Friday, April 15, 2011

NEWS: More ABC Cancellation Fallout

Soap Stars Shocked, Angered by Sudden Cancellation of Two Daytime Dramas
“If you weren’t there for the morning meeting, you found out through a third party,” one cast member of ALL MY CHILDREN told FOX411. Several members of the cast were called at 10am for a meeting announcing the cancellation, but were told so late they couldn't get there in time. Network execs claim a program-wide message was sent to the staff of both shows earlier in the week telling them a big announcement was coming on Thursday at 11 a.m. Pacific time.

Catherine Hickland wasn’t surprised by how the network showed to the cast and crew. She said it mirrors what happened to her two years ago when she was let go by the show.

“I found out I was off the show by reading it on a magazine cover,” Hickland told FOX411. “You don’t get into this business for the security, I know that, but what I am shocked by was the lack of respect in this situation. I just feel horrible for the viewers and for the lack of respect.”

“If you look at the deal Snooki just got on the ‘Jersey Shore,’ it is more lucrative to sign reality stars,” longtime Hollywood agent Jeff Danis, President of DPN Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, who has long had a stable of soap client, told FOX 411. “It is getting harder and harder in television for actors. The job possibilities for actors who are not big stars like Lucci is getting less and less.”

NY Daily News: Three things to regret in the demise of more soaps
1. It puts real actors out of work.
2. It again underscores the media disregard for anyone who is outside the “advertiser-coveted” demographic.
3. It severs another link to our pop culture past.

National Post: Genre's demise hastened
"Fan reaction has been dramatic. Many say they are losing their best friends, while some are just plain insulted by the new afternoon lineup."

Washington Post: ABC kills long-running soaps
"Still sensing a coming outrage — those soap fanatics may be dwindling in numbers, but they’re crazy passionate! — ABC wasted no time in blaming the changes on, according to its announcement, 'extensive research into what today’s daytime viewers want and the changing viewing patterns of the audience.' "

RELATED:
- VIDEO: Brian Frons Cancellation Announcement
- Press Release: AMI will Assume Responsibility for all Publishing Functions of Soap Opera Weekly and Soap Opera Digest
- NEWS: More Columnists Weigh in on ABC Cancellations
- Digest & Weekly Expect To Lose Half Their Staff
- COMMENTARY: Pain Is Evitable, Suffering Is Optional
- ABC Cancellations: Soap Stars React on Twitter
- Brian Frons: Never imagined "I’d be the guy to take two of the shows off"
- ABC: ONE LIFE TO LIVE & ALL MY CHILDREN Canceled
- NEWS Round-up: Cancellation Fallout - Hundreds of Jobs Lost, Reactions
- Brian Frons: I "pre-entered the witness protection program"
- Brian Frons on Soaps: 'The Strongest Will Survive'
- Michael B. Jordan on Daytime Soaps: Hey, old guys, it's over for you

4 comments:

  1. What viewers want. Really???? No one asked me what I wanted. If I wanted to watch a food show I would watch the food network which I do when I am not watching my soaps. If ABC follows through with this I guess it will be nothing but cable shows for me. ABC was the only regular network I would watch, but after this not anymore!!!!

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  2. What a load of rubbish coming from their mouths. It's not what we want at all. Why do they seem to think we want to watch more cooking shows or game shows or god forbid talk shows, we have enough of them. We already lost two of the best soaps in television history: As The World Turns and Guiding Light, why would we want to lose two more. These idiots don't know what the hell they are talking about. We want our daytime soaps, we want a new reform so that ratings can be taken by online viewings as well as dvr and tivo. We want ATWT and GL back where they belong. Making television history.

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  3. they bring the amc cast to la and then they let them go. that's real class abc... i'm not watching your channel anymore you don't care about people's jobs or lives.

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  4. Don't just boycott ABC, boycott the products of all sponsors and write to them explaining why you are boycotting their products because ABC is canceling OLTL and AMC. Those companies put a lot of money into ABC's coffers and they aren't stupid. They will stop advertizing on ABC and ABC will go down the tubes. I'm writing to all the advertisers I can. Money talks. Frons won't listen, he thinks he knows what WE want and he is clueless. Boycotting ALL Disney products, movies, parks and their affiliates too.

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