Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Soapnet shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Soapnet offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Soapnet at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Soapnet? Wrong! If the Soapnet is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Soapnet then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Soapnet? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Soapnet and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Soapnet wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Soapnet then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Soapnet site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Soapnet, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Soapnet, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox_TV_channel|name= SOAPnet|
logofile=Soapnet logo.gif|
logoalt=Soapnet|
logosize=150px|
slogan= ''The New Way to Watch Soaps''|
launch=January 20, [|
network=[Disney-ABC Television Group|
owner=[The Walt Disney Company|
headquarters=|
former names=|
sister names=[American Broadcasting Company, [ABC Family, [Disney Channel|
web=http://soapnet.go.com/ SOAPnet.com|
terr avail=Not Available|
sat serv 1=[DirecTV|
sat chan 1=Channel 262|
sat serv 2=[Dish Network|
sat chan 2=Channel 188|
sat serv 3=[Baton Rouge [Days Inn|
sat chan 3=Channel 33|
cable serv 1=Available on most cable systems|
cable chan 1=Check Local Listings for channels|
|-->
SOAPnet (stylized from 2000 to 2002 as
SoapNet) is an United States cable television channel. It has been broadcasting current and past
soap operas since
January 20,
2000.
The history of SOAPnet
In the beginning, the network only aired current
American Broadcasting Company soap operas in the evening and early morning, so people who worked could watch at their convenience. The programming was inclusive in the beginning as the network is owned by ABC. The channel has high cable coverage due to
The Walt Disney Company's aggressive policy of pulling ABC affiliates and the highly viewed
ESPN networks from cable companies if they wouldn't agree to also carry SOAPNet; this was the main reason for WABC-TV (Channel 7) being pulled from
Time Warner Cable in
Manhattan for two days in May 2000.
There were plans by Sony Pictures Entertainment to launch a competing channel and website called
SoapCity when SOAPNet was announced, which would air all of the
CBS soap operas and
National Broadcasting Company's
Days of Our Lives, a Sony Pictures Television show. The plans were later abandoned early in 2000 for the cable channel after failing to acquire cable carriage, though the website component remained.
The SOAPnet channel's inaugural lineup aired current soaps such as
All My Children,
One Life to Live, and
General Hospital, plus cancelled daytime and nighttime soaps such as
Port Charles,
Falcon Crest,
Knots Landing,
The Colbys,
Hotel (TV series),
Sisters (television series), and
Ryan's Hope.
As the years went on, SOAPnet tried its hand at original programming, like
Soap Center and
Soap Talk, the latter of which has been nominated for many Daytime Emmy awards, most recently in 2006 for Best Talk Show Host(s).
Soap Center, which debuted the same day as SOAPnet in early 2000 , initially hosted by former soap stars
Brooke Alexander and David Forsyth (actor), but a year later, they were replaced by,
Peggy Bunker discussing East Coast soaps and
Tanika Ray discussing West Coast soaps. By 2003 , Peggy was let go and soon after the show ceased filming original material. Other original series include
1 Day With, a half-hour of
General Hospital star
Wally Kurth interviewing soap actors,
I Wanna Be a Soap Star, a recurring reality series which gives 12 young actors the opportunity to compete for a contract on a daytime soap, and
Soapography, a 30-minute show which profiles two different soap opera actors in each episode which mainly focuses on their life and which soap they're in.
In 2002 , SOAPnet began airing reruns of
Dynasty (TV series), and by 2003 SOAPnet added highly requested programming such as reruns of
Another World (television series) and
Dallas (TV series), Replacing
Falcon Crest,
The Colbys,
Hotel and
Sisters. In 2004 SOAPnet acquired same-day episodes of
Days of Our Lives and in September of the same year, they began airing reruns of
Melrose Place, and added the mother show of
Melrose,
Beverly Hills 90210 in January 2005 . On April 24, 2006, SOAPnet began offering same-day episodes of
The Young and the Restless.
Ryan's Hope, which had not been seen since it was cancelled in 1989 , was shown from its debut in 1975 until the late 1981 episodes. At this time, many viewers who did not have SOAPnet at its inception petitioned to rerun the show from the very beginning. In 2003 , the network aired the first episodes starting on St. Patrick's Day. Currently, the episodes being run are from 1975.
From time to time, the network airs past episodes in thematic format, such as
Daytime's Most Unforgettable Weddings, spotlighting the best episodes of popular couples on the ABC soaps. Other thematic blocks of episodes aired include the
Sonnylicious! marathon, showcasing the best of
Maurice Benard in his role on
General Hospital, and the
Tad the Cad marathon, with classic episodes of
All My Children from the 1980s, in which the character Tad Martin, played by Michael E. Knight, beds Liza Colby and then her mother, Marian, in quick succession. This is usually limited to the series they have rebroadcast rights to (ABC's lineup,
Days, and
Y&R). However in a lead-up to the
33rd Daytime Emmy Awards, the channel showed episodes of soaps that showcased performances that garnered award-nominating attention--including those from
Guiding Light and
As The World Turns--a first for the network. On Labor Day--September 3rd 2007--an O.C. marathon called "Summer Spice" was aired showing Summer's metamorpheses throughout the series.
Since the network is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney company, special deals have been made to broadcast events from the annual ABC
Super Soap Weekend, which is held every November at Walt Disney World, and in the summer at Disney's California Adventure. Lisa Rinna and
Ty Treadway from
Soap Talk have hosted question and answer sessions at the events, allowing fans to ask questions to their favorite soap stars.
In January 2005 , the network began to air the
Fox Broadcasting Company dramas
Beverly Hills 90210 and
Melrose Place, and in the spring of that year aired repeats of short-lived nighttime soaps
The Monroes and
Skin. In 2004 SOAPnet reran a short-lived '80s soap called
Paper Dolls. In July 2005 SOAPnet picked up the Fox primetime soap
Pasadena (TV series), including nine episodes not aired during the show's initial run which debuted in the fall.
Some viewers complained about what they viewed as an overabundance of primetime programming, some of which (
90210 and
Melrose Place) had only been out of original broadcast for a few years and had been repeated on other networks. These fans also object to the large amount of new episodes of the ABC lineup and
Days, and have repeatedly requested rebroadcast of old daytime soaps such as
Loving (TV series) (which ABC/Disney have the rights to),
The Edge of Night,
Santa Barbara (TV series) and
Search for Tomorrow. SOAPnet is reportedly working on a second channel which will broadcast older soaps, but the channel has yet to materialize.
On
March 16,
2006, SOAPnet announced that it had finally acquired the rights to daytime ratings winner
The Young And The Restless and began airing it in April — making it the first CBS network soap to air on the network.
On
February 7, 2007, SOAPnet announced that it would be picking up the reruns of
The OC and One Tree Hill (TV series). The deal made with the shows' production company, Warner Brothers, guarantees
One Tree Hill (TV series) a Fifth Season whether or not The CW decides to continue with the series.
General Hospital: Night Shift
During Summer 2007, SOAPnet aired a prime-time spin off of
General Hospital, entitled
General Hospital: Night Shift, which became its highest-rated program to date, pulling in 1 million viewers per episode. The first season wrapped up on October 4, 2007, and there is as yet no news on whether it will be renewed for another season.
Shows
Current daytime soaps
- All My Children (1970—present), aired since channel's inception
- Days of our Lives (1965—present), aired since March 15, 2004
- General Hospital (1963—present), aired since channel's inception
- Guiding Light (1952-present), premieres March 3, 2008
- One Life to Live (1968—present), aired since channel's inception
- The Young and the Restless (1973—present), aired since April 24, 2006
- Ryan's Hope (1975-1989), aired since channel's inception
- Port Charles (1997-2003), aired since channel's inception
Current primetime soaps
- Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000), aired since January 24, 2005
- Dallas (1978-1991), aired since September 8, 2003
- Melrose Place (1992-1999), aired since September 13, 2004
- One Tree Hill (TV series) (2003-present), aired since April 9, 2007
- The O.C. (2003-2007), aired since April 9, 2007
Original shows
Specials
- They Started on Soaps (2003 - present)
Former soaps no longer aired on SoapNet
- Another World (TV series) (1964-1999), aired from 2003 to 2007
- The Colbys (1985-1987), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Dynasty (TV series) (1981-1989), aired from 2002 to 2006
- Falcon Beach (2006-2007), aired from 2006 to 2007
- Falcon Crest (1981-1990), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Hotel (TV series) (1983-1988), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Knots Landing (1979-1993), aired from 2000 to 2006
- The Monroes (1995), aired in 2004
- Paper Dolls (1984), aired in 2005
- Pasadena (TV series) (2001), aired in 2005
- Sisters (TV series) (1991-1996), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Skin (TV series) (2003), aired in 2004
See also
- ABC Daytime
- List of DirecTV channels
- List of Dish Network channels
External links
{{Infobox_TV_channel|name= SOAPnet|
logofile=Soapnet logo.gif|
logoalt=Soapnet|
logosize=150px|
slogan= ''The New Way to Watch Soaps''|
launch=
January 20, [|
network=[Disney-ABC Television Group|
owner=[The Walt Disney Company|
headquarters=|
former names=|
sister names=[American Broadcasting Company, [ABC Family, [Disney Channel|
web=http://soapnet.go.com/ SOAPnet.com|
terr avail=Not Available|
sat serv 1=[DirecTV|
sat chan 1=Channel 262|
sat serv 2=[Dish Network|
sat chan 2=Channel 188|
sat serv 3=[Baton Rouge [Days Inn|
sat chan 3=Channel 33|
cable serv 1=Available on most cable systems|
cable chan 1=Check Local Listings for channels|
|-->
SOAPnet (stylized from 2000 to 2002 as
SoapNet) is an
United States cable television channel. It has been broadcasting current and past soap operas since
January 20, 2000.
The history of SOAPnet
In the beginning, the network only aired current American Broadcasting Company soap operas in the evening and early morning, so people who worked could watch at their convenience. The programming was inclusive in the beginning as the network is owned by ABC. The channel has high cable coverage due to
The Walt Disney Company's aggressive policy of pulling ABC affiliates and the highly viewed ESPN networks from cable companies if they wouldn't agree to also carry SOAPNet; this was the main reason for WABC-TV (Channel 7) being pulled from
Time Warner Cable in
Manhattan for two days in May 2000.
There were plans by
Sony Pictures Entertainment to launch a competing channel and website called SoapCity when SOAPNet was announced, which would air all of the CBS soap operas and
National Broadcasting Company's
Days of Our Lives, a Sony Pictures Television show. The plans were later abandoned early in 2000 for the cable channel after failing to acquire cable carriage, though the website component remained.
The SOAPnet channel's inaugural lineup aired current soaps such as
All My Children,
One Life to Live, and
General Hospital, plus cancelled daytime and nighttime soaps such as
Port Charles,
Falcon Crest,
Knots Landing,
The Colbys,
Hotel (TV series),
Sisters (television series), and
Ryan's Hope.
As the years went on, SOAPnet tried its hand at original programming, like
Soap Center and
Soap Talk, the latter of which has been nominated for many Daytime Emmy awards, most recently in 2006 for Best Talk Show Host(s).
Soap Center, which debuted the same day as SOAPnet in early 2000 , initially hosted by former soap stars
Brooke Alexander and
David Forsyth (actor), but a year later, they were replaced by, Peggy Bunker discussing East Coast soaps and
Tanika Ray discussing West Coast soaps. By 2003 , Peggy was let go and soon after the show ceased filming original material. Other original series include
1 Day With, a half-hour of
General Hospital star Wally Kurth interviewing soap actors,
I Wanna Be a Soap Star, a recurring reality series which gives 12 young actors the opportunity to compete for a contract on a daytime soap, and
Soapography, a 30-minute show which profiles two different soap opera actors in each episode which mainly focuses on their life and which soap they're in.
In 2002 , SOAPnet began airing reruns of
Dynasty (TV series), and by 2003 SOAPnet added highly requested programming such as reruns of
Another World (television series) and
Dallas (TV series), Replacing
Falcon Crest,
The Colbys,
Hotel and
Sisters. In 2004 SOAPnet acquired same-day episodes of
Days of Our Lives and in September of the same year, they began airing reruns of
Melrose Place, and added the mother show of
Melrose,
Beverly Hills 90210 in January 2005 . On April 24, 2006, SOAPnet began offering same-day episodes of
The Young and the Restless.
Ryan's Hope, which had not been seen since it was cancelled in 1989 , was shown from its debut in 1975 until the late 1981 episodes. At this time, many viewers who did not have SOAPnet at its inception petitioned to rerun the show from the very beginning. In 2003 , the network aired the first episodes starting on St. Patrick's Day. Currently, the episodes being run are from 1975.
From time to time, the network airs past episodes in thematic format, such as
Daytime's Most Unforgettable Weddings, spotlighting the best episodes of popular couples on the ABC soaps. Other thematic blocks of episodes aired include the
Sonnylicious! marathon, showcasing the best of
Maurice Benard in his role on
General Hospital, and the
Tad the Cad marathon, with classic episodes of
All My Children from the 1980s, in which the character Tad Martin, played by
Michael E. Knight, beds Liza Colby and then her mother, Marian, in quick succession. This is usually limited to the series they have rebroadcast rights to (ABC's lineup,
Days, and
Y&R). However in a lead-up to the 33rd Daytime Emmy Awards, the channel showed episodes of soaps that showcased performances that garnered award-nominating attention--including those from
Guiding Light and
As The World Turns--a first for the network. On Labor Day--September 3rd 2007--an O.C. marathon called "Summer Spice" was aired showing Summer's metamorpheses throughout the series.
Since the network is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney company, special deals have been made to broadcast events from the annual ABC
Super Soap Weekend, which is held every November at
Walt Disney World, and in the summer at
Disney's California Adventure. Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway from
Soap Talk have hosted question and answer sessions at the events, allowing fans to ask questions to their favorite soap stars.
In January 2005 , the network began to air the Fox Broadcasting Company dramas
Beverly Hills 90210 and
Melrose Place, and in the spring of that year aired repeats of short-lived nighttime soaps
The Monroes and
Skin. In 2004 SOAPnet reran a short-lived '80s soap called
Paper Dolls. In July 2005 SOAPnet picked up the Fox primetime soap
Pasadena (TV series), including nine episodes not aired during the show's initial run which debuted in the fall.
Some viewers complained about what they viewed as an overabundance of primetime programming, some of which (
90210 and
Melrose Place) had only been out of original broadcast for a few years and had been repeated on other networks. These fans also object to the large amount of new episodes of the ABC lineup and
Days, and have repeatedly requested rebroadcast of old daytime soaps such as
Loving (TV series) (which ABC/Disney have the rights to),
The Edge of Night,
Santa Barbara (TV series) and
Search for Tomorrow. SOAPnet is reportedly working on a second channel which will broadcast older soaps, but the channel has yet to materialize.
On March 16,
2006, SOAPnet announced that it had finally acquired the rights to daytime ratings winner
The Young And The Restless and began airing it in April — making it the first CBS network soap to air on the network.
On
February 7,
2007, SOAPnet announced that it would be picking up the reruns of The OC and One Tree Hill (TV series). The deal made with the shows' production company,
Warner Brothers, guarantees One Tree Hill (TV series) a Fifth Season whether or not The CW decides to continue with the series.
General Hospital: Night Shift
During Summer 2007, SOAPnet aired a prime-time spin off of
General Hospital, entitled
General Hospital: Night Shift, which became its highest-rated program to date, pulling in 1 million viewers per episode. The first season wrapped up on October 4, 2007, and there is as yet no news on whether it will be renewed for another season.
Shows
Current daytime soaps
- All My Children (1970—present), aired since channel's inception
- Days of our Lives (1965—present), aired since March 15, 2004
- General Hospital (1963—present), aired since channel's inception
- Guiding Light (1952-present), premieres March 3, 2008
- One Life to Live (1968—present), aired since channel's inception
- The Young and the Restless (1973—present), aired since April 24, 2006
- Ryan's Hope (1975-1989), aired since channel's inception
- Port Charles (1997-2003), aired since channel's inception
Current primetime soaps
- Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000), aired since January 24, 2005
- Dallas (1978-1991), aired since September 8, 2003
- Melrose Place (1992-1999), aired since September 13, 2004
- One Tree Hill (TV series) (2003-present), aired since April 9, 2007
- The O.C. (2003-2007), aired since April 9, 2007
Original shows
Specials
Former soaps no longer aired on SoapNet
- Another World (TV series) (1964-1999), aired from 2003 to 2007
- The Colbys (1985-1987), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Dynasty (TV series) (1981-1989), aired from 2002 to 2006
- Falcon Beach (2006-2007), aired from 2006 to 2007
- Falcon Crest (1981-1990), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Hotel (TV series) (1983-1988), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Knots Landing (1979-1993), aired from 2000 to 2006
- The Monroes (1995), aired in 2004
- Paper Dolls (1984), aired in 2005
- Pasadena (TV series) (2001), aired in 2005
- Sisters (TV series) (1991-1996), aired from 2000 to 2003
- Skin (TV series) (2003), aired in 2004
See also
External links