Disney-ABC Domestic Television has announced the debut of their new Katie Couric daytime talk show, Katie. Many soap opera fans have been against the show from the beginning, ever since it looked like it would replace General Hospital. According to one report however, the new series could end up helping to save the soap from cancellation.
Supposedly, executive producers Couric and Jeff Zucker are concerned about their show following The Revolution, the self-help series that replaced One Life to Live and quickly became a ratings disappointment. They want General Hospital to get Revolution’s timeslot so they have the soap as their lead-in. Word is they also don’t want to incur the backlash of angry soap fans and be blamed for the cancellation of the last ABC soap.
Per the most recent ratings, General Hospital has the smallest number of total viewers of all four remaining soaps. Compared to last year, GH is down 343,000 viewers and averaged about 2.3 million. The Revolution’s been attracting about 1.6 million, well below what One Life to Live did a year earlier.
Here’s the press release regarding the premiere of Katie:
“KATIE” TO PREMIERE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2012
Executive Producer Jeff Zucker Announces Key Updates, Hires for Katie Couric’s Upcoming Syndicated Daytime Show
Executive Producer Jeff Zucker today announced key production updates for Katie Couric’s highly anticipated nationally syndicated talk show, “Katie.” The live, weekday show has already been cleared in 94% of the country, and will premiere on Monday, September 10, 2012. The show is distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television.
In an internal webcast to television stations that will air “Katie,” Zucker unveiled the show’s logo, and announced additions to the senior production staff including Director Joe Terry, who has spent the last 14 years as Director for “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and Co-Executive Producer Kathy Samuels. Samuels is a producer with nearly 20 years of television experience, including live television and daytime talk show programming at NBC, Paramount Domestic, and CBS, and has been a part of several successful launch teams, including “Rachael Ray” and “Access Hollywood.” Zucker will serve as the day-to-day showrunner.
The webcast was conducted from TV One at ABC’s Manhattan headquarters, which will serve as home to the “Katie” set. The studio itself has a rich history, having served as the backdrop to the Kennedy/Nixon Presidential debates, and has housed broadcast programming including “Good Morning America” and election night coverage. “Katie” will broadcast live, weekdays in front of a studio audience.
“Katie and I are thrilled to share these updates with our partners and Katie’s fans,” said Zucker. “We now have our studio, a great-looking logo that exudes all of the qualities that we want the show to convey, and a terrific team with a diverse background of experience. We couldn’t be more excited about September 10. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Katie Couric is an award-winning journalist, best-selling author and popular TV personality. In addition to hosting the new nationally syndicated program “Katie,” Couric is also a member of the ABC News team. “Katie” will be executive produced by Katie Couric and Jeff Zucker and is distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television.
For the latest news about the show, subscribe to Facebook updates from Katie, and follow her on Twitter.
What do you think? Will Katie help save or sink General Hospital? Will ABC’s decision influence whether you’ll watch the new show or not?
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25 Comments on "Katie: Will It Help Cancel or Save General Hospital?"
I started watching Katie because after General Hospital. Katie is a very warm person, and likable. I was upset however, that they took off All My Children, so not watching ABC much anymore. I would watch General Hospital no matter who it comes on before or after. How many reality TV shows or Talk shows can you watch?? Really!! I live in reality, and do not want to watch it on TV.
Why does it have to be all reality tv? I miss All My Children and One Life to Live. ABC is not my favorite anymore with all the reality stuff and some of the shows are getting old! Bring back the family shows or you will have alot less viewers!
I will NEVER watch Katie Couric show or Good Afternoon America! The best show in the afternoon is General Hospital! In fact the only 2 good shows were OLTL and GH but you took OLTL away. Very nice to see OLTL actors on GH. I do not care for “goody two shoe” Katie! She in NO Oprah! I will watch GH but then turn in Dr. OZ! FOR SURE!!
I can not believe it, Couric for Dr. Oz, not a good trade at all!!
I will NOT watch anything that takes the place of or helps to cancel GH!! Just as I won’t watch The Revolution. Can’t say that a Katie Couric talkshow is something I am looking forward to.
I didn’t watch Katie on the Today show. I didn’t watch Katie on The CBS Evening News.I didn’t watch Katie when she did her latest stint on GM. I sure as h&ll won’t be watching Katie’s new talk show. I don’t care for talk shows or Katie Couric!!!
Even if GH isn’t cancelled this year I won’t watch Katie. I don’t believe Katie really cares who her lead-in is, she just wants to placate the soap opera fans. ABC will do what they want to do; they don’t care what fans want. If GH is cancelled, ABC is off my t.v. and I only watch it for GH now.
I blocked ABC from my satellite box on January 13th. I know I will NOT be watching Katie or anything else on ABC. I have seen some clips of the OLTL characters on General Hospital and would like to support it, but the way ABC/Disney treated its viewers has kept me from making the effort.
I will also stop watching ABC completely if GH goes off the air. Right now I only watch Revenge and Castle and GH anyway. After AMC and OLTL went off the air-I stopped watching Good Morning America, Local ABC news, Dancing with the Stars, 20/20, well actually ever single ABC show on air right now. You blew it ABC!! Not only that but we are NEVER going to another Disney Park again-ever!!
Just a question. What in the ____ is “Anderson” still doing on? I made the mistake of not changing the channel once while doing dishes and I’m sorry but a robot has more personality and less annoying monotone voice! Katie Couric couldn’t make it in evening news and Jane Pauly’s show on abc failed so why repeat the same mistake?
ABC died for me the day they killed OLTL. The only way I’d ever watch ABC again is if they returned OLTL to the air.
As far as Katie. Good luck getting viewers. Who wants or needs another talk show, they are boring as hell!
Listen, if General Hospital would move to 11:00 PM and put Katie at 2:00PM Edna, Texas time, then maybe the two shows would help each other in the Ratings Department because, as my Username on this computer states, I am BOTH a soap opera lover and a talk show lover all rolled into one big walking, talking and breathing tortilla.