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 and many shows were set in fictional, medium-sized Midwestern towns. Exterior shots were slowly incorporated into the series "The Edge of Night" and "Dark Shadows". Unlike many earlier serials that were set in fictional towns, "The Best of Everything" and "Ryan's Hope" were set in a real-world location, New York City. The first exotic location shoot was made by "All My Children", to St. Croix in 1978. Many other soap operas planned lavish storylines after the success of the "All My Children" shoot. Soap operas "Another World" and "Guiding Light" both went to St. Croix in 1980, the former show