The old landscape of daytime entertainment is changing. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), which represents daytime performers, is stretching out to make sure there are jobs in the new emerging media.
With the recent cancellations of “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light,” there are few soap operas left to employ AFTRA members, says union PresidentRoberta Reardon. The audience for soap operas is decreasing as more women join the workforce and are not at home during the day, she says.
The cancellations also affect the union, Reardon adds:
Daytime television is really an engine for us. It employs significant numbers of performers from background all the way up to the stars, and that’s hard to replace.
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