DAYS OF OUR LIVES Moves to Peacock From NBC on September 12

[Broderick]

And they've squabbled over that deal since the very beginning.  There's a case from the 1970s called First National Bank of Chicago vs. Screen Gems.  

1st Nat'l Bank was the executor of the Irna Phillips Estate.  Elizabeth "Betty" Corday was a co-plaintiff, representing Theodore "Ted" Corday.

On November 1, 1961, Irna Phillips, Theodore Corday, and Allan Chase entered into an ownership agreement.  On September 15, 1964, Theodore Corday alone entered into an agency agreement with Screen Gems.  The first agreement stated that each of the three parties (Phillips, Corday, and Chase) owned a one-third interest in a dramatic serial composition which they wished to have presented and disseminated to various media for public presentation.  Each of the three parties was to be entitled to one-third of fees in connection with the property resulting from any type of exploitation.  In the event of an outright sale of the property, each of the three parties was to be entitled to one-third of the proceeds, but there would be no sale of the property without unanimous written consent of the three parties.  Each of the three parties agreed not to sell or assign his/her interest without giving the remaining parties a right of first refusal to purchase such interest upon the terms proffered.  Phillips would serve as story editor of the dramatic serial, Corday as executive producer of the dramatic serial, Chase as script editor.

On September 15, 1964, Corday alone signed an agreement, prepared on the letterhead of Screen Gems.   Corday represented to Screen Gems that he, Irna Phillips, and Allan Chase were the co-owners of the dramatic, literary property in question, and Corday represented that he was authorized on behalf of Irna Phillips and Allan Chase to enter into an agency agreement with Screen Gems.  Under the agreement signed by Corday, Screen Gems could market the property for broadcast licensing.  If a licensing deal was secured, the owners would be paid $750 per week for the first year, and $1,000 per week for each subsequent year.  And, if Screen Gems successfully licensed the property to a national network, Screen Gems would retain its rights in the property in perpetuity.  

Screen Gems (now SONY) did indeed secure a "national broadcaster" (NBC) for the product, which earned SONY the perpetual  right to distribute the property.  When Irna Phillips and Ted Corday were still living, they sued Screen Gems for "exercising creative control" over the product.  Phillips and Corday wanted to make it clear that they (and Allan Chase) owned the intellectual property, and Screen Gems was merely the distributor, who lacked the ability to exert creative control over the show.  Once Phillips and Corday were deceased, Irna's estate and Betty Corday had to reestablish the same facts.  Ultimately, I suppose Chase and Phillips sold their interest to Corday, making Corday Productions the "sole owner of the intellectual property", but Screen Gems/Columbia Pictures/SONY will be the distributor of the property for as long as the property exists.  

I hope that makes sense.  Ken Corday can't enter an agreement (without SONY) to air the property anywhere, at any time, ever.  It's up to SONY to license and distribute the property forever.  And whomever SONY licenses it to gets to air it.  

[watson71]

This will be the first time in 73 years that NBC has no entertainment programming (soaps and game shows) between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM.  

[Joseph]

Imagine that LOL Vikki The Elderly Stripper

I know she's messed but Both Bipolar Disorder AND DID? Of Course ReRon knows no limits, we really seem to have settled that Days is Probably either End Or Change Completely, maybe is my fear of change but I'm freaking out on The subject 

[DaytimeFan]

What an excellent summary. In hindsight a bad deal for Corday that tied up how the show could be marketed and sold, but at the time it probably felt like a dream to be able to get a soap on the relatively new medium of television, and with a large studio behind you to boot - thank you for posting! 

[lucaslesann23]

Yikes 

https://www.etonline.com/days-of-our-lives-crew-members-shocked-to-learn-soap-is-moving-to-peacock-source-says-188573

[dragonflies]

Hmmm, lies...

"For the first time ever, all new episodes of the 58-time Emmy Award-winning drama will debut on Peacock daily with the show's robust library already available to stream for Peacock Premium subscribers," a statement read. "The historic move to Peacock creates the ultimate destination for daytime fans to access the library, new episodes and Peacock Original Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem in one place."

 

[Soapsuds]

What rebust library? What are they talking about? There's nothing there.

[AbcNbc247]

You know, I miss when journalists would actually do research

[Soapsuds]

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[JoeCool]

Thank you for this. Now everything makes sense, WHat a deal Screen Gems made for themselves and subsequently SONY. Wow!

[Melroser]

I'm a very casual watcher of Days. In regards to the genre in a whole, it stings. Not as badly as when AW got cancelled (or OLTL for that matter) but feels like such a black cloud lingering. I'd love to see it succeed on Peacock. However, as shotty as this whole move has been, it doesn't seem like Peacock has enough business sense to make this a successful transition. 

I agree that Ron has to go. If only Peacock would find a writer that has been successful with a streaming series (or two) to give the show a whole new feel. Updated opening (I KNOW!!! Mac Carey and the hourglass are icons...but if they really want to move into the next era it needs to be changed.) A complete revamp. Many of you have mentioned limited episodes at a time. I agree that maybe 10/12 eps at a time featuring a main story would work. Threads of other stories could always intermingle throughout...but keep it one main story. That way you don't have to watch EVERY episode to tune in. 

I personally won't be paying to watch (as I don't pay for any other streaming service either). Days is not a draw for me to change that. I'm as annoyed with the show's writing as many of you. The masks, people dead one week and back the next, way too many characters, no romance or mystery anymore. Eps are just...bleh....with no consequences. 

Part of this gives me flashbacks of Port Charles. Didn't they film two eps a day so they could shut down production for 6 months and then were supposed to come back after their "hiatus" to find out they weren't at the last minute? When DAYS's renewal is up in January (?) they will easily have enough eps done to fill their contract through Sept. (if it had been on network). I have a feeling in January they will pull the same thing as PC and tell them they're done (and let the eps run off).  Will they do another Beyond Salem after? Maybe. Maybe not if it doesn't pull new subscribers. 

 

[wonderwoman1951]

when i last spoke with irna’s son, tom, two years ago, he said that he was still receiving royalties from days…

[victoria foxton]

A show cannot survive on gimmicks alone. Even the most recent Beyond Salem. They paid for actors. They got NAMES in there, and parts of the story were ok, but the Heaven set for starters... If you want to tell a story THAT BIG, somewhere you have to come up with a way to make it look right. Last night I was thinking of the possession and then I was thinking of when Steve went blind and comparing the two in my head. MBE and SN can sell story better than DH and DH. That's a fact. Marlena, who Ron still says is the queen of his show, is ruined as a character. To me, whether I sound like a fool for harping on it or not, Ben Weston was also part of the demise of Days. They can say Cin was popular, and they were with half the fan base. They can say that's the half of the fan base that matters, and they brought eyes to the show. Where are the numbers to back that up? Those watchers are not gonna keep a 57-year-old program afloat. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by victoria foxton

[David_Vickers]

Ron and Co hopefully will be, but DAYS will continue, many people stream.  Rob Wilson will continue I guarantee maybe as Alex, but hopefully as Ben.  IF Ciara and Ben return, they could bring back original Ben instead, Justin Gaston, most recently Temp Chance on Y&R. 

[dragonflies]

I think we all would lol