Why the soaps arent coming back

[allmc2008]

I believe that if people on the message boards actually where a little bit more positive when the shows canceled instead of making threads like Worst Paring or Worst Storyline I think other production companies/networks would buy them. Granted the networks did not make it easy on us so it was in our nature to make threads like that but still. I was on the SC message boards and realized how negative people are. SoapNet was the same way! If people where positive I bet the networks would be enticed to at least put them on DVD. But like I said the networks did not make it easy on us.

[P.J.]

TPTB couldn't give a hoot less about the positivity of message boards. An agitated fanbase is a good fanbase.

Daytime soaps as we know them no longer work economically. It's much easier for Nick/TVLand/anyotherStation to develop their own programming (be it a stale comedy or shlocky "reality" show) than for them to pay P&G/ABC/NBC to license a show and pay hundreds of employees to produce 5 shows per week. They produce; they own. They can then sell "seasons" on dvd/all the gimmicky t-shirts they want (if it happens to be considered a hit) , rerun it into the ground or bury it after two shows if it's not.

[allmc2008]

I have always believed that the economic part could be solved. Cut them back to 30 minutes and have a hiatus from end of December to late February. If an anniversary special lands on those months for example AMC's January 5th then have a January 5 special then continue with the Hiatus. If I had it my way I would have cut the shows back to 3 days a week.

[P.J.]

But 30 minutes/3 days a week isn't what we're used to. Would I settle for that over not having ATWT/GL? Sure. At some point in the future, a more telenovela format might succeed here in the US...but it would IMO take a huge shift in viewer habits and how ratings are determined.

Frankly, I'm not sure any kind of scripted, multi-day, new content show is viable anymore. It's hard enough for the traditional networks to make 22-25 seasonal episodics work now.

[dragonflies]

I wouldn't want half hour cause you basically have no budget and no cast. Think the show revolves around a few now, it'd be worse if those shows were a half hour.