Soap Central has learned exclusively that ABC is exploring options to add a new entry to its daytime lineup. While currently in the planning stages, this could mean the demise of the fledgling Port Charles.

If you check out your television listings, you'll see that most programs airing in the daytime hours are either soap operas or talk shows. According to Soap Central sources, an idea is being pitched to ABC where both ideas are incorporated into on hybrid program.

The show, said to be tentatively titled Day By Day, will feature varying segments of live audience participation and scripted storylines.

The show has not received the green light from the network and there is no definite word that this show will even make it to the airwaves. If it does, though, it will need a timeslot. General Hospital, a perennial Emmy winner and currently the highest rated ABC soap, has little chance of facing the axe. All My Children is also unlikely to be yanked from the lineup. While rated lower in ratings, One Life to Live also faces a promising future with the network. ABC recently shelled out big bucks to sign Finola Hughes to AMC, A Martinez to GH, and Linda Dano to OLTL. All three soaps are also tied to one another through various storylines. That leaves Port Charles as the odd soap out.

Port Charles has been on the air for only a couple of years. The fact that the soap is a spinoff from General Hospital means that ABC could easily incorporate all of Port Charles' characters back into General Hospital. Actually, many of the characters on Port Charles originated on General Hospital. At one point there was speculation that Port Charles might merge with General Hospital into a ninety-minute soap. That appears highly unlikely.

Already fans have taken to the Internet to circulate petitions asking ABC to extend its commitment to Port Charles.

Of course there is still the option for ABC to place the new show elsewhere in its lineup. In addition to the four soaps, it also broadcasts the Barbara Walters chatfest, The View. It is conceivable that ABC could push The View to an earlier time slot and allow Day By Day to act as a liaison between the talk show and its soaps. Or ABC could scrap the idea totally and retain its current programming.

At press time, a spokesperson for ABC had no comment on this report.

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