From Soaps to Judge Shows: How the Daytime Lineup Changes

by Jenny Druckenmiller | August 4, 2015

TV began with only a few networks, slowly picked up with Cable TV, and now with digital options, we have endless alternatives for viewing programs. As for the big networks, ABC, NBC, and CBS have traditionally aired mainly news, soaps, and stimulating talk shows in daytime.

tv woman watching iStock_000015979828MediumIn recent years, major changes occurred in the daytime landscape, with seasoned talk shows and soap operas leaving the airwaves. Perennial favorites, such as “Oprah,” “One Life to Live” and “Guiding Light,” ended their long runs, leaving major holes to fill in the daytime lineup. There were a lot of factors that led to these programs’ demise, such as financial concern, bad management, and creative bankruptcy. Some say that the causes of the daytime change are rooted in the shifts in our culture. It was like a changing of the guard—with talk shows, judge shows, game shows, and celebrity-hosted shows filling their void.

The good news is that the biggest changes have already happened. The networks continue to make small adjustments, but we no longer see the domino effect of one show falling after another.

What does that mean for you and your schedule? Despite the changes in programming, we stick to daytime broadcast for the majority of our media buys. This time frame has proven to be the most efficient call-producing area for your advertising dollars.

We will always monitor the efficiencies of all our programs in daytime and make adjustments as needed to keep your buys producing the most calls possible.