Ratings from the 80's

[Contessa Donatella]

Yeah, DAYS has worked its way down to 5.0 & AW & SB & GEN are all under it 3.8, 3.7 & 2.3 respectively. I taped this lineup every day & to me it simply was not as bad as the numbers suggest. So I must remind myself that there's never been any proof that ratings = quality. 

[Soapsuds]

Days at 5.0? Yikes!!

Generations ratings in the toilet/gutter.

All soaps struggling.

ATWT didn't have much going except the Adam storyline.

[kalbir]

Two pivotal events are coming up on Y&R: Victor takes over Jabot and Phillip III's car accident. That sets everything in motion for the 1990s.

B&B is showing growth. April 27, 1989 was Bobbie Eakes debut.

Guiding Light is showing some signs of life. We're a month away from Springfield learning that Roger survived the fall off the cliff in Santo Domingo, and two months away from Robert Calhoun becoming EP.

The last year and a half of the supercouple era is starting with a ratings crash.

Edited November 4, 2023 by kalbir

[te.]

I think it just shows that Scrabble at least must've provided DAYS with some casual audience overlap, because I don't see any other reason why it suddenly would've crashed like that in four or so weeks. The whole NBC line-up seems to be suffering - no wonder they got rid off Generations early.

[kalbir]

Also Y&R was killing it. Remember that in the Eastern time zone second half of Y&R was head-to-head w/ first half of Days.

[te.]

Definitively. I do think loss of the Scrabble lead-in and Y&R probably did affect DAYS in the sense viewers just changed their habits rather quickly. Scrabble is a typical "leave it on the telly show" whose audience is largely casual (hence why the viewers didn't transfer into the morning slot), but probably made a lot of people keep on the telly when DAYS came on. I'm guessing those viewers just didn't bother even switching on to NBC after Scrabble moved.

[kalbir]

We're now at the point that each network has 3 1/2 hours of soaps (3 1 hour soaps and 1 30 minute soap) all broadcast between 12:30 pm-4 pm ET. Let's see how they got there over the course of the 1980s.

CBS: The decade began w/ Y&R, Search for Tomorrow, As the World Turns, Guiding Light, Love of Life. February 1, 1980 Love of Life ends. February 4, 1980 Y&R expands to 1 hour. March 26, 1982 Search for Tomorrow CBS run ends. March 29, 1982-March 20, 1987 Capitol run. March 23, 1987 B&B premiere. CBS had four different soap blocks in the 1980s.

ABC: The decade began w/ Ryan's Hope, All My Children, One Life to Live, General Hospital, The Edge of Night. June 27, 1983 Loving premiere. December 28, 1984 The Edge of Night ends. January 13, 1989 Ryan's Hope ends. ABC had four different soap blocks in the 1980s.

NBC: The decade began w/ Days, The Doctors, Another World. August 4, 1980-December 31, 1982 Texas run. March 29, 1982-December 26, 1986 Search for Tomorrow NBC run. December 31, 1982 The Doctors ends. July 30, 1984 Santa Barbara premiere. March 27, 1989 Generations premiere. NBC had seven different soap blocks in the 1980s.

Edited November 4, 2023 by kalbir

[watson71]

AW was so good at this time with the Who Killed Jason Frame mystery, Felicia’s trial, the revelation that Iris was the chief of Bennett Publishing, the build up to the 25th Anniversary, etc.  The ratings do not reflect the quality.

[Contessa Donatella]

And, don't forget! This is when Felicia had "long hair"! 

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More seriously, Anna Stuart had finally come home! It makes me laugh to think she went out to try her hand in Hollywood & a strike started that very day. And, someone from the show called her weekly to tell her things that they hoped would entice her to return! 

[JoeCool]

As for ABC, both Ryan’s Hope and Loving should have been canceled in 1989. ABC would have been just fine with the 3 hour block of soaps. It could have done a 30 minute game show or news program for the 1230 Et slot. It would have cost less than a soap.

[Khan]

Unfortunately, I think everyone involved in the future of AW - the network, the sponsor, even AW's audience - had grown apathetic.  The show could have had Agnes Nixon back head-writing with someone like Doris Quinlan EP'ing, with absolutely no interference whatsoever, and it wouldn't have mattered.  Many people outside of AW's hardcore audience just didn't care anymore.

[Soapsuds]

Soaps were on a downward track during this time. Its ironic that the soaps were showing a resurgence in 94 right before the OJ trial.

Edited November 4, 2023 by Soapsuds

[kalbir]

As I've pointed out before, Ryan's Hope was effectively over in 1983 when Y&R blew up. 

If we're keeping it real here, Agnes Nixon clout w/ ABC got Loving on the air in the first place. It was DOA head-to-head w/ The Price is Right and stood no chance when it was moved head-to-head w/ Y&R.

[Franko]

I wonder, though, if Y&R's momentum could have been hindered if ABC dared to place AMC directly against it one more time? Imagine, if you will ...

ABC -- AMC at 12:30, LOV at 1:30, OLTL at 2, GH at 3, EON at 4.

CBS -- Y&R at 12:30, ATWT at 1:30, CAP at 2:30, GL at 3

NBC -- SFT at 12:30, DOOL at 1, AW at 2

 

[JoeCool]

@kalbir Agreed. Agnes wanted Loving at 130 to 2. She was horrified when they placed it in the morning. Agnes wanted what Bill Bell got with B and B after Restless. Agnes wanted AMC at 1230, Loving at 130 and OLTL at 2. ABC screwed up big time. After B and B premiered, Agnes told ABC she could not focus solely on working on Loving and told the network she was focusing on AMC. Loving never belonged in the morning. Essentially ABC told Agnes we know better than you! I do not think so!! Agnes and Douglas Marland created Loving so they knew a lot more than ABC.

@FrankoThat is what Agnes wanted. Remember when Restless went to an hour it was moved directly opposite AMC then CBS moved it up to 1230 to get a chance to beat AMC and it did in time and destroyed RH and Loving.

Edited November 5, 2023 by JoeCool