October 10-14, 2011

[Saving ATWT]

I don't think weekly trends matter all that much to PP and that they, at the least, are looking at quarters. PP sees a chance to make money here and get free press in the process. OLTL is still a long way from actually looking money and further cuts will only help the the program.

Interesting to see PGP starting up the new SoapClassics online channel with ATWT repeats. Wonder if this was inspired by PP efforts? Curious if PGP would be willing to sell if PP does well?

Glad to see Y&R and B&B moving up. Both shows suck but I don't want to see more red slips.

[EricMontreal22]

I'm not a DAYS watcher, but I completely agree--and yet, I'm not sure if the current soap climate will wait for this. I thougth AMC was starting to do just that, and it seemed to do very little.

[aMLCproduction]

Didnt know about a channel for this do u have a link or other info? Any other P&G soaps going to made available?

Your right. Soap fans have changed over the years. They don't want to invest time or give shows time. Which I can't say I blame them considering the disrespect these writers and producers have for heir fans

[MontyB]

I get confused about the writers having not respect for the viewers. As you've stated the soap audience has changed drastically and it seems like the people who do the most complaining are not in the demo the networks are looking for, so it doesn't truly matter.

[JaneAusten]

Just curious. What makes you think this? I won't say they are out of the demo but I just don't thin the general audience cares all that much about the stuff we online complain about.

[MontyB]

I can admit I may have overstated. I more than likely based my thoughts on the message boards, but totally agree that the general audience doesn't care about the stuff complained about online.

[DRW50]

The problem is the demo the networks do care about was chased away from soaps a long time ago.

[aMLCproduction]

Clarity please?

[MontyB]

Just saying, the audience will complain no matter what, so I see it as a no-win situation for the networks. It's just a fact. What is it that the writers are not respecting? Everyone has a different take on what that's supposed to be.

[JaneAusten]

The audience has left, they aren't attracting a younger female audience for the most part so the questions are why. A lot can be attributed to changing lifestyles, more options available on TV and the internet also. But I do think the storytelling and characterizations for women overall have regressed and most of the females on soaps today are carbon copies of each other. Even the so called "bitches" are watered down and have become "heroines" who just run around canvas snarking at other people versus scheming and plotting like they did in the old days. ALl the women are victims, have no ambition other than popping out babies or running after a man. And those men considered the most interesting are abusers, rapists, hitman, or drunks. What happened to the traditional hero who was flawed and screwed up but we still loved the,. Why is someone like Adam Newman who is such a repulsive character so popular with the dwindling audience?

[tune_in_tomorrow]

My two cents FWIW...I don't disagree with any of JaneAusten's post or anyone else's for that matter when it comes to the creative aspect of the soaps, but I think the key thing is that there just isn't enough audience in daytime anymore. What's left of it is divided up among 100 different channels and other types of media. There isn't a captive audience. My interest in soaps dates back to college at a large Big Ten university in the latter half of the 80s when we gathered in the lounge between classes. I doubt students did that by the mid-90s when options increased and more dorms got cable, and the options have only continued to increase. The other factor is that working people (those of us lucky to be working these days!) are working more so shifting the TV schedule around via DVR or online isn't as helpful as it would seem because there are still fewer hours to catch an increasing number of media options. I don't think writing, characters, actors, or storylines in general would matter at all. Dissatisfaction maybe drove some existing viewers away but I believe the bulk went away just because media has changed. I always compare daytime to Saturday night prime time -- the audience splintered into too many directions, the networks decided it was too costly to program 7 nights of prime time, and so they chose to jettison the lowest rated night. It wasn't because people all of a sudden in the 90s discovered going out on Saturday.

[DRW50]

On paper the options have increased, but in terms of content, I think you have very limited material to choose from. Most of the channels show the same things over and over, and most of the "new" programming, like reality shows, seems to blur together.

I think there will always be an audience for soaps if the soaps try to write for them. The soaps instead cater to white, straight, middle-aged men, men who crave violence, and only those who have serious issues with women and minorities.

How many of those do you know who watch soaps?

I agree about lack of free time, but I think with the repeats of soaps, and soaps being available online, that isn't as much of an issue as it would have been years ago.

[JaneAusten]

I dont see how the TV landscape during the day is that much differnt than its been for years. Before the advent of cable there were gameshows, talkshow, soaps, cooking shows.and repeats on TV during the day. The same thing exists today except you have more channels offering it therefore more options. Then add in newsstations like CNN, MS/NBC, and Fox which all draw a decent audience during the day. Sure there is an audience for soaps, primetime shows prove that. While sitcoms are the hot ticket right now you still have serial shows like Revenge, Ringer, TSC, Vampire Diaries still doing decent. Not great.

I think people are fixated so much on writing, myself included, we forget primetime shows have evolved over the years. If soaps are dated, why not try and improve the production values, reduce the shows back to a half an hour, air them 3 days a week versus 5, reduce the size of the casts, goto more of a seasonal model maybe doing a beginning middle and end to stories over a season or in 13 week increments and after the 13 weeks start new stories, rotate people in and out more or bring people in for specific storylines like primetime does. Not everyone hired needs to be considered permanent. It might actually help keep the storylines fresh if you have a set time to write for a character versus having to worry about how to write for them 52 weeks a year endlessly with the pace and demands of today. I just don't think you have anyone in charge of the networks or shows today with a vision to evolve or cares enough about daytime because it doesn't make the money it once did.

[Saving ATWT]

Agreed, and a lot of the pissed off people on here are well outside the demo. A lot of what we watch on soaps is based on market research: age, income, class, social views and educational level of LIVE daytime female viewers. I question how many more live/same day viewers can be attracted to the genre due to the sheer amount of women in the work place and this will only become a bigger problem in years to come. Mainly, bible belt ladies and the unemployed are left.

[Saving ATWT]

The PGP/ATWT was either DC or We Love Soaps last week. They said ATWT box sets were going on sale, too. Also, expect GL and possible SFT, EON, AW and TEXAS to possibly join channel.

If PP does good, PGP may want to do more than repeats. (Mainly wishful thinking; however, the timing is odd.)