Variety May 19th 1965

CBS TV's answer to ABC-TV's "Peyton Place" ,"Our Private World," registered a rating of 15.1 and a 25 share of audience for it's preem. The Friday (7) "Private World" chapter, two nights later, only drew an 11.9 rating and a 21 share. The 11.9. compares to an 11.1 rating for the daytime soaper "As the World Turns," from which it is based.

Interesting, thanks!

Yes, Eric. Bell started on Days July 5, 1966. However, I really do not think his departure from World Turns really affected the ratings negatively other than it created more competition in general for CBS. CBS ruled the roost in daytime with no real threats until around 1967. Bell at Days, Aggie Nixon at Another World, and Rita Lakin at The Doctors began to create serious competition for CBS, luring viewers away. With Dark Shadows on ABC, and later One Life to Live, younger audiences were flocking to the Alphabet Network. The world was changing, too. 1967 was the era of the summer of love, everybody and their Aunt Ilene experimenting with mind altering substances, unbridled creativity and an openness to alternative thought. A greater segment of viewers began to turn away from the staid and the conservative. Sure, World Turns remained a solid number one. The institution wasn't falling yet, but there were cracks in the plaster.

I love this. You have a way with words.

Television Magazine reported in August 1960 that Edge of Night was daytime's #1 program, airing 4.30 -5.00. This was the last time that ATWT was not #1 on a weekly basis until 1971 when DOOL took the crown..

Edited May 8, 201411 yr by Paul Raven

Wow I thought EON was on 3:30 EST / 2:30 CT. 4:30 literally puts it on at the edge of night during the winter months.

Edited May 9, 201411 yr by Gray Bunny

Edge was on at 4.30 from its debut in April 1956 until June of 1963 when it moved to 3.30.

One reason for a decline in August of 1967 could have been that Ms. Phillips was preparing her new show (Love Is a Many Splendored Thing) and was paying less attention to the older show.

Was she still working on A Time for Us in 1967?

There could be two reasons why Our Private World was called CBS's answer to Peyton Place.

It was serialized drama that aired more than once a week in primetime.

Also, Irna Phillips had developed the storyline for Peyton Place and was the creator and co-writer of Our Private World.

Variety reported in August 67,NBC's The Doctors beat Art Linkletter (CBS) and Dream Girl (ABC) with a 34 share at 2.30pm for the first time since Loretta Young show had a slight edge over Linkletter in 1961.

Variety Nov 3rd 1965

Love of Life was in 9th position with a 9.3 rating and Another World was 17th with a 6.4, one spot ahead of GH.

June 1969

1. ATWT 13.8

2. SFT 10.4

3. EON 9.7

4. AW 9.7

5. TGL 9.0

March 1961

#1 ATWT 10.8

#2 TEON 10.7

#3 Concentration 10.6

#4 TGL 10.4

#5 SS 10.2

#6 SFT 9.9

#7 TPIR 9.1

#8 The Verdict is Yours 9.0

#9 Rocky & Friends 9.0

Thanks.

Look how close those soaps were.

Thanks.

Look how close those soaps were.

That's an incredibly strong block for CBS. Essentially the same viewership across the entire afternoon! Amazing!

Nielsen Ratings: Week of November 3-November 7, 1969

1. As the World Turns CBS 12.9/44
2. The Edge of Night CBS 10.3/37
3. Another World NBC 9.7/34
*. Search for Tomorrow CBS 9.7/39
5. The Guiding Light CBS 9.3/34
6. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing CBS 8.9/31
7. The Secret Storm CBS 8.5/30
8. Days of Our Lives NBC 8.4/29
*. The Doctors NBC 8.4/31
10. Love of Life CBS 8.2/37
11. General Hospital ABC 8.1/28
12. Dark Shadows ABC 7.3/25
13. Where the Heart Is CBS 6.9/29
14. One Life to Live ABC 6.7/24
15. Bright Promise NBC 4.9/18

Love Is a Many Splendored Thing was doing quite well at that time. It was the only relatively new soap opera in the top ten beside shows that had been on the air for many years.

I am guessing that this was during the Jean Garrison storyline. I heard people say at the time that Jean was much meaner than Lisa (on As the World Turns) had ever thought about being.

I guess the problem with Splendored Thing is that like Password before it,it lost too much of the As The World Turns lead in. Days of Our Lives had proven to be tough competition.So eventually P&G pressured to have all its soaps in one block.