch is the main reason they are so far down in daytime. If they only focus on saving a few pennies instead of building up more of an audience base which will make money long-term, then they are writing daytime off. I'm not talking about keeping soaps, but just making anything beyond a token effort to actually have programming in daytime that people don't avoid like the plague.

Real Housewives is a fad show and to have that on just seems like a stopgap to me. It also signals the future of daytime, most likely. A lot of repeats.

This is exactly what I am thinking.

I can't see RC being anywhere near OLTL. I could see FV replace Jill Farren Phelps though.

I realize that developing new serialized daytime dramas no longer interests the networks, but there are cheaper ways to do it. Look at what they're going to have to pay a Tori Spelling and similar personalities (especially if we're talking about a panel show). These shows also have a bevy of producers, writers, and crew. They could do one 30 min. bare bones "soap" set in a high school with some teens/no-name adults making favored nations AFTRA scale and it could still be cheaper than an hour-long celeb hosted splashy chat show. The Talk most defintelky costs more than Fifteen or Swans Crossing ever did. Look and learn from the wrong and right of Peapack. Of course if they don't at least hire themselves talented writers and have an untalented, uncreative head of daytime puppet mastering the show, it's DOA.

It's not going to happen, and GH moving to 1pm against more soap competiton isn't a smart move. GH's ratings are going to nosedive. This is not a Y&R or DAYS situation where the show is far more higher rated than its companion soaps.

I disagree. GH at 1pm would perform better than at 3pm. At 3pm people have kids coming home, they're out running errands, etc. 1pm falls within a lunch break for most people. Sit down, take a break, watch your 1pm soap and then get up at 2pm to go get the kids and stuff like that. Look at How Y&R and B&B's numbers dropped off when ATWT came on. Or how Passions didn't retain the DAYS viewers. That 1pm slot is golden. Especially with an established fanbase like GH has. Then if you throw The View in at 12pm as a lead in and make some creative shakeups at GH I think GH will be able to give Y&R/B&B a run for their money.

I agree with you Carl.. I actually could see Carlivati headwriting DAYS.

I love the part in the TV GUide article about Frons being so cavalier.. his comments about GL's cancellation were just as cold...

I think this is it, folks.

I realize that developing new serialized daytime dramas no longer interests the networks, but there are cheaper ways to do it. Look at what they're going to have to pay a Tori Spelling and similar personalities (especially if we're talking about a panel show). These shows also have a bevy of producers, writers, and crew. They could do one 30 min. bare bones "soap" set in a high school with some teens/no-name adults making favored nations AFTRA scale and it could still be cheaper than an hour-long celeb hosted splashy chat show. The Talk most defintelky costs more than Fifteen or Swans Crossing ever did. Look and learn from the wrong and right of Peapack. Of course if they don't at least hire themselves talented writers and have an untalented, uncreative head of daytime puppet mastering the show, it's DOA.

I agree. Why not genuinely try something new, instead of parading around a has-been or a never-was, and formats no one cares about anymore? Every rumored show for ABC Daytime has sounded awful, and badly dated.

Frons is awesome.

Frons is awesome.

You are cracking me up tonight, DeeeDee!!

IMO they are giving up daytime when they put on things like a ten cent remake of LMAD. Putting crap on and assuming viewers will automatically watch is the main reason they are so far down in daytime. If they only focus on saving a few pennies instead of building up more of an audience base which will make money long-term, then they are writing daytime off. I'm not talking about keeping soaps, but just making anything beyond a token effort to actually have programming in daytime that people don't avoid like the plague.

Real Housewives is a fad show and to have that on just seems like a stopgap to me. It also signals the future of daytime, most likely. A lot of repeats.

I can't see RC being anywhere near OLTL. I could see FV replace Jill Farren Phelps though.

RC with a co-HW could work.

I realize that developing new serialized daytime dramas no longer interests the networks, but there are cheaper ways to do it. Look at what they're going to have to pay a Tori Spelling and similar personalities (especially if we're talking about a panel show). These shows also have a bevy of producers, writers, and crew. They could do one 30 min. bare bones "soap" set in a high school with some teens/no-name adults making favored nations AFTRA scale and it could still be cheaper than an hour-long celeb hosted splashy chat show. The Talk most defintelky costs more than Fifteen or Swans Crossing ever did. Look and learn from the wrong and right of Peapack. Of course if they don't at least hire themselves talented writers and have an untalented, uncreative head of daytime puppet mastering the show, it's DOA.

The difference between modern day and the golden age of soaps is that not as many people are home during the day any more. Yes there is still an audience but it is nothing like it was. The size of the audience isnt substantial enough to justify a large financial investment in to a new scripted program. Then when you take in to account peoples attention span now compared to 30 years ago. There are cell phones, the internet, 100's of channels to find programming, viewers attention is being pulled in every direction. Your average viewer cannot invest the time in to long term stories. Thats why talk shows are a great alternative. Cheaper to produce than soaps and it requires no investment from the viewer, they don't have to watch every day. No story to keep up with. The reality shows require some investment from the viewer but they run in such short cycles that it's a minimal investment of time.

ABC is not in the business of making friends, they are in the business of making money. Network television is a business, money is involved. There are investors that want a return on their investments. There are board members to appease. This decision is not a hatred for soaps or the fans, it is a business decision so the network can remain sustainable. I don't believe transparency is needed in this situation, there are a lot of factors that play in to decisions like this and lots of privileged information. I guarantee there are very few people that know the logic behind this decision, and they are the only ones that need to know.

So then my question is, why does the network deserve our viewership at all? We don't watch television to make the networks money. We watch television to be entertained. If our investment is so irrelevant, who and what are they in the business for but themselves? To paraphrase Meisner, Television is a freaky paradoxical business.

Are there any successful talk shows now? It seems like most of them are gone or going. I guess there's The View but that's more of a panel show and it seems like that isn't as popular as it used to be.

I don't think Frons would want RC at General Hospital. I think he only put up with RC at One Life to Live because he didn't care about the show anyway.

I think viewers are as invested in long-term stories as ever, they just have different outlets.

There are ways to have daytime dramas that don't have long-term stories, and just maintain a few long-term characters, if anyone made an effort. I think that would pay off more than ABC's new version of Are You Hot? or All American Girl.

Edited April 2, 201114 yr by CarlD2

I just want them to announce it so we can move on already, but that won't happen on a weekend. Grrrrr Seriously even if this is upsetting to us, I don't want to think of the stress level any of the people who work at these shows must be feeling.

It is worse to have them both go at the same time due to the extreme loss of jobs.

With ABC, if people are watching on an O&O that also airs Oprah there are people who turn on their television early, which would help GH's rating.

Edited April 2, 201114 yr by ~bl~

I always thought GH benefitted from being after school everywhere but the West Coast. It seems so futile for OLTL to base half+ of their stories for a teen audience when it's on when most are in school...