Ratings from the 80's

[JoeCool]

Moving AMC to 12:30 would have been better for ABC. I think though Restless would have still become Number 1 but when and for how long who knows. ABC was not willing to do it and they eventually lost the daytime ratings crown. This is my opinion, I think AMC would have done well going up against Restless and would have done well through the 80s and 90s. I think ABC was too worried and focused on GH than AMC.

AMC also lost ratings momentum in 1975 when it was moved for RH. So I think moving AMC to 12:30 in 1983 would have been a move of strength and would have increased Loving's ratings at 1:30 or if RH went there. RH was awful at 12:30PM. ET in the early 1980s.

[JAS0N47]

I never heard of that trial series before. Thanks for the info. Per Nielsen, it was 11:30AM.

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 5/29/89-6/2/89 & 6/5/89-6/9/89:

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FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 6/12/89-6/16/89 & 6/19/89-6/23/89:

[kalbir]

Another top 5 week for Guiding Light. May 30 Springfield learns Roger survived the fall off the cliff in Santo Domingo. June was the EP change from Joe Willmore to Robert Calhoun but we're seeing another ratings drop.

[JoeCool]

@kalbir Also BB showing growth. BB beats ATWT for the first time the week of 6/12 and beats both ATWT and GL both for the first time the week of 6/19.

[kalbir]

Yes, that's right. The addition of the Spectra gang is paying off, plus I think we will be seeing clearances increase during the rest of 1989 and into 1990.

I really enjoyed Guiding Light during Robert Calhoun's run and it disappoints me that the ratings didn't reflect the quality of the show. From the annual ratings, GL remains in 7th place in 1989/90 and 1990/91 but the actual ratings drop.

It's so funny that during the second half of 1989 CBS daytime is hitting its stride w/ all four soaps plus the game show block and CBS primetime is in the midst of its third place mess era.

Edited November 6, 2023 by kalbir

[JoeCool]

@kalbir CBS Daytime took off in the second half of 1989 and by the end of the year was unstoppable and unbeatable. GH really begins to drop in 1989/early 1990. CBS Primetime was a mess though.

[Gray Bunny]

It is pretty strange how at one point, you had ABC's 3 hourlong soaps at the very top of the Nielsens heap, and their 3 half-hour shows at the very bottom. A scheduling change could have helped/saved at least 1 of the weaklings. 

[JoeCool]

Exactly. I agree. ABC was not willing to make the schedule change and lost the daytime ratings crown to CBS. EDGE at 4PM ET was already low on clearance levels. RH and Loving battled clearance issues.

[Soapsuds]

The momentum for Roger return didn't last. I'm curious to get your opinion on why it didn't.

Most soaps seem to be on the upswing again in mid June.

ATWT drops to #7.  They'll soon be back in the top 5 and stay there for the rest of the year.

ATWT had the Montega story at the time.

[JAS0N47]

A simple question to help easily figure out how many full preemptions each of the current soaps have had. 

What Episode # was it for BB, GH and YR on Friday, November 3, 2023??

[kalbir]

I don't know. I was fairly new to watching GL at this time. Maybe those that watched longer than I did have better insights.

 Kids off school for the summer.

[BoldRestless]

Y&R: 12,739

B&B: 9,176

GH: 15,400

[JAS0N47]

 

Thanks, so the answers are this (as of November 5, 2023):

 

BB:
Possible Airdates: 9555 airdates
Aired: 9176 episodes
Full Preemptions: 379 preemptions

 

GH:

Possible Airdates: 15810 airdates
Aired: 15400 episodes
Full Preemptions: 410 preemptions

 

YR:
Possible Airdates: 13205 airdates
Aired: 12739 episodes
Full Preemptions: 466 preemptions

[BoldRestless]

Y&R has more than GH despite the 10 year difference!  And according to your site, Days has 413 but they will soon be surpassed, as they presumably will never have a preemption again!

[GLATWT88]

I agree that YR would have done well either way, its rise to the top wasn't only a matter of a cushy timeslot, but really strong storytelling and soap as well. However, AMC could have held off some of this growth if placed head to head. 

I wonder if YR being scheduled so close to local news programs (12:30pm on most east coast affiliates and 11 on the west coast) plays any role in all these preemptions. Although, it does say full preemptions...