Surprise! Soap Opera Ratings Bubble Up
Social media and increasing use of DVRs also are helping drive viewers. "There's a water-cooler sort of effect in social media," says GH exec producer Frank Valentini. For instance, a mid-November episode of Days was seen live by about 1.8 million people. Another 409,000 time-shifted to later that day, and an additional 178,000 watched within seven days. (That means about 25 percent of overall viewers watched a recording.)
Given the resurgence, could this mean new dramas soon will be coming to daytime? Says Bill Carroll, vp and director of programming at Katz Television Group, "At some point in the future, the trend will once again be soap operas."
Mark Pinter joins THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
A rep for Y&R tells TV Guide Magazine that Pinter will be seen as Marcus Wheeler, "a powerful and sophisticated congressman involved with Victor [Eric Braeden] and Jack [Peter Bergman], who will go to any lengths to protect his image and career."
Pinter starts shooting Y&R on Dec. 6. He hits the air Jan. 10 and will be seen at least through Feb. sweeps.
