Ratings from the 70's

[BoldRestless]

This is what was happening on Y&R. It doesn't really sound that hot to me.

 

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS: Week of January 15 - January 19, 1979

Stu told his daughters he’ll marry Jill, who learned Kay agreed to divorce Derek.  Lance tried to get closer to Lucas, while Vanessa tempted Lucas to take over the company from his brother.  Suzanne realized she’ll lose her meal ticket if Kay divorces Derek.  Peggy railed against Stu’s decision.

 

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS: Week of January 22 - January 26, 1979

Liz was devastated and thew Jill out after learning of Jill’s marriage plans with Stu.  Lucas and Leslie couldn’t return to Switzerland when she had premature labor pains.  Kay and Suzanne joined forces to intercept Derek from meeting Jill before Jill left to wed Stu.  Lorie was nervous when Lance rushed to check on Leslie’s condition.

 

[kalbir]

January 1979 had some really bad winter storms, so alot more people home watching TV during the day.

[will81]

I think the lead up to Jill marrying Stu and the aftermath of Lorie finding out Leslie was pregnant with Lance's baby and almost having the baby in GC might have drawn people in.

It may have played out better than it reads

[Paul Raven]

Some Jan 79 happenings on Search

Admitting his feelings for Stephanie, Ted suggests they join forces to gain control of Collins Corp.

Stu suffers a heart attack. Gary saves Stu's life but warns him he must slow down. 

Sharon has her eye on David but he seems strangely attracted to Laine.

Travis realizes he must reveal his identity to Liza 

A disturbed Wendy runs away. Jackie Peterson, who befriends Wendy, takes a shoplifting rap for her. 

Tom and Sunny plan to pick up Henderson House business by providing entertainment in the restaurant.

So a mix of veterans and newbies and business and personal stories.

 

[Broderick]

This was absolutely compelling  material to many of us.  

On one hand, you're thinking, "It's inevitable Jill will marry Mister Brooks.  He represents everything she lost when Phillip Chancellor died -- a father figure, combined with financial security."   And on the other hand, you're thinking, "SURELY, the harlot won't do this to her own mother.  Jill is an awful person, but she won't REALLY marry her mother's boyfriend.  Will she?  And if Jill does this terrible thing, will Liz finally wash her hands of Jill once and for all?"  (Very frequently, Liz was the only person in town who attempted to justify Jill's horrid behavior; that could potentially come to an end.)   

Every single beat of this storyline was playing on-screen.  

Kay Thurston considered Liz Foster to be her best friend.  If Mrs. Thurston would simply "release" Derek from his (reluctant) marriage to Kay, then Jill would drop Mister Brooks in a New York minute to be with Derek, ensuring Liz and Stuart's happiness.  But we all knew how Kay Thurston's mind worked -- she was FAR too vain, selfish, and cruel to release Derek from their marriage, as Kay wanted a younger man (like Derek) in her bed.  So in a very real sense, it was Kay's self-pitying vanity that would ultimately lead to the breaking of sweet Liz Foster's heart. 

Brock Reynolds was Jill's best friend.  Would Brock talk Jill out of marrying Mister Brooks, even though it would ultimately lead to Kay losing Derek Thurston and potentially becoming a drunk again.  

Lorie Brooks was about ready to snatch Jill's hair out of her head.  Lorie had been the kind-hearted "voice of reason" four years earlier, who leaned on Stuart Brooks to keep Jill's name out of the Chronicle during Phillip Chancellor's death and the Phillip Chancellor Foster paternity trial.  Lorie's patience had come to an end, and she was kicking herself for EVER giving Jill the benefit of the doubt, now that Jill was pulling the same stunt -- a pregnancy scare --- on Stuart Brooks that she had pulled earlier on Phillip Chancellor. 

Suzanne Lynch was the loose cannon in ALL of this. She wanted Derek Thurston for herself, and we assumed she'd pull any stunt in the world to make sure Jill Foster was removed from the competition pool, by lying, omitting facts, and concealing information to make sure Jill married Stuart Brooks and left Derek alone.  If Suzanne succeeded in this endeavor, then how on earth would Suzanne then get rid of Kay Thurston?   

Also, keep in mind the ages of all these characters -- Stuart Brooks was 48.  Liz Foster was 49.  Kay Thurston was 50.  They were the same age that Nick Newman & Sharon Newman are right now.  The decisions those three characters were about to make in early 1979 would impact practically the entire canvas -- all four of the Brooks girls, the Foster boys, and of course Jill.  All of the younger characters had a "stake" in the game. 

Everything on Y&R was clicking in early 1979, and Bill Bell was doing his best to postpone the network's demand to expand the show to an hour, because Bell knew what he was doing, and he didn't want anyone ordering him to do it differently.  

[JAS0N47]

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 1/29/79-2/2/79 & 2/5/79-2/9/79:

 

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[JoeCool]

All My Children at Number 1. Top 3 shows have 10 rating or higher. Number 2 GH and Number 3 Y&R very strong.

High ratings for Serach then drops. AW and ATWT still fighting into the Top 5. Put pushed out.

[JAS0N47]

So I can make a notation on the Nielsen week that it happens, does anyone have a handy list of what soap changes (debuts, cancellations, title changes) happened between 1979-1981. I've already posted the Nielsen charts for January-July 1980, so the only potential changes needed would be for February 1979-December 1979 and August 1980-December 1981.

[kalbir]

March 5, 1979: New NBC soap schedule (ET) is 1 pm Days, 2 pm The Doctors, 2:30 pm Another World now 90 minutes. This schedule is until August 1, 1980.

April 23, 1979: CBS moves Love of Life from 11:30 am ET to 4 pm ET.

February 1, 1980: CBS broadcasts the final episode of Love of Life.

February 4, 1980: New CBS soap schedule (ET) is 12:30 pm Search for Tomorrow, 1 pm Y&R now 1 hr, 2 pm As the World Turns, 3 pm Guiding Light. This schedule is until June 5, 1981.

August 4, 1980: New NBC soap schedule (ET) is 12:30 pm The Doctors, 1 pm Days, 2 pm Another World back to 1 hr, 3 pm new soap Texas. This schedule is until March 26, 1982.

June 8, 1981: New CBS soap schedule (ET) is 12:30 pm Y&R, 1:30 pm As the World Turns, 2:30 pm Search for Tomorrow, 3 pm Guiding Light. This schedule is until March 26, 1982.

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by kalbir

[JAS0N47]

Thanks, so the only debut or cancellation was the Texas debut on 8/4/80, which happens to be the next 1980 week I'm posting.

Edited June 21, 2023 by JAS0N47

[will81]

Probably old info but I believe starting in 1977 up until 1995 the season ended the third Sunday in April and after a dead ratings week (usually just over a week), May Sweeps would begin.

It was in early 1996 that all four networks agreed to start incorporating May Sweeps into their overall season. This was previously only for local stations (ind. and affiliates)

Edited June 21, 2023 by will81

[Beetle Bailey]

I completely understand why ABC soaps were more popular than the CBS and NBC soaps during this period.  Although I was never the biggest RH fan, I always thought it was overrated, the acting was good.  Edge of Night was on fire like AMC, OLTL and GH, the problem was that fewer stations carried it and it did not always air at the time it was supposed to.  In my area, it aired a day behind at 10:30 am, that is until 1983, when they finally aired it at 11 and then had Loving air after it.  At least it was no longer a day behind.  If it had aired after GH, it would have been at least number 2 or 3.

AMC had those offbeat, flashy characters you would never see on the other networks, interesting storytelling, OLTL had Karen Wolek, Marco, Dorian, Joe, even their good guys were interesting and not sanctimonius, like the P&G soaps tended to.  GH had the action and adventure stories.  I remember that ATWT and OLTL aired opposite each other.  In 1979, both Joe Riley and Dan Stewart were killed off their shows.  When OLTL aired Joe Riley's funeral, it felt raw and real,  it was like the audience was able to grieve along with Llanview, while Dan Stewart's funeral was so stiff.  It seemed to me as if the writing was too caught up in being dignified rather than mourning the loss of this important character.  Dan Stewart was the love of Kim's life, Kim was too stoic.  And this was the contrast between the two shows.

The only two non-ABC soaps that were riveting viewing during most of the 70's was AW and GL.

[JAS0N47]

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 2/12/79-2/16/79 & 2/19/79-2/23/79:

 

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[JoeCool]

2.12: Y and R Strong 1. ATWT showing some strength at Number 3.

2.19: ALL My Children and GH battling it out for Number 1. Y &R close behind at Number 3. All top 2 over 10 in ratings point.

[Soapsuds]

Good numbers for ATWT.