“Guiding Light” Cancelled?

March 30th, 2009 by Castina

Cancellation is looming for the longest-running soap opera in American history.

Guiding Light, which went on the air on radio in 1937 and debuted on television in 1952, is in danger of being taken off the air, TV Squad reported on Monday.

Despite a recent revamping of the show this season, Guiding Light has failed to boost ratings and currently attracts about 2.17 million viewers daily for the season, down 18 percent from last year.

CBS is expected to announce a decision on the show later this week so that writers will be able to tie up storylines by September, when the network’s deal with the Procter & Gamble-produced soap opera ends.

(If my Grandma hadn’t already drifted off to the big sofa for soap fans in the sky, this news would be enough to give her a heart attack! She loved Guiding Light….)

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13 Comments, add yours

13 Responses to ““Guiding Light” Cancelled?”

On April 2nd 2009, Patty wrote:

I cannot believe the powers that be are cancelling
the greatest soap ever!!!!!! From my Great Grandmother to my daughter has watched GL. I’m sure there are many more GL fans that also have five generations that have listened to or have watched. When I heard the news last night I was in total shock!!! My feeling felt like loosing a great family memember. I hope that people change their minds and stop the cancellation of My Soap….(Great Family Memember)
On April 2nd 2009, Amy Hawk wrote:

No this is so not cool. I was not able to watch for a few months due to the fact that I could not get the channel but this is just wrong.. I have grown up watching GL with my Grandma and then later on My MIL and SIL. I am so sad…. They need to keep it going.
On April 2nd 2009, Deborah wrote:

MaybIe if we flood CBS or threaten a boycott of their sponsors! I watch sporadically, and I love it. When I was a child my mother would do her ironing while the ‘light’ was on… I learned about poor Burt Bauer, and that Lisa was a card. My grandmother, who died in ‘68 would come over to visit and sit and watch with us. She told us of when it was on the radio. When I had a daughter I would fold clothes and clean in the tv room while it was on, and my daughter watched with me, and on occassion my mother would come to visit and watch with us. When my son married, his wife became a fan, she tivos and watched it on the weekend. I know there are those out there who think it is a waste of time, and gives young girls unrealistic expectations. BUT, my daughter has a BA in History, and a MPA, my daughter in law is a CPA, and at 55 I am working on finishing my first degree. Maybe those expectations were not so unreal. We bonded over this show. What will happen to Reva and Josh? And what we will get one more unreal ‘reality show?’ Spare me. I am emailing and writing a real letter to cbs, everyone should! Dee
On April 2nd 2009, lindsay dorroh wrote:

Wow I am in shock. I have been watching guiding light such i was in the womb. cbs is dumb to cancel the show!!!
On April 2nd 2009, lindsay dorroh wrote:

cbs needs to wake up and save guiding light
On April 3rd 2009, Arlene wrote:

Save the Guiding Light! PLEASE
On May 24th 2009, Michelle wrote:

SAVE THE LIGHT!!! It’s part of american history and enjoyed by many. CBS is making a bad decision on canceling a show due to low ratings. What about us who faithfully tape and watch in the evenings. I’ve been watching the show since the 70’s and feel like the characters have become like family.
On July 10th 2009, jeanette wrote:

I could notbelieve it when I heard about the cancellation. I remember listening with my grandmother on the radio.Got married and now am 71 and have listened all these years. Please change your minds. I am going to really miss this show.
On July 16th 2009, Bill wrote:

I hate to admit it, but I am not shocked that they are cancelling it. I have watched the show since I was a child (when Josh was married to Sonny/Salina. ) Since the last writer change, and the new filming format, the show has gotten horrible. Instead of ditching the show, get new writters and put the cameras back on the tripod where it belongs. Enough of the “real feel” videogrophy. We need acton in the storyline, not following characters around with a camcorder. Come on CBS, YOU broke the show, now fix it, don’t kill it.
On July 31st 2009, Brian wrote:

I agree dont kill it, fix it. You have too many cops. just have one or two. Maybe one or two Drs. you need a Librarian, a factory worker or two or three, you need people who are struggling like the people are today. You need to relate more with whats going on. We love Josh and Reva, bring them back together but let them work in a factory. What you need is to relate more with todays people and how things are going and the what ifs we all think about in our every day life. too much bazaar unrealness, not enough of the real world. Watch those ratings move sky HIGH. Make it more real! Keep Guiding Light!
On July 31st 2009, Brian wrote:

More ideas. What if the Joshes family and the Spauldings all lost their money and NEVER get it back, say they have to start from scratch as some people of today have had to. So the only way for them to make it is get average paying jobs, with average benifits or none at all. When some turns on the tv and sees that they arent the only ones going through what they are going through the want to watch it and they get hooked. If it doesnt related to them at all they wont give it a thought. There is a lot of things that happen in every day life, and from time to time you go to add some spice, this is what makes people say I HAVE to watch Guilding Light. I have to get home by 3pm or tape it. The show just needs to relate to the 9 to 5 people or high school kids when they get off school. I was born into a family that always watched Guilding Light, and for me what I miss is not relating to anything, but I am addicted to the people that play on it, and want to catch up now and then but if I related I would be glued to it EVERY DAY.
On August 9th 2009, suzanne wrote:

I can’t believe it!!! I was sick to my stomach to hear it had been cancelled. I watched it with my grandmother too. I remember Reva and Josh when they first came on the show, Bert Bower and when they announced Justin was philips real father. It has been apart of my life for so long, it feels like a death in the family.
On September 24th 2009, theresa Decarlo wrote:

If the stupid studio wouldn’t have changed time slot for dr. phil the ratings wouldn’t have dropped,not fair that us seniors lose a show thats been there for years like a old friend