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Cancellation Reports Unfounded Posted Wednesday, May 13, 1998 - 11:54:56 AM
While Another World's ratings are nothing to celebrate, they are also not something that warrants the cancellation of the thirty-four-year old NBC soap opera.
Near the beginning of May, a report surfaced on the Internet that quoted the LA Times as saying that NBC had decided to cancel Another World. The bogus article featured contrived quotes from Don Ohlmeyer, President of NBC's West Coast operations.
"We tried, we really did," Ohlmeyer was quoted as saying. "But people just aren't watching anymore. For almost five years this show has been in a state of revamping, but none of the changes have made a difference. The show had a great run, but it's time to try something else."
Soap Opera Central contacted Lee Margulies, Television Editor at the LA Times, to check on the validity of this article that had found its way on soap opera sites and newsgroups alike.
"I can assure you that we have not reported the cancellation of Another World," Margulies stated.
The fake article is believed to be the work of a die-hard AW fan who wants to rouse viewers into supporting the low-rated soap. By making these reports, Soap Opera Central's Dan Kroll said, "the person probably believes that more people will come out in support of the show and either get the show's ratings to rise or convince NBC that Another World deserves a spot on the air."
This false article comes only weeks after another Another World rumor surfed the net. In the report, insiders were supposedly hinting that Another World would merge with the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. One Life to Live has recently snatched up several performers who were either written out of Another World or decided to leave the West Coast-based soap. This led to incorrect assumptions that ABC was trying to negotiate with NBC to buy the rights to Another World.
As mentioned, Another World is not out of the woods just yet. Its ratings continue to drop and are now at an all-time low. It currently ranks ninth out of the eleven soap operas (only Port Charles and Sunset Beach---both newcomers---are rated lower). If the ratings continue to drop, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for NBC to cancel the program and roll out something new. The only problem with that logic is that the newest soap operas on the tube are both ranked lower in the ratings that Another World.
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