AMC & OLTL Going On Hiatus Early

The reported labor dispute between Prospect Park and the I.A.T.S.E. has led to The OnLine Network putting ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE on hiatus a little bit sooner than they’d earlier planned. Here is their statement in full:

As a result of a dispute with the I.A.T.S.E., The OnLine Network is beginning a long-planned hiatus for both ‘All My Children’ and ‘One Life To Live’ tomorrow instead of June 17. The hiatus is scheduled to end on August 12 pending resolution of this labor issue. Right now we have 40 episodes of each show ready to post through September, and if we can resolve this issue by August, we can get back into the studio on time so audiences will enjoy uninterrupted postings of their favorite shows.

We believe we have met all contract requirements with I.A.T.S.E, and as an internet start-up, and per our contract with the I.A., we cannot afford, and our business model cannot sustain, traditional broadcast rates.

The writers, directors, actors and rest of crew have been supportive of the shows and our success. Both ‘One Life To Live’ and ‘All My Children’ consistently earn top rankings on both Hulu and iTunes since launch just over a month ago. The popularity of the shows is matched by the continued passion and excitement from the fans. We are committed to these shows, and to the nearly 300 jobs they produce, thus we are exploring every legal and logistical option to maintain our production schedule.

You will note that they have already filmed enough episodes to continue airing AMC and OLTL uninterrupted through September on their current schedule. And this hiatus was already planned from the start, it’s just beginning earlier due to the labor dispute. Hopefully they will be able to resolve these issues and resume production so fans aren’t left in the lurch. We’ll keep you up to date with any new information as it is released.