Thursday, February 11, 2010

Daytime Emmy Update From Jim Romanovich

Jim Romanovich, Associated Television International's (ATI) president of Worldwide Media and Entertainment, has sent We Love Soaps a statement clarifying his recent Daytime Emmy tweet.

I’d like to clarify my tweet from the other day. As you know, you’re only allowed 140 characters so basically all you have is the punch line and not the set-up. The tweet was my conclusion that there would be no ATWT tribute and here’s why. I think it would be too costly for P&G to do it considering there is no real return of investment in doing so. They have to arrange all the cast, transportation, flights, hotels, etc. on a show that is going away or possibly gone by the time the Emmys would air. The Academy has no hand in this until they know the arrangements can happen. Then they decide to do it. So, ultimately it’s not really our decision.

The fact is that I don’t see a tribute this year because of that, first and foremost, but I can’t rule it out either as nothing is yet carved in stone. The event for television so far this year isn’t even a reality as no agreements have been signed. When, or if, we have something definite with NATAS, I would like to be given approval to reach out to P&G as I absolutely would love to see this great series honored on television while there’s still a Daytime Emmys for TV to talk about. Talking, I said…

But there is also that issue of AMC’s 40th anniversary and this is a show that is current, had some major positive changes overall, and is looking ahead. And I don’t want to cheapen either show by doing each half-assed. Believe it or not, there are no decisions on that either. This is mainly because no decisions have been made between ATI and NATAS. We’re working on it. We’ve provided what we think is a topper to last year. But ultimately NATAS has to do what’s in its best interest. So, we’ll see.

So if fans are going to scream about an ATWT tribute, then they have to stand behind me because if nobody hears me scream, then TPTB sure as hell won’t hear anyone else. If it makes sense with all on board creatively and financially and can be done effectively in the confines of the show, then great. If not, then no. For me, the most important thing is the big picture. And that big picture contains two main ingredients: Celebrate all of Daytime TV and provide an entertaining show.

So, my apologies for not delivering my intended message in under 140 characters! God forbid we should need 141 characters…

18 comments:

  1. Ehh I get what he's saying but I still don't really agree, for one thing ATWT is now the longest running soap, and it is leaving the airwaves forever we should be honoring that show and not celebrating the continued life of another show it's just tacky.

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  2. Great. P&G is finally showing its true colors. They don't care about their soaps at all and it was always their plan to get rid of both fo them (remember how they used to tell us they were looking for a new network for GL?)

    I can see ATWT getting snubbed in the nominations like Guiding Light did last year. Oh and let's forget about Crystal Chappell, Jessica Leccia or anyone else connected to the Otalia storyline getting any nominations this year! [/ends bitter rant]

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  3. I enjoyed your rant lol because I'm right there with ya, but not only that it seems like tptb over the Emmy's want to quickly forget about them as well. Even though we all know that Otalia (both CC and JL) should get nominations and dare I say it even writing noms also but they wont AMC will get them all (insert eyeroll)

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  4. Oh please, lets face facts. The audiences for afternoon soaps aren't as big as they used to be and they are relatively expensive programming.
    We should feel lucky we have the 7 (soon to be 6) soaps we have.

    It is well known P&G were losing money on both ATWT and GL for year, hence GL's radical production model.

    The answer is too get more people watching, simple as that!

    As for Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia, I think several other actresses deserved emmy nominations, but on the day, the best actresses won. Just because it was a lesbian storyline, doesn't mean automatically it should win awards. Sigh, other shows had interesting stories too.

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  5. Tony,

    You ask that we face facts, but I believe that you one very important fact wrong in your comment.

    You say it is 'well-known that P&G were (should probably be was) losing money on both ATWT and GL..'

    I don't believe that is true. In fact, I believe that is patently incorrect.


    Procter and Gamble, to my knowledge, weren't making as much profit on the shows. However, I believe that there was still a profit being made. I don't think P&G (or anyone) has ever claimed that those shows were LOSING money.

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  6. ***that should read:

    "You ask that we face facts, but I believe that you have one very important fact wrong in your comment."

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  7. ***and...

    The first sentence in my last paragraph should read:

    Procter and Gamble, to my knowledge, WASN'T making as much profit on the shows.

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  8. Dear Scott Please see the following quote:

    "But the bottom line, Leahey (being Lynn Leahey, editorial director of Soap Opera Digest) said, is " 'As the World Turns' just isn't making money.""

    http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/09/entertainment/la-et-world-turns09-2009dec09

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  9. Or Scott Templeton, maybe this quote from Bradley Bell in an interview with Michael Fairman ...... “ For me there was no surprise that ATWT was cancelled. Their business model wasn’t working. I had [prior to the cancellation] spoken to people at P&G and they were very free with the information that they were losing money and they wanted to either find a way to make ATWT profitable or get out of the game. So they had to pull the plug and CBS had to pull the plug. P&G is a big company and they’re more focused on selling their products and less concerned about their shows. They certainly care about their fans…but it was time.”

    http://michaelfairmansoaps.com/2009/news/bbs-head-honcho-brad-bell-on-atwts-and-moonves/

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  10. By the way, Stella said, "I can see ATWT getting snubbed in the nominations like Guiding Light did last year". What Daytime Emmys did you watch? I saw Jeff Branson tie for a win for the Best Supporting Actor Emmy , and both Daniel Cosgrove and EJ Bonilla get nominated..... Thats not a snub at all

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  11. I think were all complaining about the wrong thing
    Just because p@g have given up on atwt doesn't mean everyone should
    And also CC and JL deserve awards because they did amazing work and many feel the actresses og gl were
    Snubbed last year.

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  12. Actually a lot of other Non-GL actresses did amazing work as well. Just because Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia did not get nominated does not mean GL actresses got snubbed.

    Also I think the general public has largely given up on ATWT. If more than 2.5 million watched it and it had decent foreign sales it would still be on. It was loss-making for P&G and they were/are still making it. CBS cancelled it! Lets get our conspiracy theories right here

    P&G are apparently shopping it around to try and keep the brand going, CBS has cut it loose. I assume if P&G manage to get it elsewhere it will have slimmed down cast and be cheaper(ie no older, less characters,etc)

    The fact is the ratings aren't that good. I am not saying anything about the quality of ATWT, I watch it ( I'd prefer more Bob, Kim and Lisa), but the numbers are declining, it is not a profitable show for P&G and CBS can get a cheaper product on air and get roughly similar rating ie Lets Make a Deal.

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  13. But it isn't p@g that's saying this its tptb over the emmys so we really can't say what p@g would do. I do find it sad that the emmys seem to be writing off atwt and gl. I'd add beth chamberlain and the actor that plays Buzz to the list I would love to see nominated.

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  14. I agree with you Katie. As much as AMC hitting 40 is a big thing, ATWT is leaving the air. There should be a tribute to it. Where do we complain to the Emmy people? Does anyone have an address/email?

    PS, Justin Deas who played Buzz has won 6 Emmys....I think 3 for Buzz. I has actually thought he had stopped putting himself up for Emmy recognition

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  15. Not that I don't love a great debate about soaps, but the point here is that there is not going to be an ATWT tribute at the Daytime Emmys.
    I don't expect every cast member to go to California for the show, but one iconic actor, like Lisa Fulton, introducing a well-done clip retrospective would still be a tribute. For the PTB to say there will not be a tribute because P&G won't foot the bill is ludicrous.

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  16. Sorry = "Lisa Fulton" should have read "Eileen Fulton"
    (now where could I have gotten 'Lisa' from?)

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  17. Mo, I agree. But not just Eileen Fulton but Don Hastings. Both will soon have 50 years of service up.

    I can't believe that the Emmys don't have time for a tribute....Seriously I think some campaign to get this needs to be started.

    By the way, a flight and hotel room and a limo, how much could it cost?

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  18. Ummm, I know I don't drink the cool aid, but how did CC and JL become part of this conversation? Not everything revolves around them (shocking, I know).

    I read Jim's tweet too, and was confused, so I'm glad to see him get a chance to clarify. I think ATWT is a lose/lose regardless---I just hope they learned a bit about what a tribute should really be and not be (cause even the longer version of that GL video last year was NOT a tribute) when it comes for a the montage.

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