News
Former AMC star reacts to news of AMC's cancellation
By SOD • Posted: Apr 15, 2011
The daytime world is reeling from the news that both ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE have been cancelled. Tamara Braun (Taylor, DAYS; ex-Reese, AMC; ex-Carly, GH) shares, "It's a sad day in the world of soaps. We had all heard the rumors. I'm shocked that the announcement came for both on the same day. It's a blow. People thought it would be one or the other. It's also sad because this is a genre that has outlasted any other and now it seems like we're slowly saying goodbye to it." The ABC soaps hold a special place in Braun's heart. "ABC started my soap career," she notes. "I've always said [GH Casting Director] Mark Teschner saved my life. I was about to quit acting. But ABC launched me on this amazing path that I've been on where I've had a great opportunity to jump around and play great characters, not only on ABC, but also at NBC on DAYS." Braun's thoughts also go to friends she made at AMC. "I have a lot of friend who are now going to be out of work," she offers, "not only actors, but also writers, directors, producers and the incredible crew." As previously reported, AMC ends its 41-year run in September and OLTL, which premiered in July 1968, will conclude at the end of the year.
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Why would ABC even consider cancelling these two shows, and not even thinking about the fans. I am aware that the ratings was not at 100% but, we still enjoyed these shows and watched them diligently. This again proves that money is the control of everything, and not people or their feelings. I only hope that a cable network would pick up theses shows and make them even better. Just like BET did with "THE GAME". From Another sad fan.
Wake up people! The time to have saved your soaps was over the last 10 years. It is now too late. I am not understanding why everyone is so surprised of this cancellation. Did you think Susan Lucci and Erica Slezak's name would save the soaps alone? The last years have shown, The Doctors, Search For Tomorrow, Santa Barbara, Another World, Passions, Sunset Beach, Loving, Guiding Light and ATWT have all been eliminated without a blink in an executives eye and you thought these 2 soaps were immune? I don't get it. You should have been letter writing, calling and emailing over this amount of time and guess what? You MAY have offerred a consideration of why this is a mistake. Believe me I know it is a painful thing. I was a complete GL nut. It was the longest running soap and in my opinion it had the best actors (hence why Y&R and OLTL gobbled them up at cancellation) That cancellation should have been your warning. The only 2 soaps that seem to have a vested network behind them is Y&R and DOOL. They have both done whatever it takes to keep these shows fresh and watchable (most of the time) and sometimes that came with hard decisions. AMC should have eliminated Lucci long, long ago (as did DOOL did w/Deidre Hall & Drake Hogestyn) and replaced the hole in the cast with the younger (not newer) characters. Lucci's salary alone could have saved the production staff I am sure. AMC Continued to shove storylines NOBODY wanted to see and put couples together nobody wanted and just assumed we would all still watch. As for OLTL it looks like they cancelled it in advance because there is no sense in postponing the inevitable. It might as well be now instead of later. It is sad but I am very sure in the next 5 yrs we will be saying so long to Y&R, B&B, DOOL and GH. It just is not cost effective anymore and frankly the stars should have been taking pay cuts a long time ago to save the genre. It is over! Just let it go. RIP soaps! Also these magazines are obviously toast. We don't need mags if we don't have the shows. So much for the economy getting better.....The fans apathy has not helped this situation,
I totally agree! ABC is only looking out for what's best for the network. This decision didn't happen over night. Ultimately this is a business, and important business decisions had to be made. I'm sure there's a lot of hardcore fans that watch AMC & OLTL everyday, but there's also those that are not watching anymore, and the ratings are not holding up like they use to. This was going to happen sooner or later. All good things must come to an end. Television is not what it use to be. A lot more reality shows, and a lot more people watching. I personally don't get it. Susan lucci has been very quiet about this. I think she wasn't willing to take a pay cut, I bet the network has other plans for her. A little selfish don't you think? She is at the age where she can retire, but what about the rest of the team. What will happen to them? I just hope I can enjoy my favorite soap (DOOL) for many more years... who am I kidding, they are probably next for NBC. Good luck to all the fans and the actores. Enjoy the soaps while you can. I hope they both have a very happy ending, unlike in their real life.
-peace
It's ridicules!!! I am so sick of all the reality shows and talk shows. I enjoy my soap operas. I'll admit my favorite is Days of our Lives but I'm sure before long there won't be any soaps left on tv to watch. The worse part of it is we will now have more people unemployed. People who have devoted their lives to these shows and this is what they get. AXED!! They are all very talented people who I am sure won't be out of work for long but my heart still goes out to them.
I think Frons has wanted to cancel AMC and, moreso, OLTL for years. He just had to justify it. The first step was moving AMC and OLTL weekend marathons on SoapNet to the wee hours of the morning. I always thought it odd why SoapNet would show 20 year old reruns of 90210 during the day and then run brand new AMC and OLTL episodes Midnight to 5AM. Sending AMC to LA, while OLTL languished in NY without even upgrading it to HD like all other shows was the next step. Then SoapNet is shutdown. All of this leads me to believe that this was Frons's longstanding agenda. No earnest attempt to promote Soaps to new audiences was made. No attempt at showing advertisers that Soaps are Unique Marketing Vehicles with deeply dedicated viewers, who would respond very well to products endorsed by Soap stars. He had a well-established brand. Why kill it? Just promote it differently. Frons obviously hates Soaps and doesn't believe in them. Why a Soap-hater is the Head of Daytime, I'll never know. He, obviously, has been trying to choke-out AMC and OLTL for years. He didn't just choose to axe OLTL last week. I think he has been trying to slash OLTL's throat for some time..
In Protest - Everyone stop watching Dancing with the stars. Once the Ratings of their most popular shows goes out the window they will hear our message. Hit them where it hurts them, in the POCKET.
I myself will not watch ANY ABC programs except OLTL and AMC. No more news, VIEW, CHEW, WHATEVER, NO MORE ABC ON MY TV. Maybe a very few exceptions on things that we just CANT miss, but for the most part.
NO ABC on MY TV !!!
NO ABC ON MY TV !!!!
They have been part of my family since the early 70's as a young teenager. Tad (Michael Knight) was my favorite back then and still is today. I was born and raised close to the fictional town the show is set in. I was so thankful when the VCR came out and now I am thankful that I can DVR the show or watch it on Comcast the next day. Yes the story lines wained sometimes but I kept watching. Many Soap actors went onto the big screen from AMC and others. I can't believe that AMC moved the show and characters to LA only to be told oops sorry your job is ending. Did they have to sell their homes, move kids to new schools, etc..... In this economy the actors had to do what was necessary just to stay employed. And now they are losing their jobs anyway. Wow that really stinks. I will continue to watch to the end. And I will surely miss my ALL MY CHILDREN FAMILY and I wish all the actors and actresses the best of luck in their futures. You brought happiness to many people day after day and I thank you.
I have been watching AMC for more then 25 years. If ABC wants to cancle AMC then I am cancling them. I will never ever watch another show on this network ever again. This is so wrong is so many ways.
ABC/Disney underestimates the loyalty of soap opera fans. They take a huge risk canceling these shows, and the audience they lose won't come back to this network for primetime.
I turned 40 this year and thought that my life would be down hill from now on. Thanks to Brian Frons that fear has come true. I've watched ABC soaps since I was 7 years old. This news is worse than my crows feet. I will not be watching ABC daytime or prime time from now on. Only a fool would continue to support a network that doesn't care about the viewer. I rather part with General Hospital on my own terms than have ABC pull the rug out. This is almost as bad as a death in the family.
I think ABC just gave NBC some new viewers. Instead of watching Jay Leno my wife and I will watch AMC and OLTL. With our DVR we are able to watch our soaps 7 days a week. I guess we will have to go back to watching Jay. Hopefully a network will pick up these soaps. My wife and I are 60 and have enjoyed these soaps from the beginning. Now don't get me wrong, we like Jay; however we enjoy our soaps more. Will be interesting to see how many loyal viewers show up at the various ABC Stations to show their support for our soaps.
Soaps are a "cash cow" for ABC so I don't know why they are claiming it was a financial decision. I timed an episode and there was 35 minutes of show and 25 minutes of commercials in the supposed hour-long show. At least 20 of those 25 minutes were actual commercials that companies paid A LOT of money to be aired. It just doesn't seem like ABC should be crying "poor" over their soaps.
Will all soaps just end up as reruns on Soap Net? There has to be enough fans to put new soaps on some where?
I hate to break it to you but they are not a cash cow. Yes, they still have advertisers but since ratings are down especially in key areas they cannot charge them the same. For example, a Gain ad aired during AMC would cost more during let's say Modern Family because it gets about 10x as many viewers. Soap cost much more to produce then those crappy reality shows because you have to pay people to act.
That's for sure!!! Reality shows have their own place in tv history, but it seems that's all the broadcasting companies want to show!
www.change.org
AMC, then OLTL gone by Jan 2012, Soap net gone 2012. I expect GH to say they are canceled next. If Soap net is gone and all the other ABC shows are gone then why would ABC keep GH?