Tuesday, May 17, 2011

PHOTOS: Soap Fans Unite During Rally At ABC Upfront

Soaps opera fans gathered outside Lincoln Center in New York City on Tuesday on the day ABC presented its 2010-2011 schedule to advertisers. Despite the increase in the number of serialized programs in the network's primetime lineup, fans are up in arms by the recent cancellations of daytime staples ONE LIFE TO LIVE and ALL MY CHILDREN. At least 50 fans turned out and made their voices heard despite rain and cooler than usual temperatures. SoapFansUnited.com organized the rally to show their support not only for their beloved daytime favorite stars but also the hundreds of crew members who will lose their jobs as well.

ABC/Disney is eliminating the jobs of approximately 800 WGA, AFTRA, DGA, NABET-CWA and IATSE members. Local 16, NABET-CWA broadcast union, was on hand to support the cause, as were longtime daytime superstars Colleen Zenk and Ilene Kristen. Soap Opera Weekly founder Mimi Torchin also stopped by as did Emmy-winning writer Sally Sussman Morina.

For video from the event, check out our web series, WE LOVE SOAPS TV.

See below for more photos from the rally.

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Photos by Kevin Mulcahy Jr.

9 comments:

  1. You should have mentioned we had soap starts that braved the rain with us!

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  2. I read that it was only thirty people there, it doesn't look like 50 people showed up also it wasn't even raining anymore.

    The question I really have is what do you really think this accomplish, the ad exec's that attended are probably weighing that small display of protesting against what they can average during primetime numbers and soaps aren't looking powerful enough to deter the money they can make with ABC.

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  3. Well first of all they have at least 50 signatures of people that attended so lets put that to rest right away. Fans have been calling emailing and writing sponsers to pull there advertising in support of the soap fans. Hoover has already done this. The advertisers actually got to see the fans protesting and that is HUGE!

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  4. To have fans show up on a rainy day in support of soaps is fantastic. Nielsen is a small sample so who is to say this group isn't a sample of the millions of fans who care about soaps.

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  5. This is Fred Titcomb from Keene, NH. I was at the protest today in Manhattan and there was at least 60-70 people there at the peak of the protest with many who came early and left and some who came later and stayed. The ad execs DID see us including Brian Frons who smirked and waved to the crowd. The crowd responded with jeers. Thanks to all who participated including the celebrities that showed. WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE WILL HAVE OUR SAY!!!

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  6. Fred, you were awesome at the rally. Uploading some video with you right now. :)

    Since it was upfront today, the area around Lincoln Center was jammed with people so even more people than usual noticed the fans rallying.

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  7. My name is Stephen Parker (from the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, population 800, where everyone believes in the soaps and supports scripted TV fare). Tuesday's NYC rally was the third soap cancellation protest I have attended in NYC in less than a month. There is a disturbing trend toward cheaply produced, intellectually vacuous reality fare and phony self-help programming being imposed on today's TV-viewing public. Taking a definitive stand against this fascism is crucial to ensure that our culture preserves the art of storytelling.

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  8. Thank you to all of you who fought for us that couldn't make it. There was a lot more than 50 people didn't stay the entire time and it showed what it showed at one time at least 50 showed up and if we all lived closer we would have had a woodstock outcome. ABC/DISNEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST AGE OR SEX. THE NEILSON SYSTEM NEEDS TO CHANGE OR MANY SHOWS WILL JUST BE THROWN OFF THE AIR BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER FOR THEM TO PRODUCE SOMETHING ELSE. IF THEY WANTED TO KNOW THE TRUE RATINGS THEY WOULD IT IS 2011. THEY HAVE REASONS TO PLAY WITH SPONSORS ABOUT THE TRUTH. THE NEILSON SHOWS CLOSE TO 6 MILLION A DAY WATCHING THESE TWO SHOWS NOW THAT IS A LOT OF VIEWERS AND THAT IS WITH THE NEILSON RATINGS ONLY SHOWING 21,000 HOMES AND THE NUMBER IS FOR SURE DOUBLE THAT. I WON'T BE WATCHING ABC OR DISNEY ONLY THE SOAPS AND THEY ARE GONE FOR GOOD. SPONSORS WILL SEE THEIR INCOME LESSEN BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THEIR PRODUCTS.

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