The Soap Addiction

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The Soap Addiction

• Kimberly Macek

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Introduction

• Soap Operas have been around for quite sometime
  mainly focusing the attention of stay at home
  housewives. Since then, these weekday shows have
  been drawing viewers and many new audiences back
  for more. Ever since I could remember my mom has
  watched the soap opera Guiding Light. I could
  recall always giving up the remote at 300pm
  everyday so my mom could catch up on the latest
  story lines. I was interested to find out what
  draws everyday fans, such as my mom, back to this
  television drama.

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Thesis Statement

• Throughout this PowerPoint, I will discuss the
  possible reasons for soap operas popularity such
  as Guiding Light, Days of Our Lives, and One Life
  to Live.

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Guiding Light

• Guiding Light first began in 1937. It is the
  longest-running soap opera as well as the
  longest-running drama in the history of
  television. Guiding Light is also considered to
  be the longest series of any show created. The
  show has never had any difficulty hanging onto
  its viewers which has helped it run so long.
• Guiding Light takes place in a town called
  Springfield.

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Days of Our Lives

• Created by a married couple, Ted and Betty
  Corday.
• First aired November 8, 1965.
• Days of Our Lives takes place in a hospital
  focusing on the lives of middle and upper-class
  professionals in Salem, a middle-America town.

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One Life to Live

• Created by Agnes Nixon
• One Life to Live Began in July 15, 1968
• The show is made up of a rich family and a poor
  family. It emphasizes the ethnic and
  socioeconomic diversity of the people in a
  Pennsylvanian town called Llanview in the
  Philadelphia area.

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About Soap Operas

• A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of
  fictional storylines and plots.
• Soap Operas have existed for so long that
  audiences simply recognize them by the term
  soap.
• The name soap opera comes from the sponsors of
  the shows which mainly focused on soap such as
  Palmolive and Pepsodent. At that time they
  broadcasted during early weekday hours when
  mainly housewives would be available to watch.

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About Soap Operas

• Soaps are different from other TV dramas because
  the stories always continue usually spanning over
  several episodes.
• Usually end with cliffhangers, especially at the
  end of the week.
• The storylines usually emphasize on family life,
  personal relationships, sexual dramas, and
  emotional and moral conflicts. It follows the day
  to day activities and personal relationships of
  characters.

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Why Are Soap Operas So Popular?

• Wide range of characters and personalities.
• People enjoy identifying their selves with a
  particular character. Many people in some way
  find their selves relating to a character and
  building a connection.
• They generally concern with our every day lives
  and problems addressing issues such as
  friendship, love, marriage, divorce, and death,
  as we do in our own lives. Many people compare
  what's going on in their own lives to what's
  happening onscreen.
• Drama filled storylines leading to cliffhangers
  creating the viewer to wonder and watch the next
  episode.

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Why Are Soap Operas So Popular?

• Its a great source of entertainment and
  relaxation Many viewers can escape their
  everyday lives and become immersed in the
  characters life.
• The characters range in a variety of ages from
  children to grandparents. This draws in a wide
  variety of viewers.
• For many people, soap operas have become an
  essential daily routine. Because soaps have been
  around for so long, many viewers have followed
  their soap for decades.

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Why Are Soap Operas So Popular?

• Many viewers enjoy soaps because they like to
  speculate and be kept in suspense. Every Friday
  there is always something that leaves the
  audience sitting on the edge of their seat.
• Viewers also like to predict the future events
  and gain pleasure in doing so.
• Convenient time slots soaps are running during
  the breakfast, lunch, and early evening time
  slots, which is when a lot of viewers watch tv.

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Conclusion

• There really is no question on why soap operas
  are so popular, but a better question is why
  wouldnt soap operas be popular? They attract
  their audience, who then draws connections to the
  characters and storylines, they are related to
  life situations, they are a relaxing escape from
  reality, and the cliff hangers keep viewers
  coming back for more!

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References

• http//www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/soapoper
  a/soapopera.htm
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera
• http//www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/pjl9601.html

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