Is the Sun Setting on Daytime Soaps? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 03-27-2009, 07:47 PM

The Daytime Emmys will make history this year, but not necessarily the kind of history anyone wants: For the first time in 36 years, the awards ceremony will not appear on one of the Big Three broadcast television networks.

Call it the culmination of a gradual weaning process; while the three old-school networks once traded off airings of the show, NBC stepped back entirely in 2004 and left the trade to ABC and CBS. This year, CBS declined to participate.

"It was an economic decision," explains Barbara Bloom, CBS Entertainment's senior vp daytime programs. "Ratings dropped on the awards show -- as they have on most awards shows -- and at a certain point you're looking at what the purpose is of doing it."

"The Young and the Restless"

Bad news for NATAS -- which is itself retrenching (see sidebar) -- but a bad sign for daytime in general. The leeching of viewers from primetime is an oft-discussed topic, but little real attention has been paid to the slow degradation of daypart numbers. According to Nielsen (parent company of The Hollywood Reporter), the highest-rated network program in the daypart hours is CBS' "The Young and the Restless," which has held that spot for more than 20 years. But those ratings can't match the numbers generated by the top five syndicated daypart shows, which include "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Judge Judy" and reruns of "Two and a Half Men."

And none of those shows -- network or syndicated -- breaks out of the mid- to low-single digits.

The soap, game, talk and judge show hodgepodge of hours once provided enough income to support primetime programming, but that crazy quilt has been fraying for at least a decade. Women in the workplace and the ascendancy of cable television original programming sent daytime ratings on a slow, inevitable tumble -- and network executives clinging to a shrinking piece of territory.

So is daytime dead? Not yet, says Ron Simon, curator of radio and television at New York's Paley Center. But it's not healthy.

"Daytime pioneered so much, but so much of its uniqueness has been incorporated by other services," he says. "The whole idea of dayparts is evaporating quickly. The question is, do you have to totally rethink things?"

Currently, each of the major daypart-concerned networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- all operate on different concepts of what daytime should be. CBS, the unquestioned king of the road for years, exercises a careful, traditional strategy: It sticks with what works, and spackles over cracks in the foundation.

Not that there are many: CBS daytime is primarily comprised of "The Price Is Right," which earns numbers second only to "Y&R," despite the 2007 change in leadership, when Bob Barker traded microphones with Drew Carey. Along with "Price" is a block of soaps: "Y&R," "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Guiding Light" and "As the World Turns." The last original show launched in CBS daytime, Bloom says, was "Bold" -- and that was 22 years ago.

But, she notes, "I don't believe any one of them is mired in the past. We constantly work creatively and collaboratively with our studio partners to keep these shows engaging and relevant for their audiences. That's validated by their success."

"Relevance" is a key concept at each network, which has led to tweaks at CBS with its two TeleNext Media-produced shows, "Guiding Light" and "World." Those shows have a particularly strong Internet component; "Light" has been experimenting with resembling a reality show in terms of cinematography and storytelling.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...632fed60b52b2a

ThomasE · 03-30-2009, 09:48 AM

I do think that there is a slight or should I say gradual demise in regards to the soaps. Viewing audiences are fewer and a few soaps have seen the axe over the past 15 years. Actors are taking paycuts. One of the lead actresses from Days of Our Lives (Deidre Hall) was cut. For a while, it looked like Erika Slezak was going to get the axe. I see extinction years from now. Too much is taking place.

Mr. Television · 03-30-2009, 10:57 AM

Once the networks aired full coverage of the OJ trial, they sealed the death of the daytime soap opera. You can not have a serial drama be off the air that long and expect people to just come back. It's really a shame because at one time they were the backbone of daytime tv.

03-27-2009, 07:47 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Is the Sun Setting on Daytime Soaps? The Daytime Emmys will make history this year, but not necessarily the kind of history anyone wants: For the first time in 36 years, the awards ceremony will not appear on one of the Big Three broadcast television networks. Call it the culmination of a gradual weaning process; while the three old-school networks once traded off airings of the show, NBC stepped back entirely in 2004 and left the trade to ABC and CBS. This year, CBS declined to participate. "It was an economic decision," explains Barbara Bloom, CBS Entertainment's senior vp daytime programs. "Ratings dropped on the awards show -- as they have on most awards shows -- and at a certain point you're looking at what the purpose is of doing it." "The Young and the Restless" Bad news for NATAS -- which is itself retrenching (see sidebar) -- but a bad sign for daytime in general. The leeching of viewers from primetime is an oft-discussed topic, but little real attention has been paid to the slow degradation of daypart numbers. According to Nielsen (parent company of The Hollywood Reporter), the highest-rated network program in the daypart hours is CBS' "The Young and the Restless," which has held that spot for more than 20 years. But those ratings can't match the numbers generated by the top five syndicated daypart shows, which include "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Judge Judy" and reruns of "Two and a Half Men." And none of those shows -- network or syndicated -- breaks out of the mid- to low-single digits. The soap, game, talk and judge show hodgepodge of hours once provided enough income to support primetime programming, but that crazy quilt has been fraying for at least a decade. Women in the workplace and the ascendancy of cable television original programming sent daytime ratings on a slow, inevitable tumble -- and network executives clinging to a shrinking piece of territory. So is daytime dead? Not yet, says Ron Simon, curator of radio and television at New York's Paley Center. But it's not healthy. "Daytime pioneered so much, but so much of its uniqueness has been incorporated by other services," he says. "The whole idea of dayparts is evaporating quickly. The question is, do you have to totally rethink things?" Currently, each of the major daypart-concerned networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- all operate on different concepts of what daytime should be. CBS, the unquestioned king of the road for years, exercises a careful, traditional strategy: It sticks with what works, and spackles over cracks in the foundation. Not that there are many: CBS daytime is primarily comprised of "The Price Is Right," which earns numbers second only to "Y&R," despite the 2007 change in leadership, when Bob Barker traded microphones with Drew Carey. Along with "Price" is a block of soaps: "Y&R," "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Guiding Light" and "As the World Turns." The last original show launched in CBS daytime, Bloom says, was "Bold" -- and that was 22 years ago. But, she notes, "I don't believe any one of them is mired in the past. We constantly work creatively and collaboratively with our studio partners to keep these shows engaging and relevant for their audiences. That's validated by their success." "Relevance" is a key concept at each network, which has led to tweaks at CBS with its two TeleNext Media-produced shows, "Guiding Light" and "World." Those shows have a particularly strong Internet component; "Light" has been experimenting with resembling a reality show in terms of cinematography and storytelling. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...632fed60b52b2a
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

03-30-2009, 09:48 AM	#2
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I do think that there is a slight or should I say gradual demise in regards to the soaps. Viewing audiences are fewer and a few soaps have seen the axe over the past 15 years. Actors are taking paycuts. One of the lead actresses from Days of Our Lives (Deidre Hall) was cut. For a while, it looked like Erika Slezak was going to get the axe. I see extinction years from now. Too much is taking place.
	__________________ Check out my my "It's A Living" Facebook Fanpage!!! https://m.facebook.com/groups/107208...&source=result

03-30-2009, 10:57 AM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	Once the networks aired full coverage of the OJ trial, they sealed the death of the daytime soap opera. You can not have a serial drama be off the air that long and expect people to just come back. It's really a shame because at one time they were the backbone of daytime tv.
	__________________ Sonny