Except it’s not a joke.
GUIDING LIGHT ERA CONCLUDES IN SEPTEMBER
Show Celebrates 72-Year History of Drama and Broadcast Innovation
NEW YORK, NY, April 1, 2009 – Guiding Light, the longest running show in broadcast history, will complete its final season on the CBS Television Network in September. The daytime drama was not renewed by CBS for the 2009/2010 broadcast season, marking the end of its 57-year run on the Network.
Over the years, GL has been on the forefront of innovation in both use of technology and groundbreaking storytelling. GL launched the careers of several Hollywood personalities, dramatized relevant social issues and has been awarded numerous accolades, including an unprecedented 69 Daytime Emmy awards.
“Being on the air for more than seven decades is truly remarkable, and it will be difficult for all of us at the show to say goodbye,” said Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler. “I’m proud of everything we’ve been able to do, including outstanding storytelling, our community service around the country with Find Your Light and the launch of our new production model. This show has such a rich history, wonderful fans, and I’m honored to have been a part of the GL legacy.”
“We are honored to have been welcomed into the homes of multiple generations of Guiding Light viewers,” said Brian T. Cahill, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, TeleNext Media, Inc. “We are working hard to find the show a new home, and we are exploring all our options to continue to bring loyal fans the characters and stories they love.”
I don’t know what to say. My reaction has vacillated between tears, sadness and rage. And that sentence in bold seems to suggest that there might be other options.
Instead of my thoughts (which I’ll share later), I wanted to turn this blog over to my readers. If you want to share your thoughts about your favorite Guiding Light moments, send them to me.
I’ll post nearly anything you all have to say, but I ask one thing: No finger-pointing, no assigning blame, no post-mortems, no negativity. If this is indeed the last lap, every news outlet, magazine and blog (yes, even this one) will offer an assessment of what happened. Now is not the time for that, though. I’m welcoming people who want to share hope, gratitude, appreciation, joy and yes, perhaps sorrow.
NOTE: I’m tentatively scheduled to appear on the In The Zone program on BlogTalkRadio tonight. More on that soon.
A | THOUSAND | OTHER | WORLDS 
I’m not giving up. Team Otalia is not giving up. We are a big purple army of people who want to see GL find a new home and a larger audience. We are in a full court press and fired up.
Destini – Believe me, if anyone can make a difference, I KNOW the BPD team can!
Try contacting Oprah. (I’m dead serious, too.) She loves her soaps and may be able to work some magic.
What about contacting Ellen DeGeneres, seriously. She likes soaps, also, I think, and she is as big as Oprah. She gave the actress from Grey’s Anatomy a TIVO because the actress loves soaps and was still recording them through her VCR and Ellen gave her a TIVO and told her she has to watch her soaps this way, especially if she wants to keep watching them, so I say contact Ellen DeGeneres, too.
I’m not sure what to say. Yep, that’s it. I’m not sure what to say. I love Guiding Light. I feel like some has died and I know it is a tv show but to me someone has died. (sorry if this is too negative)
I began viewing GL when I was nine years old and fell in love with “Alan Spaulding” as he began to fall in love with “Hope Bauer” on the island. 31 years later and I still love Alan.
Several years ago I was invited to NY to attend the OGLFC Luncheon by an online friend. After pondering the idea for several weeks I finally decided to go, and I will never forget how important that one event became.
I learned that GL fans are like a family. They look out for each other in the Big Apple, and they genuinely care for each other just as much as the characters they invite into their homes on a daily basis. Thanks to GL I have met some extremely wonderful people from all over the US, from many walks of life and of all ages.
In addition I was given the opportunity of a life time by Ron Raines and Beth Chamberlin who asked me to help with their official web sites. An opportunity I value more than words can even begin to explain. These two individuals are more than actors, the are incredible people. When I heard the news today, my heart sank and I began to fight back the tears.
Daytime TV is unlike any other form of entertainment. We bond and connect with the characters. They become friends. They become family. Today, I felt as if I lost an old friend, and I feel for my GL friends and family.
Hmmm…I’m not sure what to say either, except they these things always seem to happen on an upswing, and the quotes seem completely inadequate for the cancellation of a 72-year-old program.
I personally have little to no interest in most talk shows and, well, all game shows, and my CBS affiliate’s news is just awful in my opinion, so the network’s down one viewer here.
I almost feel insulted when they bring up the “other options” thing in press releases as well. Are they really serious? Or is that a way to calm the reaction? I can’t imagine WHAT those options would be…except perhaps the CW (hey–they’re airing the Daytime Emmys, so…).
Of course, I can only imagine what a CW version of the show would look like…
This is a very sad day for daytime dramas, and I am very sad about the cancellation of GL. I’ve been a fan for years and have been optimistic, lately, because of the return of GA. The writing/plots have improved greatly and I’m back to never missing an episode. I’m afraid this is the beginning of the end for all soaps. The end of an era. As bad as I feel personally, I feel even worse for the actors, writers and crew. They have been loyal to the show and fans. They have stuck it out and given 100% everyday for all of us.