Soap opera

:Soap Opera redirects here. For the album by The Kinks, see Soap Opera.

Development of the "soap opera"

The soap opera form first developed on US radio in the 1920s, and expanded into television starting in the 1940s, and is normally shown during the daytime, hence the alternative name, daytime drama. The first concerted effort to air continuing drama occurred in 1946 on the DuMont television series Faraway Hill. Soap operas, in their present format, were introduced to television in 1949. Two long-running soaps, Search for Tomorrow and Love of Life, first started broadcasts in 1951.

Related Topics:
US - Radio - 1920s - Television - 1940s - 1946 - DuMont - Faraway Hill - 1949 - Search for Tomorrow - Love of Life - 1951

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The term "soap opera" originated from the fact that when these serial dramas were aired on daytime radio, the commercials aired during the shows were largely aimed at housewives. Many of the products sold during these commercials were laundry and cleaning items. This specific type of radio drama came to be associated with these particular commercials, and this gave rise to the term "soap opera" — a melodramatic story that aired commercials for soap products. Though soap operas are still sponsored by companies such as Procter & Gamble, the diverse demographic groups that soap operas attract have caused other advertisements for such things as acne medication and birth control, appealing to a much younger audience.

Related Topics:
Housewives - Soap - Opera - Melodrama - Procter & Gamble

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