The Chew
Could Going Half Hour Save General Hospital?
By Jillian Bowe on June 06, 2011
Has General Hospital dodged a bullet (no pun intended)? TV Guide's Michael Logan spoke with an ABC representative, who shared some information about the status of the sudser. According to the rep:
We hope it will encourage them to watch and support GH, the rep says. We will consider all options, such as making The Chew and The Revolution a half hour each, or making The Revolution and GH a half hour. This all happens a year and half from now. We are going to do our best to keep everybody happy.
Brian Frons: "Serials For The Most Part Are Baby Boomer Programs"
By Jamey Giddens on May 24, 2011
ABC Daytime Serial Killer Brian Frons is giving more asinine quotes and ever-changing sound bites to the mainstream press. This time the not-so-true lies were afforded to USA Today in a special report on the changing of the guard during the daytime post-Oprah. Here's the latest way Frons dismissed the very programs that helped him leech his way to the top of a network division:
"It's change that's generational," says Brian Frons, daytime chief for ABC Television Group. "Serials for the most part are Baby Boomer programs, and as Boomers age out of the key selling demographic, we need to look at alternatives." READ MORE
CHEAP CRAP: ABC Daytime's Replacement Shows to Cost Under $575,000 a Week
By Jamey Giddens on April 25, 2011
File this one under you get what you pay for. TV Guide is reporting The Chew and The Revolution, the two shows set to replace All My Children and One Life to Live respectively, will each cost "$575,000 a week or less" to produce, whereas AMC and OLTL cost between $750,000 to $1 million a week.
The article by Stephen Battaglio goes on to point out that CBS is reportedly making more money on The Talk, despite that show's ratings being lower than As The World Turns. Well of course they are! CBS owns The Talk, just like ABC owns their soaps. ABC will also own the two bargain basement replacement shows, however unlike The Talk, which actually boasts popular, ex-sitcom stars and recognizable faces. Most of us had to Google half the names of the hosts of The Chew and The Revolution. READ MORE
Chicago's ABC Station Braces For Loss of Oprah, AMC and OLTL; Recalls How Frons Destroyed At The Movies
By Luke Kerr on April 18, 2011ABC’s decision to cancel All My Children and One Life to Live isn’t just impacting fans. According to the Chicago Tribune, WLS-Ch 7 has been the city’s most watched news operation since the 1980s, but with The Oprah Winfrey Show ending in May and AMC and OLTL canceled, the station is being forced to adapt to its new reality. However, it is taking the upheaval in stride.
"I'm not sure this is any bigger than some of the other challenges we've faced, certainly if you look at my tenure here," said Emily Barr, who this month marks her 14th anniversary as WLS' president and general manager. "We had to make changes early on when I first got here. The whole anchor team changed. Think about that."
The article then goes on to point out one of Brian Frons’ other blunders.
Rachael Ray Finds it “Exciting” The Chew is Joining ABC Lineup
By Luke Kerr on April 18, 2011
The cancellation of All My Children and One Life to Live doesn’t appear to have phased Rachael Ray much. Zap2it caught up with the syndicated talk show host and asked her about the new shows replacing the legendary serials. Her response,
"I think it's exciting," Ray tells Zap2it on Friday (April 15) at the site of her annual cooking show that benefits the Alumni Association of her alma mater, Lake George (N.Y.) Jr.-Sr. High School. "My good friend Mario Batali and Michael Symon are going to be part of 'The Chew,' and I'm thrilled to see them join the roster."
The Chew Co-Host Mario Batali on Soaps: "It Wasn't Like I Voted 'Em Out"
By Jamey Giddens on April 15, 2011
Mario Batali, one of the co-hosts of The Chew, the sharply-named (snort) cooking chatfest set to replace beloved daytime sudser All My Children this September was asked by TMZ to share his thoughts on replacing a soap opera. After quipping, "It wasn't like I voted 'em out," Batali went on to say he didn't want to see anyone out of a job. To borrow from SNL's Church Lady, well isn't that special? To watch the clip go to TMZ.

