Here's a look at the SOD covers for the past 15 weeks starting with the latest issue date:
Click to enlarge
I have no problem with Eric Braeden (the main cover story in 5 of the last 15 issues) or Maurice Benard and have read a number of interesting stories about their lives, but there are other actors on daytime, many of whom have never been on the SOD cover or even gotten close.
Breakdown of the last 15 Digest covers by number of actor appearances (for two with two or more cover shots):
5 Y&R's Eric Braeden
4 GH's Maurice Benard (includes one subscriber only appearance)
3 DAYS'/AMC's Tamara Braun
3 GH's Jason Thompson
3 Y&R's Raya Meddine
3 OLTL's Trevor St. John
2 DAYS' Deidre Hall
2 GH's Megan Ward
2 Y&R's Peter Bergman
2 AMC's Alicia Minshew
If you go back even further you will notice the same trend with Y&R and GH dominating the covers with some DAYS thrown in while the other shows rarely are featured unless you are a subscriber. And pretty much the same actors as well. Does this mean subscribers enjoy ATWT, GL and B&B so they get custom covers but Digest believes fans will not buy magazines featuring those shows from newsstands?
Not even Susan Lucci has made the cover recently despite her DANCING WITH THE STARS crossover.
It's time to update your business model, Soap Opera Digest. All you have to do is look at your "Poll Call" page to see which actors and couples your readers are enjoying the most. This week alone, Van Hansis was voted as favorite ATWT actor for the 52nd straight week (one full year), and not even an inset cover pic in all that time despite being in one of the most talked about soap storylines of the past decade.
How about a cover story on the impact of gay characters on daytime television? Or the lack of African American covers both on the daytime soaps and your cover? I honestly believe a little more diversity and the taking of a few journalistic chances would pay off for your magazine. Just because the writing for the soaps you cover is inconsistent at best does not mean you have to produce an inferior magazine about the genre.
With over 150 contract actors on the daytime soaps alone, and a number of interesting behind the scenes stories of various executives and crew members, stop limiting yourself to what seems like a few favorites from the Digest staff. If your marketing research tells you that you are on the right path, it is wrong.
ROGER,DO YOU REALIZE THAT SOAP OPERA DIGEST IS VERY CLOSE TO SHUTTING DOWN?THEY HAVE TO PUT THE HIGHEST RATED SHOWS AND STARS ON THE COVER TO SELL AT THE NEWSTANDS.CURRENTLY,EVERYONE I TALK TO, IS ONLY WATCHING THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST SHOW CONTINUOUSLY.EVERY OTHER SHOW IS BORDERLINE MEDIORCRE AND NO AMOUNT OF COVERS WILL CHANGE THE TERRIBLE STORYLINES AND ACTORS ON THE OTHER SHOWS
ReplyDeleteHi John.
ReplyDeleteI understand your point. But by that logic, #2 rated B&B should get the second most covers yet they are rarely on the cover. It is the #1 television show in the WORLD.
Night Shift had a huge impact in the last three months and was a great show this season and wasn't on the cover. Lucci is doing DWTS, the highest rated show on TV right now and she has been on the cover during all that.
There are actors and shows making headlines even outside the soap world to new potential magazine buyers but they are ignored.
Luke and Noah fans have raised over $30,000 in the past year for various charities. They will put their money where their mouth is and buy up ever SOD on newsstands if they were on the cover.
Patrick and Robin fans are very vocal and loyal and they get a few insets but are never portrayed as the star couple they are. Darnell Williams and Debbi Morgan have a HUGE 25+ year following as well and should be on the cover regularly. There are just so many great actors that are never given their due. Nelson Branco put out a list of the Top 55 earlier this week.
Under Leah Laiman, many people thought Y&R was the worst soap but it was still on the cover every other week.
SOD is going to be out of business even faster if the lack of promotion for other shows helps contribute to the lack of interest. So I doubt there will be a SOD when there are only 3 or 4 soaps left. Why not promote all the shows and angles to try to stir up interest?
If SOD is convinced Braeden sells magazines and has that data, great for them. But my point was that unless they try to bring people in with new stars and new twists, they are just a contributor to this great genre and themselves dying an early death.
Other successful magazines seem to put the latest new and hip and cool folks on their covers, not the same people ever other week.
Patrick Erwin wrote an interesting blog on this as well:
http://1000worlds.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/cover-to-cover
I understand and agree with your points about SOD. However, at least that magazine is worth reading.
ReplyDeleteI've been a regular reader of SOAP OPERA WEEKLY since 1992 and it's gotten so poor I'm seriously thinking of not renewing my subscription. When you look at the quality of the magazine under editor Mimi Torchin and then look at its quality today, it's astounding what little there is that's worthwhile in the magazine anymore. They used to have lengthy interviews and great features, but it's been reduced to prime time news, uninteresting filler about every show and "spot the differences" in the pictures. Now they're giving us fan stories about favourite characters. More filler. If they don't know what the viewers want they don't deserve to produce the magazine. It's no wonder daytime is disintegrating when the magazines that publicize them suck so badly.
You, on the other hand, have the best soap blog on the internet! I visit daily. :)
SOW has gone to the dogs. Literally. Check out the new cover.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.soapoperadigest.com/currentcover_sowlg.jpg