It's the end of an era for daytime television. The CBS program, As the World Turns, has officially been canceled after 54 years on air. The soap opera garnered many dedicated fans in the last five decades, but is another casualty in the waning spotlight of the television genre that once conquered daytime television viewership. Budget cuts and poor ratings have led to drastic changes in how soaps function. While some have been unable to weather the storm (Guiding Light aired its final episode in September), others have tried to adapt to the changing climate of the industry by altering production value, cutting cast members, decreasing pay, and even moving studios clear across the country, such as All My Children's move to Los Angeles from its original NYC home.
Still, the imminent question remains: Is the end of the soap opera genre near? In her seminal book, Reading the Romance, Janice Radway qualitatively analyzes the female audience of popular culture, and in particular, the romance novel. Many of her observations on the reception of this literary genre applies to the female viewership of soap operas. Yet, the continual decline in soap ratings is a prime indicator that women's relationship to daytime television is rapidly changing.
First, is the obvious: More women are joining the workforce. And while TiVo and DVR have replaced antiquated methods of recording television programs, and SoapNet has made it easy to watch your daytime soaps during the night, none of this makes up for the lack of interest or time in committing to a year-long serial drama. An older generation of female fans also may not be as technologically advanced to utilize these new methods of viewing, which include online streaming of the latest episodes.
Second: Less new female viewers. Soap operas are traditionally known for their intergenerational appeal. Communal watching existed between generations, from grandmother to mother to daughter. However, with the influx of teen soaps/dramas, such as Gossip Girl and reality television programming like The Hills, it could be inferred that young women are finding other, more "hip" ways to fulfill their melodramatic desires.
Third: Stilted program content. While soaps are advancing in their storylines to include more diversity, they are still far behind the gap in progressive narratives. The genre has a notoriously difficult time with sustaining change--for example, storylines that include gay characters are often introduced and quickly brushed aside for lack of innovation in content. In addition, the programs still have a hard time bringing people of color on board in consistent narratives.
Fourth: In general, daytime television programming is changing. With shows like The View blowing full steam ahead with their biting socio-cultural commentary shtick, it is difficult for soaps to remain relevant and entertaining in the contemporary (and dare I say, post-Obama) America. Perhaps a new format is needed to revitalize the genre.
Needless to say, it'll be interesting when Oprah leaves her position as daytime TV legend. Where will female audiences who remained so dedicated to daytime television for 50 years turn?
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