September 26-30, 2011

[JaneAusten]

It doesn't surprise me one bit. THere was an VERY RELIABLE insider on another board who spilled the cancellations months before they were announced even by Logan who had said ABC has a long term plan which is to goto a limited syndication model during daytime. That model would provide affliates basically with a menu of 6-10 shows to choose from ABC's pool of shows and that the soaps were deemed to costly to include in that model. I know people want to think this is about cancelling soap operas but I tend to believe this and Katie Courics show being sydicated just reinforces that plan. NOne of this to me has a thing to do with soaps failing its addressing changes to the television landscape particularly broadcast television and the fact that these networks don't make the money they used to.

[DRW50]

I guess what I don't get is why are they so focused on this pool of shows right after the other when they don't know how these shows are going to do. The PR rollout for The Chew was a disaster, and the ratings, whether it's cheap or not, haven't lived up to expectations. The Revolution has had all sorts of behind the scenes problems all along and continues to have them. Isn't it bad business to keep pushing with these shows instead of waiting to fix what you have? They can still cancel GH and just put a rerun there.

[JaneAusten]

According to the "insider" it was a compromise ABC came to with the affiliates who wanted control of their daytime slots back from ABC Daytime. I don;t think ABC just cancelled these shows out of the blue despite what some think. THere was a business push behind it not just that Frons wanted soaps gone. But ABC is relying on their own production arm to come up with shows and its obviously got limited creative power. I don't know why reruns are not an option. Maybe it would put Frons out of work who knows.

[Jonathan]

'Days Of Our Lives' TIES FOR #1 FOR THE DAYTIME WEEK OF SEPT. 26-30 IN THE VALUABLE WOMEN 18-34 DEMOGRAPHIC

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/10/06/days-of-our-lives-ties-for-1-for-the-daytime-week-of-sept-26-30-in-women-18-34-demographic/106433/?utm_campaign=WP%3ETwitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

[DRW50]

I wasn't surprised they were going to get rid of the shows, since reports of various talk shows being planned had been going on for over a year. If I'm surprised by anything it's just how badly these shows have been handled, not only going out of their way to alienate soap viewers, but being shocked that soap fans weren't thrilled, and then doing very little to bring in the market they claim is so important to them with The Chew. Hey, let's talk up healthy living, and then make fun of the "healthy living" expert constantly and bring in Paula Deen, the devil in "healthy living" circles.

I'm sure some will say it's just soap fans who are putting these numbers down, but TVbythenumbers isn't exactly a soap site.

[Soapsuds]

So Days went up around 200,000 in total viwers. It probably hit a 1.9 in HH.

[NYC123]

I was actually expecting DAYS to go up more then that. Considering AMC is off the air, and their whole reboot.

I hated DAYS last week though. I am not the biggest John fan out there.

[Soapsuds]

I did too...but big jumps dont happen anymore. I thought last weeks shows were ok. This week I havent seen much of the show if none at all. Talk about taking things slowly. No wonder Freddy didnt know who he is being paired with....lol.....the story is non existent.

[EricMontreal22]

Oh, absolutely. While I admit how disengenuous it proved when Frons was actually saying earlier this year that they are behind soaps, and obviously it's not, it really has next to nothing to do with the soap format or even ratings, etc, except for the cost (and even with all these troubles with their new reality shows, obviously to do a scripted drama with a cast of thirty, etc, is still significantly more expensive). But, nonetheless, it is increasingly laughable how these new shows are promoted as groundbreaking, and what audiences have been begging for, when the evidence and end product doesn't seem to be fooling anyone.

Doesn't DYAS have the longest lead in time, in terms of writing to filming to what we see on air? I remember hearing one other soap actor complain that it was three months or something and he had no idea or memory by then of what was actually airing which gave him a feeling of disconnect. While I'm sure it helps with costs, it's not a good thing for writers and producers trying to really connect with their audience.

[Soapsuds]

Yes...I remember an interview I heard here on SON around August or maybe in July and they were already taping Halloween episodes.

[TeamEric]

Is that insider CF? I wish he'd return to posting. He was the one that warned Disney was behind the push to get rid of all the soaps and gave all sorts of great BTS info on the affiliates battling to get the slots back. I remember he said something about different markets will eventually air different shows and that won't be far off. Mostly I remember his warning ABC Daytime will never be the same after this year and he scary right.

[JaneAusten]

Yep and I don't know where within the industry this person worked but they seemed to have a lot of accurate information including that yes Sony had interest in picking up a few characters but not the shows which may have led to speculation around the internet that Sony was "interested".Knowing Sony they would have purchased the rights to a couple of characters and thrown them on Y&R iike Angie Hubbard for example.

[wingwalker]

I miss him too. I remember he had all this pegged before Michael Logan did. He was definitely someone high up or has access to people high up.

[marceline]

HH

1. Y&R 3.2 (-.1)

2. B&B 2.1 (-.1)

3. DOOL 1.9 (+.2)

3. GH 1.9 (same)

3. OLTL 1.9 (-.1)

Thank the kind and benevolent Lskreet.

[JaneAusten]

Its odd not seeing AMC in that list.