NBC Daytime

[kalbir]

I always point out that Days is such an interesting case in soap history. It started as a Bill Bell show, then it became the supercouple show, and then Reilly sci-fi show.

Unfortunately I was not alive for the Bill Bell years of Days, so for my generation Days is best known for the supercouple years and Reilly years.

Edited April 11 by kalbir

[watson71]

The problem that P&G and NBC had with AW is that they never let an executive producer or headwriter stay in their position long enough to raise the ratings in the 1980-90s - the exception being Michael Laibson and Donna Swajeski.  When the ratings did not immediately rise, P&G and NBC would replace them. In the last five years the show had 5 executive producers- Terri Guarnieri, John Valente, Jill Farren Phelps, Charlotte Savitz, and Christopher Goutman.

I do think that P&G and NBC still had some faith in AW as far as 1992- when they gave AW the primetime special before the Daytime Emmys.  There was a good faith effort to get people to watch AW with the special.

[Contessa Donatella]

I know that this is the NBC topic but if you look at the exec turnover on 3 P&G soaps in NY - AW, ATWT & GL - it is the same basic chaos of changing execs too fast & too often for all of them. 1995 P&G literally played musical chairs with the EP position only there were 4 execs involved so one left the employ of P&G but the other 3 each moved over one soap. And in early 1993 when Santa Barbara ended the Dobsons were set to HW AW. The tentative agreement they had with P&G was blocked by NBC who by that time apparently wanted that timeslot for another show that they owned. 

[Paul Raven]

May 2000

Veteran NBC daytime executive Susan D. Lee is leaving the network, and Sheraton Kalouria is joining it to oversee NBC's daytime soap operas. Kalouria joins from ABC, where he had served as vice president of marketing and promotion for the daytime division since 1998. Kalouria will be responsible for NBC's two daytime dramas (Days of Our Lives and Passions) and will head development and strategic planning for daytime dramas. Lee had been with NBC for 17 years, most recently as senior vice president of daytime programming.

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes, it was notable at the time, at least to many AW fans, that in the aftermath of the cancellation of that show in June 1999 that by April of the following year, she'd been given her marching orders.

[watson71]

Once NBC knew that Passions wasn’t going to be a big ratings winner and success, Lee was gone after her mishandling of AW and Sunset Beach’s cancellations.

[Paul Raven]

None of these exec changes made any difference to NBCs daytime woes.

March 1995

NBC's Ohlmeyer takes over daytime

By David Tobenkin

NBC Television Stations President John Rohrbeck has ceded responsibility for the network's daytime programing to NBC West Coast President Don Ohlmeyer's Entertainment Division and will focus exclusively on station group issues, including the possible acquisition of more stations.

"As NBC is now actively pursuing ownership of additional television stations, Rohrbeck's increased responsibilities make it impossible to oversee both the stations and daytime programing," says NBC President /CEO Robert Wright. "The decision to return our daytime programing responsibilities to the Entertainment Division seems like a natural transition since the majority of programing and development originates on the West Coast."

When its acquisition of WCAU -TV Philadelphia closes, possibly by August, NBC will control seven stations covering 22% of the country, 3% below the FCC's 25% cap. However, two bills under consideration in Congress would raise the cap to 35% or 50%. Sources have confirmed that the network is interested in acquiring Multimedia's entertainment and station holdings.

Placing the daytime lineup with Ohlmeyer puts it under an NBC executive widely credited for the network's prime time recovery. Susan Lee, senior vice president of daytime programing, now will report to him, with input expected from NBC Entertainment President Warren Littlefield and his staff.

NBC's daytime lineup, traditionally third -ranked, has had mixed fortunes lately. Its Leeza talk show, cleared in roughly 85% of the country, has shown some growth and has been renewed for 1995 -96, but its The Other Side paranormal show continues to struggle with low ratings, clearance in only 60% of the country and a commitment only through Oct. 13.

The network's soap block, comprising Days of Our Lives and Another World, continues to have lower ratings than those of ABC and CBS but has shown demographic improvement under Rohrbeck, whose daytime oversight tenure began in September 1992. The network has said it will announce its 1996 -97 daytime lineup this fall to avoid affiliate defections to syndicated shows.

Edited April 22 by Paul Raven

[EONGLOLTL]

I have just finished reading the oral histories about Ryan's Hope and Texas.  I also read the oral history on One Life to Life a few years back.  I couldn't put them down!  So interesting to hear from all the actors and behind the scenes folks.  How do we go about getting ones for rest NBC soaps?  I believe that Tom Lisanti is working on a book now of all NBC New York soaps for years 1977-1980.  I'd love to read the complete histories of Another World, The Doctors, Somerset, Santa Barbara, Passions and Sunset Beach.  I know there are many other short lived NBC soaps as well.  I think these shows would all be interesting reads.   I don't imagine that they would touch Days of our Lives currently airing.

[Paul Raven]

By 78 NBC daytime was struggling. They knew what the issues were but failed to make the changes needed to get those young gals watching.

 Jan 78

Plans for NBC's daytime programs - which are in third place -are apparently less well defined at the moment. Michael Brockman, a former daytime programer at ABC, took the position of vice president in charge of daytime for NBC just a few weeks ago.

He and his chief assistant, Mary Alice Dwyer (an associate of Mr. Brockman at ABC), are in the process of analyzing the network's schedule to determine where to begin making changes. One thing Mr. Brockman knows, he said, is that NBC needs more women18 -49 (NBC is currently last in that category in daytime). "Whatever you design," he said, "has to fundamentally appeal to that demographic." He indicated, however, that he is less concerned with the network's afternoon serial block than he is with its morning game show and rerun mix, and, like his counterparts at the other networks, Mr. Brockman discounts the notion that recent drops in daytime viewership may be attributable to the one -hour serial form.

The first changes were indeed in the morning.

In April 78 Card Sharks replaced Sanford and Son reruns at 10am and High Rollers was introduced at 11am knocking Wheel of Fortune back to 11.30 replacing Knockout.

Sanford and Son moved to noon replacing To Say the Least.

On paper that looked like a stronger schedule.

The next move in July was the disastrous America Alive at noon, replacing Sanford and The Gong Show,which set them back even further.

Finally in October 78, Jeopardy was brought back at 10.30 and Hollywood Squares moved to 1pm replacing another flop For Richer for Poorer.

The only major change for the soaps apart from cancelling FRFP, was Linda Grover as headwriter for The Doctors as of April 78.

[Spoon]

It was so dumb of NBC not to expand The Doctors to one hour.  I wonder why they lacked the confidence to do so.  I know they did a test episode, but it would've made more sense than bloating AW to 90 minutes.  AW never recovered and GH became a ratings monster.  

[Paul Raven]

There might have been resistance from Colgate-Palmolive, the owners of the show. They might not have been willing to invest the $$ needed for the expansion.

They sold the show to NBC in 1980? or 81? By that  time it was too late. Another issue is that TD would have needed a bigger studio and there might not have been anything suitable  in NY.

[Khan]

I've always suspected those (C-P's resistance and the lack of bigger studio space) were the reasons why TD never expanded as well.

[Spoon]

Thanks for the replies, solid business reasons.  I wasn't born yet back then.

[1974mdp]

Those would be fascinating to read! Where did you read the oral histories of Ryan's Hope, etc...?

[EONGLOLTL]

They are books by Tom Lisanti.  You can find his books on Amazon.  Hope you enjoy!