Connect with us

News

So what happened to the Soaps Area at TV Guide Magazine.com?

On-Air On-Soaps was very confused today, as I am sure many who were looking for the latest “exclusive”  soap news or soap  interviews offered by TV Guide Magazine on their online platform Tvguidemagazine.com were.

Monday, a new version was online, and in the Soaps area there was just a smattering of old soap related items from the past four or five months.  Then we learned via Airlock Alpha.com that there was a shift in the branding between TV Guide Magazine and TVGuide.com. The post originally came via  Advertising Age on May 24th  which states, “A new partnership between Open Gate Capital and Lionsgate will allow content from TV Guide the magazine return to TVGuide.com, the first time the two will do anything together since Macrovision sold the two sides as separate pieces in 2008. Although both companies will remain separate — as will the advertising and editorial departments — but content will be shared, as well as promotional opportunities between the website, the magazine and the TV Guide Network.”

The post went on to say, “Unfortunately for Open Gate Capital, having a separate website from the primary domain never worked for the magazine publisher. The site, TVGuideMagazine.com pulled in just 103,000 visitors in April compared to 7.8 million who stopped by TVGuide.com, according to Advertising Age. Many readers didn’t even know that the magazine and the website were two different entities, and many continued to visit TVGuide.com thinking they were visiting the magazine’s website.”

“We’re doing this so we can do more together than apart, particularly in the area of driving readership, viewership and visitors to the various platforms,” said Jack Kliger, a senior adviser to Open Gate Capital, to AdAge.   It’s not clear when the editorial share will take place. Neither site seemed to show any indication of cross-promotion or story sharing early Monday afternoon, and and neither site even picked up the story talking about the partnership from AdAge.”

However, thus far, it looks like the Soaps area is looking less and less populated by content, which could either signal another hit to the industry, or they are going to fix that area shortly.  Whatever, it surely proves that TVGuideMagazine.com does not pull in the numbers that major online soap sites do.

Click to comment

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

That’s not good for Daytime and for the Daytime press at all. TVG’s Michael Logan is one of the few soap journalists who seems to have integrity. He seems to write what he actually thinks regarding Daytime, despite his opinions being popular or unpopular. His analysis of Daytime is incisive enough for such a lightweight, frothy, silly medium. His critiques manage to strike the right tone regarding Daytime, and he never overanalyzes a superficial medium or gives it empty, sychophantic, delusional praises like the kinds found in Nelson branco’s tvgc columns. Logan was one of the first to actually critique OLTL’s lack of diversity when it was being heavily pimped during Carlivati’s first run as the first openly gay headwriter penning a soap. Marlena delacroix also critiques OLTL’s lack of diversity and the overpimping of OLTL during Carlivati’s first run, but tvgc’s Branco countered her critiques of OLTL by calling her “ugly” and that “the only makeover she could afford is w/ crayons.” It’s this kind of mouthpiece reporting and pushing for certain writers, actors, soaps, exec producers, agendas, etc by soap press that is also contributing to Daytime’s diminished status. This is something Logan’s columns never did. His articles reflect his admiration for MTS, yet he still asked her difficult questions abt her negotiations w/ Y&R, while tvgc’s Branco called her “Miss Piggy” in a daytime confidential podcast. Logan called B&B on their demented writing by having Sheila kiss her own daughter Mary/Erica on the lips despite B&B claiming it was meant as a “possessive” kind of kiss. Whatever. On a side note, where was all the uproar for that? B&B, a soap abt fashion w/ no lgbtq characters, was portraying its first same gender lip lock as something psychotic, unnatural and incestuous. Yet people whine abt ABC Daytime being homophobic when kish did the deed while rianca got married. Which is homophobic, B&B or ABC Daytime? Logan also called B&B on their introduction of Marcus (a black character who is actually biracial) when he is mistaken by the Forresters (white characters) for the hired help. Despite it being a Bell show, Logan pulled no punches and questioned that it could be racist, w/c was valid since B&B is the soap w/ the least amt of diversity despite being in the LA fashion business. He gets the scoops and buzzed interviews. He sticks by his scoops. Logan also was the only critic to actually take Carlivati’s “gay overkill” writing to task as a factor to the kish axing while most soap critics were readily accusing ABC Daytime and Frons of being homophobic, despite ABC Daytime having the most lgbtq representation. Logan’s column is probably one of the most legitimate columns on soaps. This is a bad move for daytime as a whole.

When the kids are paying for programing, THEN I’ll be OK with another Disney Channel. Until then leave us our 1 Soap channel!!

News

Robin Strasser Meets Kristen Alderson’s Baby Kiera in a One Life to Live Reunion

For years, Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian) and Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) have been the best of friends and the best of co-stars. On One Life to Live, Kristen was only six-years-old when she began her journey as Todd and Blair’s daughter and met the iconic Strasser.

Now in 2024, Kristen is a new mom to her baby girl, Kiera. Strasser, who lives in New York, along with her best friend, John, traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just a few days ago to visit the Alderson family and spend the day with Kiera.

Taking to her Instagram a very happy Kristen shared, “Look at who came to visit today! Robin & her bestie John! Robin and I got all misty eyed when she met Kiera today!”

Photo: JPI

In a very touching part of her post, Alderson expressed, “Robin is such a special person in my life, it means so much to me that we’re as close as we are. She’s just the best❤️ A great day of laughs & a great brunch spread😍”

Robin added, “I’ve been smiling since I met her. I’m a big softie for babies, but what a doll Kiera is!” The Daytime Emmy-winning star, also shared, “I’m so grateful for my ongoing friendship with Kris and Kathy. Amazing women and loyal friends!”

What do you think about Kristen and Robin’s enduring friendship and recalling their time on One Life to Live? Comment below.

Continue Reading

General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

Continue Reading

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Kim Coles as Whitley

Days of our Lives

Airdate: 7-24- 2023

Popular