Mmmm....Pop over to the soaps forum and see some of the 'Emmerdale' fans claiming that it's more Depressing than EastEnders is right now.
Infact EastEnders has been Too light hearted of late which could possibly be the reason it's underperforming a little

People don't watch EastEnders for it's Warmth and Humour and never has.Funny how it's Dark and Depressing storylines are the ones that get people talking and tuning in.

Getting the facts correct wouldn't go a miss

I think Glenn you need to realise we don't live in the 80's anymore when there were only 3 channels.

We live in 2012 where there are over 40 channels. We live in a country that has 60m people in it and IMO anything that gets 7-8m viewers are week with the amount of channels that are avaliable isn't going anywhere soon

Exactly.
Not to mention the fact that people can watch when they want Via Recordings and I Player

I would argue that the main 3 soaps skew older than ever, do younger viewers want to watch something 4-6 times per week for 52 weeks of the year every year? As older viewers are literally dying off each year, do the soaps have younger viewers replacing them? I know the UK population is at a record 60m+ and viewers watch dozens more channels now.

Actually we have what's called an ageing population, rather than one generation falling off one side of the conveyor belt, and a new one added to the other end, more are just being crammed on... I think the only way to see how badly the soaps are doing is to axe some and start new ones in prime time, see if viewers were bored of what we currently have or just dwindling... Very risky though...

I,m sure Charnham posted a link on here about Coronation St's audience dying off and being replaced? . I know locally the bulk of people who watch it are older women.

EastEnders is boring right now, that's its problem.

The soap thrives on these so-called 'miserable' storylines - the problem isn't that it's depressing, it's that there's eff all going on at the minute beyond one major storyline which has taken a backseat this week.

The show thrives on high drama, it's been a staple of the show for 27 years, so this suggestion that people are tiring of those type of storylines is laughable. It was only a few weeks ago it was getting 9m for Heather's murder - that was a superb week of episodes, which proves that if the stories are there people will watch.

The 'knee jerk reaction' statement is ridiculous Glenn. The show has served BBC1 very well, and even now I wouldn't say its ratings are that bad. It tends to make up the gap with the BBC3 repeat and iPlayer.

Back in 1984, BBC1 was in the doldrums and they needed a quick success so decided to launch a soap. Also there was the disused set of Auf Wiedersehen Pet available to build Walford on. It has served the BBC well, but apart from the American imports, never really needed a soap for decades before. I wonder where they would be now, maybe still showing TOTP in the Thursday 7.30 slot.

Agree with everything you've said here

Looks like The Voice will be saved by the Cup final going to extra time. Chelsea 2-0 up and look in control,

2-1 now

you sure?

Fingers crossed Chelsea dont concede again.

If you work for ITV, you will hope for extra time as it will dent The Voice.

remember 2006 FA Cup Final folks!

I can just imagine the foul language and smashed ornaments in George S's house every time LIverpool miss a chance.

edit: I see he posted whilst I was typing my reply to Glenn's comment.

you should see Danny Cohen's nails!

Nobody ever says "well done EastEnders - much deserved" when they win such awards though.

Forgetting about ratings for a minute I do wonder how different TV might be without the soaps. OK, soap is a cheaper form of drama but even if you assume for a week of EastEnders you can get an hour of regular drama that's 52 hours a year - potentially 4 x 13 episodes series the BBC could be airing. Yes they'd be hit and miss and probably rate poorer but IMO British TV would benefit so much from a much greater variety of drama, especially pre-watershed, in the schedules.

The BBC fan boys on here will be unhappy if it goes to extra time and 10 million people decide to stay with the people's channel. Fact is, if you want ITV to make better programmes, and I want ITV1 to be good again ( it is getting there a bit), then you have to get a big audience and good demos. Top football delivers this.

And Danny Cohen still has some nails left...

Pheeww, Chelsea managed to hang on, by millimetres. The Voice is good to go and get high ratings again tonight

Chelsea fans will be hanging around to see the cup being presented.

Everyone who hates Chelsea will be switching over as soon as possible. Expect The Voice to get 20m viewers tonight.

Absolutely perfect for The Voice with Chelsea holding on to the win and the final whistle being blown at 19.08. With Britain's Got Talent running so late tonight I think it should win the night itself which will not be the best way for Britain's Got Talent to go into it's final week.

Thank god for that.

still the tropy presentation to go - the ratings will hold til that. No ad breaks from ITV1 for the next few minutes

America moved them out of peak time slots in the nineties and in Australia only Home and Away is shown in peak time on a main channel now. I wouldn't say eliminate them, as they are still a big ratings deal, just cut them to three episodes a week as the 7 until 9 zone is strangled with them. However, changes are on the horizon when CS moves from Thursdays and the 8.30 slot is freed up.