6 hours ago, All My Shadows said:

I'm in a Facebook group that posts tons of vintage TV listings, and it never ceases to amaze me how much variety there used to be in network daytime. Even with an adequate supply of soaps and games, there was still plenty of room for primetime repeats, movies, talk shows, cartoons, local programming, etc. You would think that with 24/7 access to news via cable and the internet, surrendering time to the affiliates would offer more than what it has over the last 20-25 years.

Yep. Im also active in tv news message boards and many posters there think the news is the only way stations/networks can plug syndication holes. They've even been pushing the idea that CBS will develop its own version of NBC News Daily and GMA 3--God no. 

And the trick is, all America news programs cover the same thing with little international reporting outside of US interests. How many different newscasts need to tell me that the Baltimore Bridge collapsed and do a panel discussion on Princess Kate's cancer???

The justification for all day news is that people watch TV for quick hits throughout the day, not continuous viewership of one channel. Thus, it doesn't matter if they show infinate hours of news.

At this point I'll take sitcom & reality show reruns, maybe even some HGTV home improvement stuff in syndication, just no more news. Hopefully The Gates is successful and it revamps the genre.

Edited April 1, 20241 yr by Planet Soap

6 minutes ago, Planet Soap said:

At this point I'll take sitcom & reality show reruns, maybe even some HGTV home improvement stuff in syndication, just no more news.

I agree!

59 minutes ago, Khan said:

For me, Saturday and Sunday afternoons were all about the first-run syndicated shows, like "Mama's Family," or "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," lol.

Those too! There were options, especially in the 1980s, the 90s though, for some reason made me think of sports programs (maybe it was the Tanya vs Nancy and Steffi vs Monica). But when you think of it network television programming on the weekends seems pretty dire these days. I remember during the pandemic CBS tried to bring back the Saturday night movie, I don’t remember how long they kept that going.

3 hours ago, DramatistDreamer said:

It’s sad how programming on network television has devolved over time. This is not exactly the same but remember weekend afternoon programming? I remember when Saturday and Sunday afternoons you might have sports like tennis and figure skating- it seemed like there was always something to watch. Then by the early 00s, many Sunday afternoons, I’d see “interstitial’ programming which usually seemed to consist of these weird Byron Allen produced filler shows.

Even sitcoms are basically dead now. It's all drama. Chicago Parks Dept/FBI: Antarctica/ Law & Order: Traffic Court

It's starting to feel like the networks just don't want me watching TV!

That's why I personally need The Gates to succeed. Soaps are a passion of mine and I don't want them to die. 

 

1 hour ago, SteelCity said:

Even sitcoms are basically dead now. It's all drama. Chicago Parks Dept/FBI: Antarctica/ Law & Order: Traffic Court

It's starting to feel like the networks just don't want me watching TV!

That's why I personally need The Gates to succeed. Soaps are a passion of mine and I don't want them to die. 

Lol I will say the Chicagos and Law & Orders are a few of the appointment views left on primetime. Law & Order Thusday fills the void for me since Shonda's TGIT ended.

Edited April 2, 20241 yr by Planet Soap

10 hours ago, Planet Soap said:

 

Lol I will say the Chicagos and Law & Orders are a few of the appointment views left on primetime. Law & Order Thusday fills the void for me since Shonda's TGIT ended.

I like SVU and Original Recipe but, I really miss sitcoms. NBC just gave up on them. 

In the Los Angeles market the local news airs at 11 am and then gets an entire block from 3-6 pm. It is completely excessive.

I've always find the presentation of local news to be extremely excessive anyway. Three hours a day should be fine. Basically everything is covered in the first half anyway.

6am hour

Noon half hour

5pm half hour

11pm half hour

That's lots o' soap time to me!

I think the news issue is why CBS is really the only network that is in the position to be able to develop a new soap opera.

When DAYS was still on the network, it was the only daytime drama surrounded by a sea of news.  So there was nothing else for soap fans to watch, unless DAYS was appointment viewing. 

If, NBC or ABC wanted to start a new soap today, they would have to attract a totally new audience.  Whereas, CBS can coast off of those who already watch Y&R and B&B.

And the demographics support CBS - they skew older regardless, and unfortunately, those are the only people really tuning into soaps in large quantities (in a trackable way at least) these days.

In addition to this show being targeted to black women, they have to know that much of that audience tuning in will over-index for the 50+ crowd.  

2 hours ago, j swift said:

I think the news issue is why CBS is really the only network that is in the position to be able to develop a new soap opera.

When DAYS was still on the network, it was the only daytime drama surrounded by a sea of news.  So there was nothing else for soap fans to watch, unless DAYS was appointment viewing. 

If, NBC or ABC wanted to start a new soap today, they would have to attract a totally new audience.  Whereas, CBS can coast off of those who already watch Y&R and B&B.

Absolutely. CBS network has also always had a better relationship with their affiliates than ABC and NBC. Mostly because CBS had more successful years than the other two. NBC is the worst. Because they had some really horrendous years in the 70s and 80s, they became beholden to their affiliates, in part because of them threatening to leave the network. They always let affiliates dictate their daytime schedule. Airing network shows in whatever time slot they wanted, or not at all in some cases. That played a part in the ultimate failure of all NBC soaps after 1980. Affiliates had to make money. Programming 6 hours of news a day and airing syndicated shows is money in the pockets for the affiliates. That’s one of the “nails” in the coffin of soaps that isn’t talked about very often, network affiliation pressure.

18 hours ago, ReddFoxx said:

In the Los Angeles market the local news airs at 11 am and then gets an entire block from 3-6 pm. It is completely excessive.

KTLA has news from 4am-2pm then again from 3-7 pm not to mention they produce entertainment shows at 2&7pm. From what I've seen, their not like CNN with  panel discussions, to film airtime, it's all packages an anchor read overs. Just excessive. panel discussions, to film airtime, it's all packages and anchor read overs. I agree with @SteelCity less hours is more when it comes to news.

12 hours ago, cody_1990 said:

Absolutely. CBS network has also always had a better relationship with their affiliates than ABC and NBC. Mostly because CBS had more successful years than the other two. NBC is the worst. Because they had some really horrendous years in the 70s and 80s, they became beholden to their affiliates, in part because of them threatening to leave the network. They always let affiliates dictate their daytime schedule. Airing network shows in whatever time slot they wanted, or not at all in some cases. That played a part in the ultimate failure of all NBC soaps after 1980. Affiliates had to make money. Programming 6 hours of news a day and airing syndicated shows is money in the pockets for the affiliates. That’s one of the “nails” in the coffin of soaps that isn’t talked about very often, network affiliation pressure.

Interesting. CBS did have a rocky period with affiliates. In 1994 when Fox bought NFL rights, dozens of their affilates defected to Fox. And in cities like Atlanta CBS was forced to affiliate with bottom feeder stations with high dial numbers ---Ch 46.

Edited April 3, 20241 yr by Planet Soap

 

9 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

 

She's jumping off a sinking ship and on to something much better.