Word is that ABC is considering the possibility of moving General Hospital to primetime during the summer months.
While the ratings for ABC’s only remaining soap opera aren’t very strong (especially by primetime standards), the show is comparatively inexpensive to produce. Episodes cost approximately $200,000 to make and primetime dramas which can cost more than a million.
There’s of course also the possibility that General Hospital will stay in daytime. ABC has said that they’d be releasing the final hour of daytime (2pm Central or 3pm Eastern/Pacific) back to the affiliates in September 2012, so they can fill it with their own programming. That will leave three hours of daytime for ABC to schedule.
The View is a huge success so that’s not going anywhere. ABC-owned stations have committed to a new Katie Couric talk show for fall and that will fill another hour. That leaves one hour left up for grabs. The Chew and The Revolution aren’t performing as well as the soaps they replaced but are cheaper to produce. Only one of them, or General Hospital, will likely survive.
Another possibility is that ABC could produce General Hospital for first-run syndication. This solution would allow ABC affiliates to keep the show in its current timeslot, if they chose to buy it. If not, other stations in the broadcast area could pick up the soap and put it in an available timeslot. As with any daytime solution, the declining viewership and cost would likely be a deterrent.
What do you think? Could GH realistically make a move to primetime for limited summer runs? Would you be in favor of that solution?
Image courtesy ABC.
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I record The Chew and The Revolution, but end up erasing the programs based on the subject matter. I think America is tired of seeing other people’s sob stories of not being able to lose weight, or ANOTHER way to save money on makeup or whatever. The View may be high in ratings but it is just a bunch of unattractive women gossiping about today’s issues. Soaps take a person away from reality for awhile and you get to see attractive people in different situations. AMC, OLTL, & GH are such long traditions-we don’t need ANOTHER talk show!!!!! Bring back the soaps and the ratings will go up. Everything shouldn’t be about money.
I don’t care where they put it as long as it stays!
I don’t care where they put General Hospital, as long as it is on and I can watch!!! Get rid of the chew or the revolution, or the doctors, or any of the other ones…I hope ABC realizes the mistake that they made with canceling All My Children and One Life to Live and do everything they can to save General Hospital for their viewers!!!
I don’t watch tv all day anymore,I can’t stand the Chew or the Revolution they stink so since they have taken my soaps off I GET MY HOUSE WORK DONE,i still watch General Hospital,I look forward to watching it makes me get my mind off of my problems so i refuse to watch the chew or the revolution,what is wrong with the people who made this decision,I am sick of food,doctor,talk shows,who wants to talk about cancersome people have to deal with this stuff in real life,we go to our doctor we dont need it shoved down our throats!Bring back soaps,something like Dallas or leave the soaps alone!!!!
I love GH i been watching it for 23 years will b sad not to see it anymore. Im agree that shows like the chew should b on the food network.the revolution is ok.I dont want more talk shows inviting famous people is stupid.Can anybody create something better then this?
I have really enjoyed both The Chew and The Revolution! I tape The REVOLUTION and have learned so much from the INSPIRING program. My eager hopes is that it WILL continue. My friends and I discuss it each day and are not fans of soaps. It appears that there is an audience for both The Revolution and a soap.
I am 23 and i have been watching All My Children, OLTL, and GH, With my moma since i was like 2 I dont want them canceled they are a 3rd generation tradition in my family, if ABC cancels GH, I will never watch ABC OR DISNEY EVER AGAIN the CHEW SUCKS the REVOLUTION SUCKS,( BRING OUR SOAPS BACK ) ALL OF THEM OR ATLEAST OLTL!!!!
I really hope the Revolution Gets cancelled it’s awful!!!!! They need to bring OLTL back and they don’t need to cancel GH. If ABC did that I would stop watching ABC
I won’t watch GH no matter what time it is on. I can’t believe a stupid show like The View is considered popular……….NOT!! I HATE The View, The Chew and The Revolution…..basically ABC sucks!!!! I refuse to watch Katy Couric do anything. Can’t stand her. The only way I would ever watch ABC Daytime is if AMC and OLTL came back.
The twos shows were the only reason I even tuned into ABC anyhow.
ABC SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When the April 2011 announcement came that ABC/ Disney had decided to cancel two long running iconic daytime dramas; “All My Children” and One Life To Live;“ the news hit the soap community like a sledgehammer.
In the weeks since Agnes Nixon’s, One Life to Live left the ABC airwaves, the mood among the soap’s fans genuinely reflects the loss of a beloved forty-three-year-old tradition.
Yet, the battle cry that sounded the backlash against ABC/ Disney back in April 2011, is louder, stronger and more resolved than ever as the boycott of ABC and all things Disney has taken on a fever pitch.
They’ve organized, having joined millions of other soap fans as well as actors and industry people in the online campaigns to save the Soap Operas and the war cry can be heard loud and clear on Facebook pages like:
Daytime Fans Unite: http://www.facebook.com/#!/DAYTIMEFANSUNITE and
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I Would Pay A Network/ Cable/ Satellite Provider To Save My Soaps! http://www.facebook.com/groups/200709853303867/?ref=ts
Yet, even with all that firepower, several million “Soapers” have decided to dig in even deeper and with the exception of the hour that “General Hospital” airs, a massive tune out commenced against ABC on January 16, 2012.
With The Chew and The Revolution tanking in the ratings they have proved that they are a complete waste of time and Katie Couric’s show that doesn’t belong in daytime and is sure to bore as just another disappointing gab fest.
For nearly fifty years Soap viewers have made up 3/4 of ABC’S daytime viewing audience and Soap Viewers will never watch any of the replacement shows that ABC has tried to force upon us during the hours of 12-3 pm where our beloved soaps All My Children, One Life To Live and General Hospital should be airing.
For the most part, ABC’S daytime audience has left the building and if ABC wants it’s viewers back the solution is simple…..Give us our soaps back with no further threats of cancellation.
I just watched The Revalution. I think it’s brilliant. I don’t think network gave it enough time to catch on. I love all the cast members and think they do a great job relating to the audience
Bernice, I definitely agree with you. I understand we have plenty of talk shows, but The Chew and The Revolution actually have some good information to share, as opposed to other talk shows that have nothing to talk about and focus on other people’s lives. Like The Ellen Show.. She’s wonderful but her show says absolutely nothing other than giving away stuff for no good reason or focusing on Youtube clips…. why?.
I think General Hospital could do well in Prime time if it is advertised and people know that it is on then. I also think that ABC should consider put OLTL on in Prime time also. It had better ratings that General Hospital. Unless they have the best actors of both on General hospital that is.
These two shows never should have had a first season. I’m tired of everyone wanting to be Rachel Ray plus The View with a little Project Runway and Food Network thrown it. Yuck to both The Chew and The Revolution!
The world does not need another afternoon talk show–is Katie afraid to tackle primetime? General Hospital takes viewers away from the many real upsets of everyday life to Port Charles where one is allowed to deal in fantasy–mini vacation perhaps? Things should remain the same as far as this show’s existence.
Why then did ABC not consider putting OLTL in primetime???????
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