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 "Sti skia tou hrimatos" ("Money Shadows"), which ran from 1990 to 1991. September 1991 saw the debut of "Lampsi" ("the Shining"), from creator Nicos Foskolos. The series would become Greece's longest-running soap opera. After the success of "Lampsi" came the short lived "To galazio diamandi" ("Blue Diamond") and "Simphonia siopis" ("Omertà"). "Lampsi" was canceled in June 2005 due to declining ratings. It was replaced by "Erotas" ("Love"), a soap that ran from 2005 to 2008. After that series ended, ANT1 abandoned the soap opera genre and focused on comedy series and weekly dramas. Greece's second longest-running soap is "Kalimera Zoi"