News Brief

Hollywood Reporter: The Writers Guild of America doesn't strike lightly, but when scribes took to the streets on Nov. 5, one of their primary concerns was over Internet residuals. Original production and distribution of current material looks, in the long run, to be a cash cow, and no one wants to be left out of the pasture. Still, that has left any number of questions open, including just how much writers are even currently affected by what's developing on the Internet. "Daytime (shows) will be the first to make the jump into full-on Internet," says Rick Draughon, who recently created his own Internet soap, "Coastal Dreams." "The viewership on daytime is declining more than other areas, and (companies) like NBC will want to find another outlet for them." Draughon, who spent six years writing for NBC's "Days of Our Lives," was hired by NBC.com to create "Coastal Dreams." "When I was approached by NBC.com, it was, 'We are thinking of doing this. It is going to be an experiment. Do you want to be part of it?' I said, 'Absolutely.' People watch soaps when they have time, and they like to watch them on the go, and that was NBC's idea: 'How can we test this market by creating a show that is three to five minutes now, and in the future, we might be able to do five to 15 minutes?'" Draughon was lucky to have an ample budget, by Internet-scale: He got "in the $300,000-$500,000 zone" for the series and shot 24 episodes in four days.

Deadline Hollywood: Golden Globes Screwed By Writers Strike?

Starpulse: Shawn Pyfrom Talks About "Desperate Housewives," The Writers' Strike, Playing Danny Bonaduce & More. "I think the Van de Camps are loosely based on producer Marc Cherry's family life, although I don't know if his real mother was a strict as Bree. I can't imagine that there are too many people in the world like that. It is always interesting to watch Andrew and Bree go at each other's throats. She believes something so different and he does everything to make sure to cause her stress."

TV Guide: Few soap queens stir up as much fan fuss as Kristina Wagner. But the beloved star's return to "General Hospital" on Dec. 20 won't be a happy holiday homecoming. Her character, Felicia, is back for the funeral of her teen daughter Georgie (Lindze Letherman), the latest victim of the Text Message Killer. "It's just so sad," Wagner says. "On my first day back, I cried through 13 scenes and left feeling pretty blue."

ABC: "All My Children" SPOILER: Starting January 18, Angie and Jesse's story continues. Angie comes home to Pine Valley to consult on a mysterious medical case. Her patient is someone AMC fans know very well. Along the way, we'll see an incredible reunion occur. But Jesse's dead... isn't he?

E! Online: Getting his butt kicked by Ralph Macchio was nothing compared to the thumping Sean Kanan got in court. Kanan, former "General Hospital" and "The Bold and the Beautiful" star, was sentenced Thursday to five years of probation and 18 months of alcohol-education classes after copping to a drunk-driving charge, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.

Liverpool Echo: A time for love and hate in "EastEnders'" Albert Square. A whopping 30 million fans tuned in on Christmas Day that year to watch a fiery finale to Den and Angie Watts’ marriage.

Buckingham Today: Times are tough for entertainer Bradley Walsh. One minute you're the star of "Coronation Street" and appearing in a star-studded Dickens over Christmas on ITV – and the next the only job you can get is as a lackey in a laundry.

TV Guide Canada: The Suds Report. Bryan Dattilo fired from ‘Days’? Three big ‘AMC’ comebacks! ‘Passions’ cancelled — again!