ABC Family Channel Tries New Tactic

[Sarangel]

After 2 years of failing ratings, the ABC Family Channel has decided that it might attract more viewers if it offered some original programming. This season, they intend to offer 6 1/2 Hour comedies and as many as 8 original movies.

Michael Davis, who produced "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" will produce "Perfect Match: New York," based on a hit British program. Also being considered are a reality series centered on Melissa Joan Hart's upcoming wedding, and a series of specials starring the Olsen Twins. In the upcoming months, expect to see series like "Switched," which allows teens to swap lives; "The Brenden Leonard Show," a cable import from Chicago; "1001 Dates," a series about a pair of matchmakers, and "Twentynothings," a "Friends"-style comedy.

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[raidermatt]

Hey, if the original programming is any good, they can "re-purpose" it over to ABC...

 

[DisneyKidds]

After 2 years of failing ratings, the ABC Family Channel has decided that it might attract more viewers if it offered some original programming.

See, people within the Disney organization might be able to eventually "get it".

I can picture the eurika moment that Davis had, sitting in his office...........................and it comes to him. Offer something new, unique, and original and people will buy it............................what a novel concept .

Of course, here is where AV will insert the usual, and true, "but doing that requires taking a risk................risk that nobody within the Disney organization is willing to take".

 

[raidermatt]

You did make a bit of a leap by picturing the goal of the new programming to be unique. Technically, it will be new and original, because it won't be "re-purposed", but I think we'll have to wait and see to find out if its actually unique.

Olsen Twin specials don't exactly sound unique. Unless.... How old are they now?

But in the bigger picture, doesn't this further bring into question the decision to purchase Fox Family at all? The point was to take advantage of "synergy" and get more out of existing programming by showing reruns on the cable outlet.

Who knows if it would have worked if ABC actually had enough decent programming worth being re-purposed, but that's becoming a moot point.

It appears that the strategy has failed.

Remember, we're talking about over $5 BILLION here. That's 2 1/2 Disney Seas... or over 100 Princess Diaries...

 

[Another Voice]

Funny, Apple Computer is planning to spend a little under $6 billion to buy the largest music company in the world. They promise to finally merge technology and content which will create the greatest change in the industry since Thomas Edison came up with the idea of recording music.

Disney spent $5.5 billion dollars on a bankrupt cable network and then spent the next two years driving its ratings down even lower and now they will have to spend hundreds of millions more on "original" problem just to halt the slide.

No wonder Eisner gets those great bonuses - it's hard to find executive talent of the magnitude (that's still employeed).

 

[KNWVIKING]

I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of the Veritas series that ABC dropped.

 

[DEE DEE]

This is just too much that Disney is changing ABC Family to a 24 hour a day how to put on lip gloss like the Disney Channel has become with Lizzie. I will make the exception of Playhouse Disney which is popular with the little ones.What I cannot figure out is why would he spend over 5 Billion for a channel and then ruin it also.Instead of the Midas touch everything he touches turns to poison! No new quality rides,tv shows or Disney made Movies and what do we have ---him trying to turn everything Walt Disney did into Cyprus Gardens.Hopefully not, that there will be enough in car 1 to keep the Parks going.Though giving money to Disney is really not worth it when you do not get value for your money and will not see the money used to a good purpose. I am not pleased with Disney, for I just saw what has become of the Carribean Beach cement floors and I brought my DH a piece of the toilet paper and he could not believe it .It was so poor quality and thin that it is hard to believe this was the same place we once thought was so attractive while eating our Mickey Waffle! Also the big tv was gone. Hard to believe but Disney is now about less chicken fingers and less tp!!

 

[SoonerKate]

So essentially, they're also turning ABC Family into entirely tween-centered programming.

Wasn't ruining the Disney channel enough?

 

[KNWVIKING]

From things I've read in the past I was under the impression the only bright spots in Disney's tv offerings were ESPN and The Disney Channel. Maybe it doesn't offer what adults want, but I don't think I'm the target they're shotting for.

 

[BrianD]

Originally posted by raidermatt
...Olsen Twin specials don't exactly sound unique. Unless.... How old are they now?...

LOL!!!

Sooner or later they're gonna be hotties!

 

[Sarangel]

Originally posted by raidermatt
Olsen Twin specials don't exactly sound unique. Unless.... How old are they now? [/B]

Old enough to be Raiderettes if they wanted to be. 18-20 is what I recall, but they're probably closer to 18...

Sarangel

 

[Tannerman]

Well, even though original programming on ABC Family is a good thing, it sort of kills the profit model laid out for the network. So just sell the darn thing and move on...

 

[Another Voice]

The whispers around Hollywood is that, given the current market and the current ratings of ABC Family, Disney would only get 10%-15% of the $5.5 billion they paid for the network.

Didn't Worldcom make deals like this...?

 

[YoHo]

The Olsen twins will turn 18 in June.

 

[SoonerKate]

Good to know my boyfriend's not the only one counting down the days!


Of course, now he's been asking me how old Hilary Duff is...he's 22 and already a dirty old man!