Soap Opera Therapy

My mother hooked me on soap operas during my junior year of high school.  "Days of Our Lives" was my introduction to the genre.  My classes were over by 12Noon and I often came  home to find her watching this show while eating her lunch.  It was a fairly new soap opera at the time, a new generation of soap operas that included "General Hospital" and "One Life to Live".  I remembered my babysitters and elders watching "Edge of Night", "Guiding Light", "As the World Turns" and "Search for Tomorrow" but this was the first soap I really watched.  I watched it for the next seven years.

"Days of Our Lives" cast probably in the 1970s

My dad's secretary, Marty, loved "Days of Our Lives".  During the summers I worked in Dad's office, Marty and I watched it together. We took great pleasure guessing what direction the multiple stories might veer off in.  My mother eventually went back to work as Dad's bookkeeper and the three of us commiserated or rejoiced over the story lines.  I can see us now in front of the small b/w portable he had set up in the reception area.

By the time I married, I could no longer luxuriate in the drama of Doug and Julie (illicit romantic couple), Addie (mother of Julie; originally married to Doug until Julie stole him away), Dr. and Mrs. Horton (the patriarchs whose children were all screwed up). I now had a succession of  9-5 jobs and pathetic 30 minute lunch breaks.  "Days of Our Lives" was filtered through whatever my mom told me and, without the ability to watch, I gradually lost interest...or so I thought.

The invention of the VCR revived my interest.  I had accessibility again.  I was in my early thirties with a serious career and a husband who owned consumer electronic stores.  He brought home various VCRs and Sony's Beta machine hoping to predict which format would win the  video wars.  Most of the original characters were still in place, at least, the ones I really liked.  I became addicted for another few years.  Mother and I could, once again, ruminate on Doug and Julie's undying love and what the new generation of "DOOL" characters were up to.  

Once I had babies, I no longer had time to indulge.  My lunch hour was spent breast feeding and I was so tired at night I didn't want to watch an endless saga of adultery, divorce, love affairs, jealousy, double-dealing and the like.  

I eventually turned to evening soaps:  Dallas, Knots Landing, 90210.  My favorite episodic soap of all time was The West Wing.   Nowadays I watch The Good Wife, Scandal, Nashville, Suits and the always mysterious Mad Men.  I DVR everything so I may fast forward through commercials.   My husband and grown sons think it's all crap.  But I know better.  It's a mindless flight of fantasy and I have 41 minutes to lose myself in someone else's life.

Some people shop.  Some people drink.  Some people knit.  Some people exercise.  I watch soaps.

It's therapy.

Oh How The Mighty Are Falling

    

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. empire continues to crumble in response to the phone hacking scandal in U.K., one powerful U.S. Senator is calling for a probe into the conglomerate to see if misconduct occurred on this side of the Atlantic.

Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), the chairman of the commerce committee, urged government agencies late Tuesday to investigate News Corp's practices in the U.S., including reported targeting of Americans. The push comes as British Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans for an inquiry into the phone hacking scandal that's rocked the UK and as News Corp. announced it would withdraw its $12 billion bid to gain full control over British Sky Broadcasting because of the scandal.  The Huffington Post  7/13/11

From Jay Rockefeller's mouth to the FCC's ear. Problem is, the FCC hasn't any teeth.

The monopolies now enjoyed by the fortunate few broadcaste­rs in cable tv, tv and radio have been developing exponentially since 1996 when the FCC increased the legal market share each broadcaste­r could have in any particular market. It's been on a downward spiral ever since and the public is paying for it. This is why cable tv &/or satellite is so expensive. Rabbit ears? Free TV? All gone since the completion of the government mandated changeover from analog to digital.

AFter 28 years in radio broadcasti­ng, I left for a niche tv broadcaster on a low power signal in a resort area.  I had worked for some of the best broadcast companies, Westinghouse, Capital Broadcasting then some of the worst, SFX, Citadel.  I watched independent as well as larger broadcast entities like CBS change from a vibrant, market-oriented focus to become part of what now constitute­s only five major communicat­ions companies throughout the U.S.   There are over 8,000 radio stations folks.  Companies such as Citadel, Cumulus (just bought Citadel btw), Clear Channel and the conglomerate that is now CBS  have eliminated local news, local personalit­ies, format choices in favor of one size fits all broadcasti­ng. It's similar to the big box store rationale; you can be in any town anywhere, they are always the same.  It's called "economies of scale" and it's killing the medium.   They are run, for the most part, by financiers on Wall Street with little or no experience in broadcasti­ng. The result? Tens of thousands of jobs eliminated­, local focus gone.

How does this tie in to the Murdoch investigation?   My belief is the British investigat­ion into the phone hacking scandal will lead  to a U.S. investigat­ion of practices here.   He's already withdrawn his bid to buy 100% of British Sky Broadcasting which would have given him even greater control of British media.  Can you say Berlusconi?

The break down of companies of this magnitude is necessary for the greater good.  Information and entertainment have been funneled down to a very few sources.  We need to see more focus on companies who no longer follow the original dictate of serving the public interest via the public airwaves.

Betty White: Always Funny

OMG if you didn't see SNL Sat night with Betty White YOU MISSED OUT!   One of the funniest shows since the original days of Dan, Jane, Belushi, Gilda, et.al. I've been watching SNL since it's debut so I consider myself a reasonable authority.  Betty White, for those of you who don't know her, has been a fixture on tv since it began. She is also, I believe, one of the first women to have her own syndicated radio show in the U.S. She is a pioneer in many areas and her animal rights activism is legendary. But, no matter how old or young you may be, you've probably seen her on tv, in movies and in commercials.

Below is one of the skits that did not make the show Sat night. Hard to believe they kept the Scared Straight skit and dumped this.



If you want to see more skits, go here.

Cable News & Talking Heads: Who's On Top?

If you think you know the top rated news shows on cable, you may be surprised. 

I know I am.

Nielsen Media Research, the Bible of tv ratings, just announced Q1 results and here they are via Huff Post.

What does this tell us about the viewer profile who spends the most time watching these shows and being persuaded?

Lou Dobbs Would Rather Switch Than Fight

From yesterday's NY Times.com,  

"Months ago the president of CNN/U.S., Jonathan Klein, offered a choice to Lou Dobbs, the channel’s most outspoken anchor. Mr.Dobbs could vent his opinions on radio and anchor an objective newscast on television, or he could leave CNN.


For a time, Mr. Dobbs did tone down his TV rhetoric, but on Wednesday he made a more drastic decision: He chose opinion.


Mr. Dobbs told viewers that he was resigning from his CNN job immediately. Sitting before an image of an American flag on his studio set, he said “some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day.”


He remained vague about how he would contribute 'to the national conversation,' saying that he was considering “a number of options and directions...

Well known for his opposition to illegal immigration, Mr. Dobbs was an outlier at CNN, which has sought to be seen as the neutral turf of cable news.

'If CNN wants to be seen as the thoughtful, unbiased, middle of the road alternative to Fox News on the right and MSNBC on the left, this decision goes along with that,' said Geneva Overholser, the director of the School of Journalism at the University of Southern California.

She said the anchor’s decision also makes sense 'if he really wants to be Lou Dobbs, man of opinion.'
Mr. Dobbs’s show drew an average of 631,000 viewers in October, putting him in third place behind Fox News and MSNBC. Like those for other CNN programs, his ratings have declined in recent months."


Big Whoop.  Gee, I wonder where he's going?  Could it be to ...hmmm...SATAN?  I mean, Fox News???

I Smell A Publicity Stunt

The Daily Show is hosting Jim Cramer tonight @ 11pm. This should be interesting but I'm wondering if this whole back & forth between Jon Stewart & Cramer & NBC is now just a publicity stunt.....OF COURSE IT IS!

I love Stewart's hilarious take on the money honey know-it-alls who preach "buy buy buy" while we "spend spend spend". But, because this whole thing went viral, the TV execs & participants realize a cool piece of PR when they see it.

Soooo, I'll tune in out of curiosity. But it had better be good or I'm crying "Foul!" Yeah. Whose listening to me? Anyway, follow up tomorrow.

(Wonder what Rush thinks of all this?) Yes, I'm getting in a few name drops of my own.

Ugly Betty: the Sanctity of Thursday Night TV

Billboard found on tvspoilercenter.blogspot.com

I am a creature of habit. I like television and I particularly like to find a regular show or shows to follow. Once upon a time it was "Dallas", later followed by "Knots Landing" then "90210". I then became entranced with "The West Wing". That was and probably always will be my favorite.

Now I look forward to Thursday nights and "Ugly Betty". It is amusing, has wonderful clothes, incredible production values, gorgeous color and eye popping sets. The characters are fun and the story line is a positive one. It embraces old fashioned values like: fidelity, love, family first and substance over style although there's plenty of style to go around.

I don't go out on Thursday nights and I don't take phone calls. I plop down on the couch with my glass of fizzy water, put my feet up, darken the room and watch the tube. Gotta go! It's on.