Sunday, April 5, 2009

News Round-up: Jacobsen, Ingo, Lane Davies, GL

HOME AND AWAY star joins MELROSE PLACE
Former HOME AND AWAY star Stephanie Jacobsen is the latest cast member to join the new version of MELROSE PLACE. The actress, who starred as Doctor Charlotte Adams in the soap, has signed on to play Lauren, a medical student at UCLA, who moonlights as a high-end call girl.

The 10 Awesomest Wardrobe Malfunctioning Celebs
Cameron Mathison's thong-gate comes in at #10.

GH's Ingo Rademacher's Venice home for sale for $2,599,000
The main house has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. There are two detached rental units, one with two bedrooms and the other a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment. The combined square footage of the units is 4,277.

PHOTOS: EASTENDERS' Ronnie Mitchell mourns death of daughter
EASTENDERS ice queen Ronnie Mitchell breaks down at the grave of her long-lost daughter Danielle in heart-wrenching scenes to be screened next week. The nightclub boss, played by Samantha Janus, bursts into tears once the other mourners have gone as she says her own private goodbyes to the girl she gave up for adoption as a teenager.

"She can't come to terms with the fact that she's lost her little girl all over again and begs Danielle for forgiveness," said an insider on the BBC1 soap.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Soap vet Lane Davies
Despite tough economic times, some diligent fundraising, perseverance, and an anonymous "angel" have worked to bring the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival back to Middle Tennessee, and so far, said Lane Davies, the prospects look good. In fact, he's planning two productions this year, with the classic tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" following this year's revival of "Midsummer Night's Dream."

GL's fade from TV guided by brutal economics
The chasm between failure and phenom is far wider than the couple hundred thousand viewers—and three letters—that separate "GL" and Glenn [Beck]. Numbers still matter in media, just not the same numbers—and buzz often translates to bi

No LIGHT spells a dark day for soap opera fans
Sure, these are some tough economic times. But is NOTHING sacred? Not even our stories?

Deep Soap: Can This Soap Be Saved?
Sara Bibel takes a look at potential suitors for GL and ATWT and gives odds on any of them happening.

P&G Puts Added Focus On Digital Media As TV Soap Ends
Procter & Gamble Co. will make a bigger push to develop more digital media properties and Web sites targeted at women following the cancellation of its soap opera GUIDING LIGHT, which the company used for decades to peddle soap and household necessities.

GUIDING LIGHT, the longest running show in broadcast history is due to be canceled on CBS. Procter & Gamble Productions, the company's unit that owns the soap opera, is weighing options to make the show available elsewhere or in another medium, spokeswoman Jeannie Tharrington said.

"We are just trying to keep up with the times," Tharrington said. She declined to say how many sites or media properties are planned, saying only "there is a pipeline." The sites won't all be targeted at women, but may touch on subjects ranging from health and wellness to the kitchen, while advertising P&G products. P&G will develop some of these Web sites in partnership with NBC Universal, she said. P&G Productions already has a partnership with NBC Universal for a Web site called petside.com, which discusses subjects like health and wellness for pets, while carrying ads for products like P&G's pet food brand Iams.

Ratings for GUIDING LIGHT had been falling and Tharrington said the company was still weighing the financial viability of keeping the soap opera alive elsewhere. She did not discount some kind of a digital format for the show, but said the company was considering several options for the program, which will have its finale on CBS Sept. 18.

AD AGE: CBS Could Benefit From Making the Tough Call on LIGHT
By canceling GL, CBS risks the wrath of the loyal soap audience, a group whose loyalty makes JERICHO and MOONLIGHT die-hards seem almost casual in their devotion. Some of the wackier voices in the soaps blogosphere have already predicted CBS’ decision will prompt a domino effect, with other daytime dramas falling faster as a result of LIGHT'S demise.

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