tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585163331194032530.post7906478872410038645..comments2023-11-02T09:08:08.645-04:00Comments on We Love Soaps: NEWS: Bar Codes, Low Budget TV, Britney, Amanda SettonKevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13659344675956886092noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585163331194032530.post-44569518357349123272010-09-28T04:59:37.783-04:002010-09-28T04:59:37.783-04:00Two other points:
-Dexter also lives by internati...Two other points:<br /><br />-Dexter also lives by international and DVD sales (and syndication in the US after the initial run). All those are new dollars, which means the costs of making the show can be amortized over lifetime profits.<br /><br />- For whatever reason, international distribution of P&G and ABC shows is pretty scrawny. In addition, I guess due to the volume of content for a small audience, soaps don't have a DVD life.<br /><br />(WLS linked another story today noting that live shows, like DWTS [and of course sports] don't get much DVR recording. I think that soaps--continuous, never repeating--are more like live shows. After people have viewed once, they're less willing to view again. I think that explains some of why soaps have no viability on DVD).<br /><br />I do agree with @SoapFan78, however, that the UTTER lack of promotion (say for Zimmer) is surprising. (There was a high-profile Michael Logan interview). I'm thinking, though, that is again based on market experience. With the possible exception of Kimberlin Brown coming to B&B (after her initial Y&R stint), I'm not aware of soap star cross-overs EVER having a significant impact on ratings.<br /><br />Has any guest star ever seriously affected ratings beyond Liz Taylor? I think the Kimberlin situation was an exception because it was a CONTINUATION of the CHARACTER'S story on a sister show that followed immediately adjacent to Y&R. That simply meant more people left their TV on. It wasn't an activity network/channel/timeslot switch.<br /><br />Daytime viewing is habitual. Promotion really doesn't do much except keep legacy/core viewers coming back, IMO.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17786080894058246344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585163331194032530.post-21047962647135820622010-09-28T04:52:46.911-04:002010-09-28T04:52:46.911-04:002.3 million subscription-paying high-demo (youngis...2.3 million subscription-paying high-demo (youngish, rich-ish) viewers (Showtime) is NOT the same as 2.3 million daytime soap viewers (older, lower socioeconomic status than Showtime).<br /><br />The subscription thing cannot be under-stated. EACH AND EVERY counted Showtime is attached to a PREMIUM subscription fee. That goes directly into defraying show cost. Plus, people vote with their wallets...so the network knows exactly which shows are resonating with viewers.<br /><br />Although the formula is less lucrative, participation in monthly cable fees (i.e., being paid by cable/satellite companies for each and every subscriber household) also makes the other cablers (e.g., USA, AMC) more able to put on good dramas without the fear of ratings.<br /><br />2.3 million in daytime is based SOLELY on revenues that can be brought in by advertisers. Because of the demographics of daytime, advertisers won't pay that much for soaps. There is a reason you don't see the big money ads (movies, cars, even department store makeup) on daytime.<br /><br />Thus, 2.3 million viewers is not the same on every channel.<br /><br />Finally, history has shown that in each and every network where a soap changes networks, it LOSES viewers...i.e., becomes even less economically viable.<br /><br />The success of Dexter--a brilliantly written/acted/produced drama should not be viewed as "competitive" with cancelled shows. In my view, it should be viewed as evidence of the vibrancy of the serial format, and that we serial lovers can look forward to more good drama in the future.<br /><br />One last thing: I do think that GL's "Otalia" had the right niche appeal and buzz that it COULD have been spun off into a successful weekly cable drama (e.g., on Logo or WETV, etc.)...which would have added a bit of life to the GL franchise. For whatever reason, though, this idea did not seem to have legs. <br /><br />So kudos to Crystal Chappell for trying to leverage Otalia's buzz into Venice.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17786080894058246344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585163331194032530.post-74616585772735941062010-09-27T19:07:30.405-04:002010-09-27T19:07:30.405-04:00So, Amanda Setton is back in NYC shooting Gossip G...So, Amanda Setton is back in NYC shooting Gossip Girl?<br /><br />Jeez, she should have stayed on OLTL and shot Gossip Girl guest spots on the side.<br /><br />I miss Kim & Clint. They were dirty, sexy, nasty, and fun.<br /><br />BTW, why does ABC Daytime have such terrible publicity??? Kim Zimmer is joining the show and ZERO publicity for her return has appeared on TV announcing her. <br /><br />Shouldn't OLTL be reaching out to GL viewers? Why not online ads on sites that are in the demo for GL? Online ads are CHEAP!!SoapFan78https://www.blogger.com/profile/16867531085107236880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585163331194032530.post-20336499309596867512010-09-27T19:02:09.661-04:002010-09-27T19:02:09.661-04:00Dexter gets a whole 2.3 million viewers! What an ...Dexter gets a whole 2.3 million viewers! What an exciting number of viewers!<br /><br />Oh, isn't that about the same number of viewers who watched GL and ATWT??<br /><br />Please tell me why some basic cable company didn't pick up either show??SoapFan78https://www.blogger.com/profile/16867531085107236880noreply@blogger.com