Tag: Disney/ABC Television Group

Bid To Win A Walk on Role on ‘General Hospital’

With bidding set to expire on Thursday, October 23 at 3:02 PM EDT, Disney/ABC Television Group is auctioning off a nonspeaking walk-on-role on ABC's "General Hospital," which benefits the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) Respect Awards Auction. Additional ABC related auctions benefitting GLSEN include a walk-on-role on "Modern Family," a chance to meet "The View's" Whoopi Goldberg and 4 tickets to a taping of the talk show, and 4…

THE FINAL DAYS OF SOAPnet: The Rise and Fall of A Cable Network

From re-runs of soap classics "Dallas," "Dynasty," "Another World," "Port Charles," and "Falcon Crest," to the launches of original series "SoapCenter," "Soap Talk" and "General Hospital: Night Shift," SOAPnet was defined as the "new way to watch soaps" for much of its near 14-year run. With just 2 days left before SOAPnet is no more, we thought it would be a great opportunity to look back at the inaugural…

Disney Executive: ‘SOAPnet Had A Great Run’; Future of ‘DAYS’ On Cable Uncertain

On Friday, November 8, Soap Opera Network reported that SOAPnet, now the old way to watch soaps, would cease operation on December 31, 2013 at 11:59:59 ET. In a piece by the Los Angeles Times, Ben Pyne, president of global distribution for Disney Media Networks, said, "SOAPnet had a great run." He added, "It served an audience of super-soap fans. And when given the opportunity, all of our affiliates kept the channel up and running." The affiliates Pyne refers are the cable…

Bye, Bye SOAPnet? Network Finally Ceasing Operations By Year’s End?

The ABC Cable Networks Group, a division of Disney/ABC Television Group, has informed cable and satellite operators across the United States that they will cease operating SOAPnet, the cable network devoted to airing same day episodes of "Days of our Lives" and "General Hospital" at night along with off-network airing rights to such shows as "Veronica Mars," "Beverly Hills,90210," "Gilmore Girls," "One Tree Hill" and more. The network,…

Disney/ABC Television Group Launching WATCH ABC Application; ‘GH’ Fans Able to Watch LIVE in Sync with Broadcast Airing For First Time

Just days before its upfront presentation to Madison Avenue on Tuesday, May 14, the Disney/ABC Television Group has announced that viewers of ABC programming in New York City and Philadelphia (via their WABC and WPVI affiliates) will be able to watch ABC's Live 24/7 linear broadcast network programming online for the first time ever through the new WATCH ABC application. Viewers can access WATCH ABC online at ABC.com or by downloading the WATCH ABC app on their iOS or Kindle Fire devices.…

UPDATE: Prospect Park and ABC’s Legal Dispute Escalates as One Actor Confirms ‘GH’ Exit

As previously reported, Michael Easton along with Kristen Alderson and Roger Howarth are currently at the center of a legal dispute between Prospect Park and Disney/ABC Domestic Television, part of the Disney/ABC Telvision Group, over who has the right to use the characters of John McBain (Easton), Starr Manning (Alderson) and Todd Manning (Howarth)). In one corner you have Prospect Park and "One Life to Live" and in the other you have ABC and "General Hospital."…

ABC Family Greenlight’s Two New Drama Pilots

ABC Family, the millennial-skewing network, has greenlit two new drama pilots, “The Fosters” (working title), from executive producer Jennifer Lopez, and “Socio,” from executive producer Gavin Polone. Summer to date, ABC Family’s current crop of original series have made ABC Family cable TV’s #1 network in Prime in Women 18-34, and the #2 cable TV network in Females 12-34 and Female Teens.

BREAKING NEWS: ABC Makes Bold Shift in Late Night TV War

Capitalizing on ratings momentum, advertising demand and increased revenue potential for entertainment programming in the 11:35 p.m. time slot, ABC today announced a strategic shift in its late-night strategy to better position the network for increased ratings and financial performance over the long term. On Tuesday, January 8, “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” the only late-night broadcast talk show to increase in Total Viewers this past season, will move to 11:35 p.m., putting the show in head-to-head…

GH Fan Club Weekend 2012: The Stars Came Out, Plus Frank Valentini

On Saturday, July 23, 2011, "General Hospital" held its annual fan club weekend event at the Sportmen's Lodge Event Center. Incidentally, in the year that followed many were left wondering if the 2012 event would ever come to be amidst all the drama and rumors surrounding the cancellation, reincarnation (through the Disney/ABC Television Group/Prospect Park Productions deal that wasn't) and ultimate demise of "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" and…

‘Katie’ Premiere Date Set, Last Episode of ‘GH’ Too?

On Thursday, March 15, 2012, the Disney/ABC Television Stations Group released a press release (see below) informing stations across the country of its plans to launch the long anticipated talk show "Katie," hosted by news personality Katie Couric, on Monday, September 10. What wasn't stated was "General Hospital," which currently occupies the planned 3:00 PM ET/2:00 PT/CT timeslot for Couric's talk show, is likely to air its final episode in that timeslot on…

AFTRA Still in Talks with Prospect Park

It was Tuesday, October 4 when Soap Opera Network first reported on the current status of union discussions between the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Prospect Park following word back in July that Prospect Park would be launching "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" on the web. Now more than a month later, and with news that "AMC" is being delayed for various reasons, an AFTRA rep tells Soap Opera Network that they are…

ABC Affiliate WFTV Picks Up Steve Harvey Hosted Talk Show for Fall 2012 Launch in Vacated ‘General Hospital’ Timeslot

Beginning in September 2012, ABC affiliate WFTV in Orlando, Florida will begin airing a new daily syndicated talk show from comedian and radio host Steve Harvey reports the Orlando Sentinel. The affiliate plans to launch the program in the soon to be vacated 3:00 PM timeslot, which will be ceded to affiliates nationally by the ABC Television Network at that time. Does this mean to ultimate demise of "General Hospital," which currently occupies the timeslot? Before you say yes,…