The network will replace the just-canceled The Revolution with a test run of an afternoon version of Good Morning America under the purview of the network’s entertainment division.
ABC AFFILIATES MEETING
High Hopes Among ABC Affils For P.M. ‘GMA’
ABC affiliates are looking forward to a planned test run of an afternoon version of Good Morning America this summer, according to Bill Hoffman, vice president of Cox Media Group and chairman of the ABC affiliates group. “We love GMA as a franchise,” Hoffman said. “It will be interesting what we find out.”
The move is intended to provide “a more holistic look at the lineup,” Hoffman said following Monday’s meeting of the affiliate board at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. The show will be a replacement for its lifestyle show The Revolution, which will die July 7, after running barely six months.
While NBC’s Today show remains the leader among morning news shows, Good Morning America last week apparently won a full week, according to preliminary ratings. The absence of Today host Matt Lauer, who was on vacation, likely aided GMA in the win. Nonetheless, if GMA’s win holds up, it would mark the first time since December 1995 that GMA has won a full week.
ABC last year took the dramatic step of canceling two long-running and popular soap operas, All My Children and One Life To Life. It replaced them with The Chew, a cooking show that has garnered solid ratings, and The Revolution, which hasn’t.
The Revolution, a health and lifestyle show, featured Project Runway’s Tim Gunn, fitness trainer Harley Pasternak, designer Ty Pennington, Dr. Jennifer Ashton and therapist-relationship expert Dr. Tiffanie Davis.
ABC took some heat for dropping the two long-running and popular soaps. Possibly still stung by that, the network recently decided to re-up the venerable General Hospital for a 50th season.
BRAND CONNECTIONS
“We’re glad the soap opera survives,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman characterized the overall tone of the affiliate board meeting as “upbeat.” He noted that while retrans-reverse compensation came up during discussions, “We understand that the network having a piece of retransmission is part of their business.”
Comments (6)
Merry Aronson says:
April 18, 2012 at 7:27 am
I for one believe that Good Morning America should be left in the morning hence the name “Good Morning” If it is not seeing the ratings it needs to then change the time frame of the show but keep it in the morning. I think you will have less viewers in the afternoon time slot. If it has been THAT long since it has won the ratings maybe you should of canceled it instead of the soaps. You are losing viewers over the decision you made to cancel great shows that were very long running and had the viewers. We were loyal viewers that have stopped watching ABC for the most part. I make sure my TV is OFF of that when I leave or I am not watching TV at all (I keep my satellite box on all the time) I don’t want to falsely up any ratings.
Jennifer Vescio says:
April 18, 2012 at 9:06 pm
I’m glad Mr. Hoffman’s hopes are high–the only thing he should be happy about is the fact that General Hospital is renewed. GMA in the Afternoon (I think this is poor grammar somehow) will suffer the same fate as the ill-conceived “Revolution.” ABC should be celebrating that it still has a show on the air that millions of fan STILL want to watch after almost 50 years. With the exception of General Hospital, ABC does not exist for me anymore, and that is sad because the local affiliate here in Oregon has always been my favorite. I have switched channels though, and it will remain that way unless and until OLTL and AMC are returned to broadcast. It will not make any difference who hosts this new drivel, who the guests are or how much the audience is paid to sit there to clap…we will NOT watch.
Ellen Adelstein says:
April 20, 2012 at 5:11 pm
One day I will turn on ABC just to find that ABC has GMA on from 6A.M- to 6 P.M.-. Enough of the talk,/selfhelp/cooking shows. I wish ABC would just bring back AMC and OLTL at least those shows had something to offer — exsape from reality for one hour —
Carrie Sands says:
April 20, 2012 at 11:45 pm
I was surprised that ABC would choose to air GMA in the afternoon. It will drive viewers to other networks. I don’t think it will help retain the audience who are looking for escape from reality. OLTL had great ratings for years should they have cancelled it? We all know the answer to that. There are a number of specialty channels with all news, cooking, etc. Are they intentionally driving viewers away?
Chuck Zimmerman says:
May 23, 2012 at 2:24 pm
This is being billed as a ‘filler’ show to hold the time slot for General Hospital when Katie debuts on September 10, 2012. But most of us understand that is a smokescreen and ABC/D really hope it goes well and then they will cancel GH – even though they say otherwise. I will not watch this show or any other except the daytime dramas. I used to love GMA and was a longtime, loyal viewer, but ABC/D has lost me. Their only chance of getting me back is to NOT cancel GH and either bring back AMC and OLTL or sell the rights to someone else who wants to produce them. I understand it is business and they need to make money – but all their business decisions in the past year or so have only driven viewers away.
Bob Butterfield says:
May 23, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Sorry but I don’t have room for another talk show–3hrs in the morning is enough……sooo nope not watching…bring back AMC and OLTL and then we’ll talk..until then….