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over at SOAPnet
A modest success, for sure, but a still a success
By Heidi Vogt
When SOAPnet launched in January 2000 it was greeted rather lukewarmly by the media community. Critics wondered, why would anyone launch a network around a programming genre that has been losing audience for years?
Three years along, SOAPnet has gone a long way toward answering those doubts. Though it's still available in only 30 million homes (up from 8.7 million two years ago), the network draws impressive ratings in its target demographics. Last year, SOAPnet ranked No. 7 in primetime among cable networks with women 25-54 and No. 8 in primetime with women 18-49.
Modest successes like these have SOAPnet talking about expanding, and they have also caught the eyes of rivals, at least one of whom is moving ahead with plans for a competing service.
Interestingly, SOAPnet's growth has taken place even as the audience for soap operas themselves has been shrinking.
In 1992 there were 11 network soaps on the air. The most-watched had a 8.3 rating and the least a 2.7. Today there are 10 network soap operas and the most popular among them, “The Young and the Restless,” only averages around a 4.8.
Meanwhile, Soap Opera Digest and Soap Weekly, two magazines for soap lovers, have been losing circulation, and Soap Opera Update, another title, folded last year.
The key insight behind SOAPnet was this: Women still like soaps -- they just aren't free to sit around in the middle of the day and watch them anymore.
Thus the network's successful strategy of airing same-day repeats of ABC’s daytime soaps in primetime.
“Working women and busy women need more time to watch their soaps,” says Deborah Blackwell, general manager of SOAPnet. “You look forward to 10 o’clock at night when the kids are in bed and you can settle down with a glass of wine to watch ‘my show.’"
The network fills the daytime hours with classic soaps like “Dynasty” and original content like entertainment magazine “SoapCenter.”
Blackwell says that she’d like to repurpose soaps from networks other than ABC but doesn’t have enough primetime space for them. She envisions the launch of a SOAPnet 2 and maybe even a SOAPnet 3 a few years down the road to accomodate more shows.
At the same time, others are starting to notice the potential of the soap market. Sony, which scrapped the idea of a soap network for a simple web portal in 2000, is planning to launch a subscription-based digital distribution service for soap operas this year.
The SOAPnet audience is attractive because it’s so different from the old housewife many picture as the typical soap fanatic. SOAPnet’s median age during primetime is 43 – younger than both Women’s Entertainment and Lifetime.
SOAPnet also benefits from a fiercely loyal audience. In December 2002, SOAPnet ranked No. 1 among all broadcast and cable networks for length of tune-in time. Adults 18-49 watched SOAPnet for an average of 31.8 consecutive minutes. Sci-Fi was No. 2 with 28.5 consecutive minutes.
“Soap fans are like sports fans – loyal and passionate about their team,” says Blackwell.
January 29, 2003© 2003 Media Life
-Heidi Vogt is a staff writer for Media Life.
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