I wanted to ask the question about would the year 2007 be the year that cancellatins for daytime soap start going full force.Let's face it,with rising costs,shrinking rating and reduced budgets its a wonder soap operas have stayed on the air this long. Passions just barely got renewed after speculating about its fate.ATWT and GL's contract will expire in 2007 along with Passions being renewed until 2007.Days just got picked up through 2009.Y&R and B&B are renewed through 2010.ABC soaps seem to be safe since they are network owned.Would 2007 see the beginning of just 6 soaps on the air instead of 9? It seems like a scary thought.

I wanted to ask the question about would the year 2007 be the year that cancellatins for daytime soap start going full force.Let's face it,with rising costs,shrinking rating and reduced budgets its a wonder soap operas have stayed on the air this long. Passions just barely got renewed after speculating about its fate.ATWT and GL's contract will expire in 2007 along with Passions being renewed until 2007.Days just got picked up through 2009.Y&R and B&B are renewed through 2010.ABC soaps seem to be safe since they are network owned.Would 2007 see the beginning of just 6 soaps on the air instead of 9? It seems like a scary thought.

They arn't canceling ATWT are they?!

I fear that might be the case, but I hope not.

I think that the writing is pretty much on the wall for GL. The affiliates are already reviewing what to fill GL's timeslot with for their fall schedules (including the Pittsburg and Baltimore affiliates -- both former GL strongholds). If GL goes, there are 3 things that could happen with ATWT. It could 1) be renewed as is, 2) be cancelled, or 3) be sold to the network. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that PGP will sell any of its shows, so 3 is out. However, you never know. I think that ATWT will be cancelled. I don't see the bean counters at PGP paying for just one show.

I think that the writing is pretty much on the wall for GL. The affiliates are already reviewing what to fill GL's timeslot with for their fall schedules (including the Pittsburg and Baltimore affiliates -- both former GL strongholds). If GL goes, there are 3 things that could happen with ATWT. It could 1) be renewed as is, 2) be cancelled, or 3) be sold to the network. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that PGP will sell any of its shows, so 3 is out. However, you never know. I think that ATWT will be cancelled. I don't see the bean counters at PGP paying for just one show.

Wasn't THE SECRET STORM once a PGP property that was sold to CBS?

It would be devastating to lose both ATWT and GL at the same time. I think PGP would allow CBS to purchase ATWT. I would certainly HOPE so.

I also think we should keep a VERY close eye on how MyNetworkTV's telenovelas perform. If they find even the slightest modicum of success, I'd expect to see telenovelas in daytime. Quite possibly one replacing ATWT or PASSIONS.

"Wasn't THE SECRET STORM once a PGP property that was sold to CBS?"

According to Matt's wonderful soap history website, SS was never a PGP property. It was owned by American Home Products. However, it *was* sold to the network, which sealed its fate.

"I also think we should keep a VERY close eye on how MyNetworkTV's telenovelas perform. If they find even the slightest modicum of success, I'd expect to see telenovelas in daytime. Quite possibly one replacing ATWT or PASSIONS."

Oh definitely. I'm actually shocked that the networks have yet to try that in daytime.

According to Matt's wonderful soap history website, SS was never a PGP property. It was owned by American Home Products. However, it *was* sold to the network, which sealed its fate.

Cool. Thanks for the info. I just always assumed the show was owned by PGP and later sold to the network.

I'm actually shocked that the networks have yet to try that in daytime.

There was the PORT CHARLES thing, but I don't even consider those REAL telenovelas, especially towards the end since there was no true beginning, middle, or end for the arcs.

For anything to truly be tried and exploited in daytime 1) A show has to be desperate or gutsy enough to do it or 2) Primetime gets ahold of it FIRST.

I'd actually rather see a third Bell-Owned show replace ATWT, but I fear that they will either replace it with telenovelas or even give that hour back to the affiliates.

And while we are on the subject of affiliates, I read at Wikipedia that the cancellation of THE EDGE OF NIGHT was prompted by PGP after ABC had learned that many affiliates were going to drop the show or put it in late-night. Not sure how airtight the contract is, but if PGP and CBS learned that several affiliates were going to drop GL mid-season in favor of syndicated programming, I could see either one or maybe even both of those companies deciding to pull the plug before 2007.

I think eventually, the big three won't have soaps. We'll have a glut of talk shows & fake courtroom shows. They're cheap & easy to do.

I think SoapNet might pick up a couple of soaps & keep them on the air.

Probably Y&R, DAYS and either AMC or GH, the rest will just cease to be.

I hope that passions will not be cancelled but the ratings are not great !

If Passions is cancelled, NBC will invent an another soap !

I hope no shows are cancelled. Least of all ATWT.

I wonder why TPTB at PGP will not sell their shows. I remember about 4 years ago, CBS was very interested in buying GL and ATWT and PGP said no. If we're to believe Rosebud1's conspiracy theory that PGP wants out, then why not sell the shows and make some more money?

Wow, my two favorite companies: NBC and P&G. You know...the genuises that cancelled Another World. So yeah, I don't have faith in either one anymore.

First off, if NBC cancels Passions, it's just going to have one soap? That's a little stupid. Then again, going down to two wasn't smart either. It should have kept AW and SuBe, or even SuBe and Passions.

If P&G cans GL and ATWT, is CBS going down to 2 soaps? I can't imagine CBS going down under 3, especially when ABC will have 3, and the two networks always !@#$%^&*] about the other one getting too many Emmy noms. One year, it's CBS complaining, the next year it's ABC. In fact, wasn't it some big-wig over at Y&R that prompted the Emmys to change its nomination process (to that dreadful 2 actors per category crap).

I could see CBS buying ATWT and even GL since it has an Emmy-winning cast. Despite everything, the ratings are consistent. Unlike ABC and NBC ratings which skyrocket and then plummet, CBS stays rather consistent. The big problem here is P&G, which IMO would never sell the soaps. I think they'd rather kill them off than have CBS take them; however, things might be different. At least they'd make some money off the deal, since I doubt that the shows are pulling in that much for them now. However, I do think that Oakdale Confidential did a lot better than they predicted; otherwise, they wouldn't have had that stupid storyline that lasted less than a month. The only good part was when Lisa yelled at Nancy at that book signing.

ATWT and GL are a package-deal. I don't see P&G holding on to one soap...it will want out completely. And I've said it before and it's worth saying again: when P&G gets out of the soap business, that's it for me. You won't find me watching another soap on American TV...I'm sorry but that's JMO.

I think if any soap does get cancelled--even Passions--the other soaps better watch out. So other soaps fans better not be laughing if ATWT, GL, and/or Passions get cancelled. The cancellation of a few soaps doesn't mean that the others will get stronger; in fact, I think it means the opposite now. Especially if the two oldest soaps are gone...that's not good for daytime on a whole.

No matter what, I do think that NBC and P&G do underestimate their shows. If I had any power in either place, I would not trust the Neilsons at all. In fact, all 4 soaps probably reach more people than those getting counted. If you think about it, a lot of young people watch NBC and a lot of old people watch CBS. Young people, who happen to live in dorms and watch TV with their friends, and old people who live in retirement homes. So say a group of 4 people are watching the show, yet only 1 gets counted. Add all those situations together, and that's a lot of people who aren't being represented.

I think if CBS cancels Guiding Light NBC should pick it up and air it on there network like they did with Search For Tomorrow 24 years ago!