Latest news from Michael Logan of TV Guide.

ABC Daytime Update: All My Children Hires New Head Writer

Just got the official press release (and Brian Frons isn't in a position where he can't respond to inquiries, btw). Lorraine Broderick is officially the new AMC head writer according to ABC.

Just got the official press release (and Brian Frons isn't in a position where he can't respond to inquiries, btw). Lorraine Broderick is officially the new AMC head writer according to ABC.

Are there any other details in the release? Any quotes? Does it actually mention a "multi-year" deal?

If the spokesperson verbally said it was "multi-year" but it wasn't in the release, I'd be concerned.

Edited April 4, 201114 yr by Jonathan

Don't be so hung up on "multi-year" - it means nothing. It's there for the networks in case they want to keep the HW - so the HW can't leave until the contract is over. But if the network wants to get rid of the HW, even with with a multi-year contract, they just wait until the end of the contract cycle. Unless of course you sign an ironclad contract, like Jim Reilly's with DAYS/NBC in 2003, where he would get paid for 6 years even if he was fired. And those contracts rarely given.

I think people are just being impatient and freaking the hell out. Certain people want to hear RIGHT NOW and can't understand why there hasn't been an announcement yet when, in fact, this could go on for weeks.

Exactly.

I need some popcorn for all of this....with Broderick back in, perhaps if AMC does go off the air, it can go out with some dignity.

Edited April 4, 201114 yr by Vizion

Don't be so hung up on "multi-year" - it means nothing. It's there for the networks in case they want to keep the HW - so the HW can't leave until the contract is over. But if the network wants to get rid of the HW, even with with a multi-year contract, they just wait until the end of the contract cycle. Unless of course you sign an ironclad contract, like Jim Reilly's with DAYS/NBC in 2003, where he would get paid for 6 years even if he was fired. And those contracts rarely given.

I know it means nothing. But it's one thing to have it written and one thing for a spokesperson to verbally say it. If it's not written, then that spokesperson in Logan's column was merely giving him lip service. I'm a little concerned that she was just appointed to write only the last few months of the show.

Edited April 4, 201114 yr by Jonathan

Just got the official press release (and Brian Frons isn't in a position where he can't respond to inquiries, btw). Lorraine Broderick is officially the new AMC head writer according to ABC.

Frons is a soap hating COWARD, he would rather laugh at all his suffering employees and let them go on day by day wondering then MAN up and say what is going on but then again he is not a man, he is a coward with no heart or soul

Michael Logan: Someone had to take over and Broderick [...] is an ideal choice to wrap things up.

Well, maybe. Not disputing that. But, OTOH, why bother hiring a new HW, even one who's on-staff already, just to write it off into the sunset? True, Dave and Donna's contracts were up, but if AMC is marked for death w/ no chance at all for reprieve, why not just extend their contracts to the finale and let them write it? Hiring Broderick to oversee the ending of this show is a sentimental move, at best, and something that history says Frons is incapable of making. As always, I'm just saying.

Edited April 4, 201114 yr by Khan

I'm a little concerned that she was just appointed to write only the last few months of the show.

That's what AMC fans should be prepared for. At least you're gonna go out with the best possible candidate (other than Agnes herself) to end the show.

Well, maybe. Not disputing that. But, OTOH, why bother hiring a new HW, even one who's on-staff already, just to write it off into the sunset? True, Dave and Donna's contracts were up, but if AMC is marked for death w/ no chance at all for reprieve, why not just extend their contracts to the finale and let them write it? Hiring Broderick to oversee the ending of this show is a sentimental move, at best, and something that history says Frons is incapable of making. As always, I'm just saying.

Because you get D&D's contract off the books. Save you the money by not extending their contract.

Ah. That makes sense. Thank you, Toups! :-)

The release says nothing about multi-year. It IMO would have meant something not in terms of actual time BUT in terms of trying to tell fans "look, it's multi year" instead of the long cycle of neither confirming or denying the cancelation rumors.

The release says nothing about multi-year. It IMO would have meant something not in terms of actual time BUT in terms of trying to tell fans "look, it's multi year" instead of the long cycle of neither confirming or denying the cancelation rumors.

Sigh. Yeah, this doesn't look good. At least the ending will have some heart to it.

Hopefully they're ending it with some heart. If she's got nothing to lose, and Frons has nothing to lose...I'm actually a little fearful.