Deep Soap: ‘One Life To Live’ Finale Breaks Ratings Records

ABC Fails To Acknowledge “One Life To Live” Finale’s Record Ratings

The January 13th finale of “One Life To Live” was watched by 3,840,000 people, for a strong 2.7 Household rating. For comparison, that is more than watched the final episodes of “All My Children,” (3,475,000) “As The World Turns,” (2.846,000) or “Guiding Light” (2,975,000). Overall, for its final week, OLTL was the number two daytime program among the coveted Women 18-49 demographic (1.3/7), beating not only other soaps but “The View.” OLTL also tied with “The Young & the Restless” for number one among Women18-34 (0.7.4) and was the number one soap among teens (63,000 viewers). Those younger viewers were not tuning in out of nostalgia. It was the soap’s best week in total viewers since September 3. 2007. OLTL went out with numbers that are better than every primetime show on the CW.

ABC’s response was to issue a press release touting the fact that “The Chew” had its highest rated episode ever January 13th, without mentioning that it was sandwiched between the OLTL tribute episode of “The View” and the final episode of OLTL. OLTL’s finale was not even acknowledged in the network’s weekly daytime press release. In addition to being disingenuous, it’s disrespectful to the hundreds of former ABC employees who worked so hard under unpleasant, uncertain conditions to craft what many consider to be the best finale in daytime history. They deserve to be acknowledged. It’s not as though there would be any negative consequences for ABC if the network praised OLTL’s performance. The show is canceled. Its replacement is airing. If every single entertainment journalist in America wrote an article about how many people tuned in to watch the OLTL finale, most would just attribute the increase in viewership to nostalgic former viewers tuning in out of curiosity. Even if some outside the soap press questioned ABC’s decision to cancel the show, it would not have any impact on the performance of ABC’s current daytime line-up.

ABC is doing everything that it can to promote the final season of “Desperate Housewives.” In May, the network will undoubtedly publicize what will surely be the high ratings of the show’s finale. OLTL deserved the same respect.

ABC SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2012/01/23/deep-soap-one-life-to-live-finale-breaks-ratings-records/

ABC’s response was to issue a press release touting the fact that “The Chew” had its highest rated episode ever January 13th, without mentioning that it was sandwiched between the OLTL tribute episode of “The View” and the final episode of OLTL. OLTL’s finale was not even acknowledged in the network’s weekly daytime press release. In addition to being disingenuous, it’s disrespectful to the hundreds of former ABC employees who worked so hard under unpleasant, uncertain conditions to craft what many consider to be the best finale in daytime history. They deserve to be acknowledged. It’s not as though there would be any negative consequences for ABC if the network praised OLTL’s performance. The show is canceled. Its replacement is airing. If every single entertainment journalist in America wrote an article about how many people tuned in to watch the OLTL finale, most would just attribute the increase in viewership to nostalgic former viewers tuning in out of curiosity. Even if some outside the soap press questioned ABC’s decision to cancel the show, it would not have any impact on the performance of ABC’s current daytime line-up.

Shameful. ABC is trying its best to save face and not look like fools. It'll bite them in the end when sponsors begin to pull out of these new, 'cost effective' shows that are supposedly market-tested as being what people want to say, despite lacking viewership.

TIIC are afraid to admit they made a huge mistake cancelling OLTL.

Typical suits.