Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Telenext: GUIDING LIGHT Era Concludes in September


GUIDING LIGHT ERA CONCLUDES IN SEPTEMBER
Show Celebrates 72-Year History of Drama and Broadcast Innovation


GUIDING LIGHT, the longest running show in broadcast history, will complete its final season on the CBS Television Network in September. The daytime drama was not renewed by CBS for the 2009/2010 broadcast season, marking the end of its 57 year run on the Network.

Over the years, GL has been on the forefront of innovation in both use of technology and groundbreaking storytelling. GL launched the careers of several Hollywood personalities, dramatized relevant social issues and has been awarded numerous accolades, including an unprecedented 69 Daytime Emmy awards.

“Being on the air for more than seven decades is truly remarkable, and it will be difficult for all of us at the show to say goodbye,” said Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler. “I’m proud of everything we’ve been able to do, including outstanding storytelling, our community service around the country with Find Your Light and the launch of our new production model. This show has such a rich history, wonderful fans, and I’m honored to have been a part of the GL legacy.”

GUIDING LIGHT has led daytime and prime-time drama programming in covering a range of topical and timeless issues. The show dramatized important social issues such as discrimination against women in the 1940s and teen alcoholism and drug abuse in the 1980s. The show has also raised awareness about the effects of real-life medical conditions such as uterine cancer, postpartum depression, AIDS, Down syndrome, leukemia and breast cancer.

“We are honored to have been welcomed into the homes of multiple generations of GUIDING LIGHT viewers,” said Brian T. Cahill, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, TeleNext Media, Inc. “We are working hard to find the show a new home, and we are exploring all our options to continue to bring loyal fans the characters and stories they love.”

GUIDING LIGHT debuted as a 15-minute radio show in 1937 and made the move to television in 1952. The show began broadcasting in color in the spring of 1967, expanded to 30 minutes the following year and to a full hour in 1977. Guiding Light was the first show to introduce leading African-American characters into a soap opera in 1966. GL was the first daytime drama to podcast audio only shows in 2005. In 2008, the show revolutionized its entire production model, representing an end-to-end transformation in the way the show is created, from direction to editing to scenic design. This new innovation enabled the show to be completely portable, changing the face of daytime.

The fictional town of Springfield has been home to some of today’s biggest names in daytime, including six-time Emmy award winner Justin Deas and four-time Emmy award winner Kim Zimmer. On Guiding Light, audiences also got their first look at many now-famous faces, such as Kevin Bacon, Calista Flockhart, Allison Janney, James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, Taye Diggs, Hayden Panettiere and Brittany Snow, to name a few.

13 comments:

  1. No, no, nooo. I refuse to believe this :(
    GL was in an upswing, srsly. All of their storylines were awesome. The Otalia storyline was no IS sooo damn promising. I just can't believe this.

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  2. I can't say how sad I am to hear this. I just started watching GL this January but I feel like someone just stabbed me in the heart. The stories that were told, the actors and the whole show just drew me in. I really hope some other station picks up GL. This is really a very sad day.

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  3. I am devastated! I can't stop crying. My whole lifelong love of this show is flashing before my eyes. This can't be happening! We must do all we can to stop it!!
    Write! Write! Write! Watch! Watch! Watch! And spread the word!!!

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  4. Crying! Crying! Crying! I just can't stop! I will do everything to promote for this decision to be reconsidered! Still, CRYING!!!

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  5. Don't cry. Keep fighting. Send emails, write letters, call. Let P&G know you support the show and want it to continue. They are looking for a new home for the show, and the more support they can show the new network, the better the chances for a pick-up.
    The Procter & Gamble Company
    1 or 2, Procter & Gamble Plaza
    Cincinnati, OH 45201
    Phone: 1-513-983-1100

    Alan Lafley
    CEO, Proctor and Gamble
    1 P&G Plaza
    Cincinnati, OH 45201

    Brian T. Cahill, Sr. V.P., Managing Director for TeleVest Daytime Programs
    Procter & Gamble Productions c/o Televest
    World Wide Plaza
    825 Eighth Avenue
    New York, NY 10019
    [email protected]

    Meredith Eden Ring, Publicity Coordinator
    Guiding Light
    Televest Daytime
    World Wide Plaza
    825 Eighth Avenue
    New York, NY 10019

    Greg Ross
    Vice President, Media and Programming
    Procter & Gamble
    One Procter & Gamble Plaza
    PO Box 599
    Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-0599

    PGP e-mail: [email protected]

    Telenext : 212-474-5888

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  6. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. This is the worst news ever. I am a new GL watcher (actually to daytime althogether) and have been glued to Guiding Light lately because of Otalia (Olivia and Natalia). They are one of the most endearing, beautiful, heart-tugging relationships I have ever seen on screen, EVER. And now they're cancelling the show. NOOO, I cannot accept this!!!! My heart is breaking!!! We want OTALIA :(

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  7. Please find a new home for Guiding Light. I have been watching GL for more than 28 years, they are my family, and my family is watching too. Being sick, the only good time in my day is to watch GL. It keeps me alive...I am eartbroken...

    Now that it is beginning to find his way with the Otalia story, Phillip's return and all...It is not time to cancel it! I don't understand!

    So please do everything you can to keep the light shining and tell us what we can do!

    I'm feeling so much pain in my chest...Please help us!

    Thanks

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  8. CBS is to blame for this. I have watched GL and CBS daytime for 25 years. GL's ratings have dropped because CBS allowed its affiliates to move GL from its 3pm timeslot to 10am in many cities, where GL is an island with no lead-in audience. GL is my favorite serial, I watch every day, the other CBS shows I watch periodically when I can. That changes today. I am dumping Y&R, B&B, and ATWT effective today. On September 18, 2009 at 11am WCBS will cease to exist on the televisions in my household. Thanks Les Moonves, Nina Tassler, and Barbara Bloom for helping me permanently kick my CBS habit.

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  10. I am 43 years old and started watching Guiding Light for the first time ever last year. I am so disappointed in CBS right now because quite frankly I think the GL team had turned a corner and were providing daytime drama as it should be (slow build, character driven stories that you could really invest in). I particularly like the wonderful love story between Olivia and Natalia, Dinah and Shane’s burgeoning romance and the return of Phillip.

    I hope we can find a more forward thinking network to take on this Grand Dame of daytime. 70+ years of tradition and memories should not be dropped so lightly. I would watch this show even if I had to pay a subscription to do so and if it will keep the show alive I’ll change any of the products I use just to make their advertisers happy. I also know that the thousands of members on the blogging sites I use would support them too. GL has an exponentially growing fan base on the internet and they could all be theirs if they saved GL.

    I have never been so invested in a show in my life and it pains me to see such talent go to waste. The new production model seems to allow the actors much more freedom to engage with each other and the sets, and I find it much more vibrant than the use of a static camera system. I would really like to see Ellen Wheeler, Jill Lorie Hurst, Crystal Chappell, Jessica Leccia and all of the actors stay with the program as they are the reason I am watching.

    There must be a knight in shining armour out there for this wonderful piece of US television history.

    I urge all fans of GL to contact the addresses given and make your voices heard.

    Amanda

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  11. CBS programs will no longer be a viewing option in my home. Everytime I turn on the television I am casting my vote for what I want to see. Hopefully GL will find a new home with a network that appreciates me as a viewer. If SoapNet makes the wise decision to air GL I'll have my television tuned in to their channel 24/7.

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  12. Ellen Wheeler said she's proud of GL's new production model? Is she crazy? That is what has killed this show!!! How dare she take pride in making our show look like it's produced by a high school video class!!! The audacity of that deranged woman makes me want to slap her!

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  13. While I am a huge GL fan - I know they are going to move the show. So instead of replacing it with a game show
    CBS and P&G should look at replacing it with Kim's Closet - a new, refreshing lifestyle and makeover show. They are saying the host Kimberly is going to do for fashion what Rachel Ray has done for food - make it fun.... www.KimsCloset.TV

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