News
Katie Couric's Talk Show On The Verge Of Cancellation!
Courtesy/ABC
Persistent reports that Katie Couric’s talk show, Katie is about to be cancelled are stronger than ever, and now comes a new article on how badly the show is performing from The Hollywood Reporter!
Couric’s soft ratings, huge budget, and rumored “disdain” for her female demographic and a very low Q Score, where only 10% of women actually few Katie favorably, could be part of the cause of her almost imminent demise! The decision on whether there will be third season of Katie will come this later this month, but renewal now seems like a long shot!
THR reports, “In fall 2012, Disney/ABC TV rolled out the red carpet for Couric, 56, giving her plum time slots on the best stations, fat license fees and loads of promotion. The initial annual budget was $50 million, according to a show source — including $20 million for Couric over two years. (That budget has been brought down to $35 million. Similar talk shows cost about $20 million a year.) But station owners now complain the daily strip hasn’t lived up to the hype, and several insiders tell THR that internal discord has become nearly unbearable.”
Couric’s show strategy is not paying off to keep or bring in an audience either” “Despite pleas from staff, ‘she always wanted to lead with experts,’ adds the ex-employee.”Her producers said: ‘Katie, if you want to do this social issue, brings in people who have lived it. Get the kids to tell their mother’s story and empathize and relate. Then in segment six we’ll have the experts.’ What happens? ‘Segment one we’re having the sociologist from Harvard.’ ”Couric’s strategy also has led to difficulty in booking some guests.”
A Couric source says she is adamant about doing a show she is proud of, and she is prepared to move on if the ratings don’t back up her mission.
So, ready for Katie to go off the airwaves? Does she not resonate with women at home watching her hour talker? Was this once again another misstep in programming? Weigh-in!
I can appreciate Katie Couric’s approach to a daytime show with substance but the syndicated market, long polluted with the base excesses of the Springers, Lakes, and Poviches… and those court programs!?!?!… will not support it. no one really seems to talk anymore. Even daytime offerings I like — DR. OZ and THE DOCTORS — do their sharing with sound bites and bullet points. Couric’s idea for her show may be better served on a cable news channel. No wide audience there however.
She may have lost her broad appeal when TODAY became full of itself and its talent (the era of ‘look at us, aren’t we clever and fun?) and she failed to win support at CBS.
Katie did give props to the soaps and I applaud her for that. TV needs to focus on daytime and determine what that daypart needs to be about. If not dramas, then what? Time for a new model, but sorry, Brian Frons, yours is not the one to use.
Maybe ABC could then syndicate PP’s AMC & OLTL from 3-4 Daily
Love that idea John Ya got my vote!
Definitely….as long as PP produces and writes it.
yeah!
That is a great idea. I would love to see AMC and OLTL back on ABC. It’s really sad we had to lose two great shows and now Katie is probably going to be canceled.
Would be disappointing. I do enjoy her show when the guests draw me in. When she has a worth while guest, I do tune in, and it’s a great talk show. She needs to re-tool the show if she wants to keep it.
Made me day hate ABC
ABC/Daytime, your chickens are coming home to roost. Reminds me of Whoopie Goldberg’s line at the end of “The Color Purple” (to Danny Glover), “Until you do right by me, everything you touch will fail!” ….SO, ABC/Daytime, are you going to admit your collosal mistake and do right by the soaps you gutted for shallow fast food programming thinking you were going to make a buck good and cheap?!
Amen.
DITTO THAT AMEN!!
Jen, your “boyfriend” (the soaps) has dumped you. He’s gone. He’s moved on. He’s found someone else. He doesn’t want you anymore. It’s time for you to get on with your life. It’s been YEARS. They brought OLTL and AMC back online; watch them there if you want.
You people clinging hopelessly and endlessly to TV programs…think about it, they are just TV PROGRAMS..are the real people with problems, not ABC.
Oh, Katie, get offline and start working on improving your failing TV show that’s going down the tubes with every flush….ooops, I mean episode.!
Great response Jen!
Jen, I agree until ABC bring back OLTL AMC
In the interest of full disclosure, I was never interested in the show to begin with and so my feelings about it are probably a bit tainted. That said, I have seen the show a couple of times as it comes on right after GH and sometimes I have gotten busy and forgotten to change the channel or turn off the tv. My initial impression was that there is a real disconnect between Katie C and her guests which makes the show uncomfortable to watch. To me Ms. Couric comes off as disingenuous, elitist, and fake. It would not surprise me to hear that the show is failing or that she in essence does not care and has no problem moving on-it’s kind of obvious that for Katie, it’s all about Katie…
Could not have described this better. She seems like she has no clue about empathy, no relatability, nothing. She comes across as so phony, even though I can’t stand her it’s so uncomfortable to watch.
Loved your comments. I’ve never understood the draw of Katie Couric, even back on the Today show. I didn’t dislike her; just was apathetic and didn’t understand why people thought she was so wonderful.
Well said
If ABC really wants to finally get some decent ratings, in my opinion, work something out with Prospect Park and air both AMC and OLTL in 30 minutes format in that hour..I am sure the ratings will be SO much better than anything else they can show at that hour.
should have kelp oltl
Too many talk shows. How much can they friggin talk about?
No one is talking about anything meaningful–just promoting products, going for lowest kind of titillation, hyphing celebrity gossip, going for cheap quick emotional response.
What she may be cancelled? I’m shocked said no-one!
Send her back where cam from . Return OLTL. BC how do you like it now?
Will ABC ever realize that “One Life To Live” would capture the daytime audience again ?
The times have changed..
A huge number of people watch their TV online during the evening or whenever, to bring daytime viewers to ABC no matter what they show..
because most can not sit in front of a TV during the afternoon, most all work…
Not many women and men are even home during the daytime to watch tv..
And that makes a big difference 🙂
I agree with you 100%… I too was a time shifter and never “sat down” at 1 pm to watch live….
so I guess shows that once were what “daytime” was, is what I am referring to.
just still wonder if OLTL will be given one more shot… here’s hoping.
I get she wants to do it her way, but you need to tell the story first, then bring in the experts. Get me interested in watching. Starting with a sociologist will have me change the channel. That’s if I were home to watch, but I’m not. Guess she should have stayed at Toay, but I guess she’s made a lot of money along the way. I remember when she used to be on local new channel.
SO………..just a thought but with the Prospect Park reboots in seemingly eternal limbo, could ABC possibly take them back and put the soaps in syndication. I mean, if they can pay 80 million for Katie, could they not do something similar for soaps and see what happened?
Too much same old daytime talk…gosh, wish these stations that aired katie had to air the AMC and OLTL repeats just to see whether or not if they couldve attracted more viewers than kc talk show…i want less talk and more action in daytime but i know that’ll never happen! Rather they at least air more game shows instead of talk shows!!!
haha i love seeing abc fail
Glad it’s going, ABC deserve to lose money on these half baked replacements; surely they must regret cancelling the soaps by now.
Bring back the soaps!
Ditto.
I did not watch a minute of her talk show. The audience is sick of talk shows! Bring back OLTL as the soap audience is still there. Talk shows were revolutionary in the 1980s. Now, there is so much info available all day on tv as well as on the internet. There is no need to rehash the same topics and recycle the same actors who are hawking their movies on talk shows.
Is it just me who thinks daytime has been dummied way down? Lie detection, paternity and pop culture talk shows. Phil Donahue, Merv, Dinah and Mike D. entertained and informed with less access to info via web. Guess key demo no longer needs empowerment.
Comes as no surprise to me. There are too many meaningless, boring talking heads on TV already. We are saturated with “information” at every turn. People want to be entertained. We had 40 plus years of outstandingly excellent entertainment with AMC and OLTL. Neither should have never been cancelled.
Hope their entire daytime lineup is cancelled.
Why? Do you want everyone out of work, even the GH actors and crew?
Glad this show is going. ABC needs to bring back OLTL and AMC. I have never watched her show, after GH I make sure I turn her off. ABC deserves what they are getting they didn’t care about the fans who have been following the soaps for decades. KARMA.
I think ABC believed it could plug Katie Couric into an ‘Oprah type formula’ and it would work. Katie is no Oprah. Oprah is one of a kind, she had all the qualities and experiences to truly relate to her guests and her audience. People felt Oprah was one of them.
Katie is detached and seems to place herself above everyone. She talks down to people, she’s very condescending. Even her formula to ‘bring in the experts first’ shows how little faith she has in the intelligence of her audience. She has to educate them first so they’ll understand these complicated ‘whatever’ issues.
That being said, taking One Life To Live and All My Children off the air angered millions, the soap fans were never going to accept Katie no matter what. ABC never realized how loyal the soap fans are, they had generational audiences that would be there watching their stories forever. No other television format enjoys that kind of loyalty.
ABC will never find a show that will have the viewership, loyalty and as high of ratings as the soaps did in the daytime slots.
ABC will never ever bring back OLTL and AMC, never..
ABC can support 3 soaps, that is crazy and illogical..
ABC is making millions off AMC and OLTL and will continue to do so, so why would they even consider bring back 2 soaps that would break their daytime bank..
GH will be ABC’s only soap.. stop dreaming, it will never ever happen ..
Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person!!!! Karma IS a bitch!!
I don’t watch KATIE ONLY BECAUSE ITS ON A B C AND.If KATIE was on any other channel I would watch but since ABC TOok my soaps away I only watch General Hosp. then turn the channel.
Then you are in the wrong market. Katie is on CBS here.
And can I tell you how free I feel now that I removed GH from my DVR??? It was becoming a chore to watch. My mom also dropped GH this week.
ABC basically deserves every failure they face.
I LOVE Katie WATCH ALL THE TIME PLEASE KEEP HER ON!!!
I’ve watched Katie’s new show several times when a guest drew me in (about once per month). I have to say that Katie generally annoys me as a tv host. She has a bad habit of talking over her guests and also drawing out her questions/commentary to guests for wayyyyy too long. But even more annoying is when there’s a male guest that she clearly has the hots for–her flirtatious mannerisms toward these men makes me cringe. In summary, good riddance.
finally good news. get rid of katie, i can’t stand that woman. she is so boring.
poor katie couric. her talk show puts me to sleep. lol.
First off, let’s remember a few things: “Katie” and Katie Couric did NOT cause “AMC” or “OLTL” to get cancelled; those shows were going off the air anyway, thanks to Brian Frons. And they were replaced by “The Revolution” and “The Chew” and then that awful “GMA in the Afternoon.” So don’t hold Ms. Couric responsible for the demise of two ABC soaps.
Also, not only did the “Katie” show feature a very respectful hour-long tribute to “GH”‘s 50th Anniversary last April, Katie Couric also hosted a Saturday-night primetime episode of “20/20” that went behind the scenes at “GH.” She seems to genuinely like “General Hospital” and was either a fan at one time or may still watch.
All that being said, her show is NOT GOOD. And this idea that she is trying to have a better quality daytime talker is nonsense! Every time I’ve had it on, her guests were people like Donald Trump, 50 Cent, and Charlie Sheen. I have yet to see an episode of “Katie” that somehow was imparting some great knowledge on everyone.
And sometimes I’ve seen the show where she like puts herself in someone else’s “shoes”; it was never collecting trash or cleaning bedpans; she goes to work in an advertising agency; she appears on “GH” as a reporter disguised as a nurse.
Katie is NOT empathetic because she is a millionaire many times over. There is this myth that somehow Oprah was empathetic in spite of her billions; that may have been true when she first started out, but by the late 90’s, Oprah was no more relatable to working class, struggling people than Howard Stern was once he started raking in the hundreds of millions.
I’m sure Katie Couric’s show will be cancelled, but alas someone somewhere will hire her again-maybe Jeff Zucker will bring her to CNN? And I’m just as sure “We Are Men” will be cancelled by CBS but Jerry O’Connell will get ANOTHER TV series next season or the one after that.
Hello Jake –
Thank you for your thoughtful response. It is tempting to blame Ms. Couric for ABC’s error, but they have nothing to do with one another.
Lookin forward-
Pat
I agree with Jake .I am the only one in my circle of friends and family who tries to watch that show, but as Jake said, she lacks empathy and it is all about her. Cancel the show already
Karma.
oh yes.
We told you so.
Katie’s show bored me to tears!……not to mention her chronic
giggling that feels like fingernails on a chalkboard. Talk shows
have run out of creativity—-even Dr. Phil has resorted to cheap,
tabloid sensationalism and digging into viewer’s pockets to buy
his books—-don’t forget his SON who publishes them…….Oh,
Bother, as Winnie-the-Pooh says……I predicted less than a year
ago that Katie wouldn’t stay on the air very long.
I have only seen the show a few times, and for a little while, so I maybe do not have the right to judge, and I feel bad to say this because I like Katie Couric, but for some reason she and the show just do not draw me in. I would like substance on the show, and glad she is pushing that, but the few times I have seen it I have not actually seen that much substance – maybe I missed the shows of substance. Katie and the show just fall flat, and the style and format is a bit boring. To have an individual talk show you have to have a big, strong ( but of course, nice, kind,, compassionate personality which Katie does)that embraces the audience-like the Phil Donahue’s, Oprah’s, etc.). Katie did her best work on the Today show when she could interact and playoff other people like Matt, Al, etc. Just a thought – maybe she could bring on a ‘ side kick’ – like Howard Stern has Robin, Johnny Carson had Ed McMahon, or share the show with someone or others- the interaction may liven the show up a bit and bring out the best in Katie. She could still do more serious interviews, but this may make her more comfortable and open. I know there was talk of Katie and Matt having a talk show which may have worked, and maybe still could, but the concern would be that they both may have more similar styles now, and with all that has gone on with Matt who seems a bit burnt out and tired at times now- the show will still be flat. With all this said, sometimes there is a time (not because of age), to take the knowledge and experience you have, and step from the front lines, step behind the camera, work in the background, and make it all happen in a different way. Maybe it is time for Katie (and Matt) to do this – be producers, directors of important news shows, and come on screen periodically.
How about ABC bring in a new web soap, like beacon Hill? PP’s lawsuit against ABC has made it impossible to resurrect OLTL & AMC. Try something new. Many AMC/OLTL actors are already signed on to star in Beacon Hill.
Bring back OLTL and AMC – they got MUCH better ratings especially in the key demos than all these crappy talk and cooking shows.
ABC could have the same top ratings with OLTL and AMC that they are having with General Hospital again after this show has turned things around with good writing and story-telling, building on its long and successful history.
General Hospital draws almost DOUBLE the ratings in the women 18-49 key demo (last season average) that the OLTL and AMC replacement shows are having.
The same is true for CBS and the ATWT replacement show “The Talk”.
Networks must get rid of that cheap crap and make some smart investments in soaps again if they ever want to have the much superior ratings again that we’re seeing from the remaining soaps!!
Personally I really enjoy the Katie Show. I’m sorry to see that it may be cancelled. I don’t tend to watch most of the other stuff on TV as I think most of it is junk. I learn new things from her show and I am entertained. Her show is a bright point in my day. I am a female and like her!
I stopped watching her many years ago, her on air demeanor is partisan and condescending. Recently, while having a manicure at a nail salon in Olympia, Wa. her show came on. Within 10 minutes, a customer asked if the channel could be switched to another station. The salon immediately complied and everyone was happy. If she is being considered for Barbara Walter’s replacement, that show will see a decline in market share . My liberal friends and family can’t stand to watch her. How many shows can she tank? Just look at her ratings over the last decade. Even her friend, Jeff Zucker wouldn’t hire her for his ailing network. RIP Yahoo who is trying to hire her for something!
I can’t believe that you would cancel Katie Couric’s nice, clean, and entertaining show.
Heaven forbid, that it doesn’t have cuss words and sex in it. She is trying to spread good
around the world. She is so good with her guests and the audience. You know that you have
control over violence, sex, and bad language. I realize people have control over their
televisions . I choose to find a channel that is worthwhile watching. In case you didn’t know,
you have responsibility also for our children and what they see. I know ratings are a big thing,and money, money, money. A long time ago, I could watch T.V. when I was a kid, and
my parents didn’t have to worry too much about what I could watch. Now-a-days, it is a whole
new ball game. I am very disappointed in you all for cancelling the Katie Couric show.
Sincerely,
Katie Boehner
I am very disappointed to hear about the possible cancelation of the Katie Show.
Her show brought on excellent guests. Katie was engaged with her audience wanted to bring the guests an excellent show. Her show has class!! What a breath of fresh air, class and excellent guests!! It is a shame her show may be leaving the air!!
i like katie but she pushes her liberal side and i can;t stand that…thats ruining alot of shows
I think Katie has some great guests and some good topics but her excess giggling drives me up a wall. She laughs at every single joke like it was the funnest thing she has ever heard – makes it very difficult to take her seriously. Take it down a notch little lady!
General Hospital
Lane Davies Joins the Cast of General Hospital Setting up a ‘Santa Barbara’ Reunion with Nancy Lee Grahn
Some very intriguing casting news out of General Hospital. The ABC daytime drama has cast former Santa Barbara favorite, Lane Davies (ex-Mason Capwell), in the role of Fergus Byrne, an attorney who crosses paths with Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn).
According to TV Insider, Davies will make debut the week of May 22nd. As soap fans know, together with the aforementioned Grahn, they created the Santa Barbara supercouple of Mason and Julia Wainwright. Davies portrayed Mason Capwell family from 1984 through 1989.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time in Port Charles for Lane. From 2002-2004 he played Dr. Cameron Lewis and also shared on-screen story with Grahn. At that time Davies, played Xander Smith’s father.
Photo: NBC
GH fans are wondering about the last name of Davies new character, “Bryne”. If you recall, Alexis got herself involved with therapist Dr. Neil Bryne, who died when Harmony broke into Alexis‘ house and killed Neil by injecting him with opioids.
Photo:
Taking to her Instagram, Grahn shared her excitement at the upcoming on-screen reunion with Davies, “It never gets old. We do 😂…. but it doesn’t 😍. Lookin’ forward to another romp.”
So, what do you think about Lane Davies returning to GH to play an attorney in Alexis’ orbit? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
News
One Life to Live Alum Jonathan Groff Receives 2024 Tony Award Nomination for Leading Actor in a Musical
Nominations were announced on Tuesday for the 77th annual Tony Awards by previous winners, Renée Elise Goldsberry (ex-Evangeline Williamson, One Life to Live) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
When the dust settled it was Stereophonic (which is loosely based on the story of Fleetwood Mac) and Hell’s Kitchen (Alicia Keys musical) that both scored 13 Tony nominations to lead the pack.
However, Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along made quite the comeback and is nominated for several awards including Best Revival of a Musical and for one of its stars, Jonathan Groff (ex-Henry Mackler, One Life to Live).
Courtesy/Playbill
Groff is nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical and will go up against Brody Grant — The Outsiders, Dorian Harewood —The Notebook, Brian d’Arcy James — Days of Wine and Roses and Eddie Redmayne — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.
In addition to his previous Tony nod for his role in Hamilton, Jonathan was nominated for a Lead Actor in a Musical for his role as Melchior Gabor in the original production of Spring Awakening.
Jonathan co-stars in the revival of Merrily We Roll Along “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe and previous Tony winner Lindsay Mendez.
Back in 2019, Groff visited Live with Kelly and Ryan and discussed his debut on One Life while working at night on Broadway in Spring Awakening.
He shared on his experience on the soap, “I do remember my first day because I was doing Spring Awakening on Broadway at the time, and One Life to Live was my first time ever being on TV. So I got this offer, and I was like, ‘Yes, I would love to be in a soap opera,’ and we finished Spring Awakening at 11:00 p.m. and I woke up the next morning at 4:0 a.m. to walk uptown to go to do One Life to Live, and I called my agent and left a message, and I said ‘You have to get me out of this, I can’t wake up at 4 o’clock in the morning!'” You can watch the clip below.
The 77th annual Tony Awards will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, June 16, with Tony and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose returning to host for the third time.
So, rooting for Jonathan to take home his long-awaited Tony Award after several decades in the theater? Do you remember him as part of teen scene on OLTL? Comment below.
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Days Of Our Lives
Peacock Raising Subscription Prices $2 Dollars a Month This Summer; Includes Days of our Lives
As the Paris Summer Olympics are a few months away, the Peacock streaming service has revealed its plan for a two dollar summer price hike on its subscription plans, beginning in July for its content which will include Days of our Lives.
According to Deadline, in July, look for the monthly price for Peacock Premium to increase to $7.99. Premium Plus, which offers limited advertising, download capability and live local programming, will now be $13.99, while Annual plans will go up to $79.99 for Premium and $139.99 for Premium Plus.
This price hike will effect new customers starting on July 18th, while existing subscribers will notice the price change on their next billing date on or before August 17th.
Photo: JPI
This marks the second price change in two years for the streaming service, the previous one being in 2023, which was the first since the service launched back in 2020. The Summer Olympics in Paris which will be on NBC and Peacock run from July 26 to August 11.
The bright spot for Days of our Lives fans, is that unlike if the show was still on network television and NBC, the show would be preempted for two weeks, but with it being on Peacock it will continue with all-new episodes without interruption.
Photo: Peacock
At the recent Days of our Lives 15K episode celebration, Michael Sluchan the EVP, Current Scripted Programming & Limited Series for NBC/Peacock shared that the soap opera is doing extremely well for the streaming service, and they were very happy with its performance.
If you want to join Peacock now, there is still some time to get in on the current rates to watch DAYS and all of the programming and series it offers.
So, what do you think about the Peacock streaming service next price hike? Comment below.
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