Soap opera Soap opera A soap opera is an ongoing drama serial on television or radio, featuring the lives of many characters and their emotional relationships. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas being sponsored by soap manufacturers. BBC Radio's "The Archers", first broadcast in 1950, is the world’s longest-running radio soap opera; the world's longest-running television soap opera is "Coronation Street", first broadcast on ITV in 1960. The first serial considered to be a "soap opera" was "Painted Dreams", which debuted on October 20, 1930 on Chicago radio station WGN. Early radio series such as "Painted Dreams" were broadcast in
Soap opera creation of somewhat similar suburban and family or teen-oriented soap operas such as "Home and Away" (1988–present) on Channel Seven and "Richmond Hill" (1988) on Channel Ten. Both proved popular, however "Richmond Hill" emerged as only a moderate success and was cancelled after one year to be replaced on Ten by "E Street" (1989–1993). Nine continued trying to establish a successful new soap opera, without success. After the failure of family drama "Family and Friends" in 1990, it launched the raunchier and more extreme "Chances" in 1991, which resurrected the sex and melodrama of "Number 96" and "The Box" in