SoapNet
| Soapnet | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | January 20, 2000 |
| Closed | December 31, 2013 |
| Owned by |
Disney–ABC Television Group (The Walt Disney Company) |
| Country | United States |
| Broadcast area | United States |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California |
| Replaced by | Disney Junior (some cable providers) |
Soapnet (stylized as SOAPnet) was an American basic cable and satellite television channel that was owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company.
The network's programming was oriented towards the soap opera genre; on launch, Soapnet carried primetime encores of ABC's current soaps, as well as reruns of classic daytime and primetime soap opera series. Soapnet also broadcast programming related to soap operas, including news and behind the scenes programs. In later years, Soapnet increased its focus on acquired reruns of drama series.
Due in part to a general decline in the soap opera genre as a whole, and the need for primetime encores of current soaps unnecessary due to the growing adoption of digital video recorders, Disney announced in 2010 that Soapnet would be replaced by the new preschool-oriented network Disney Junior; however, Soapnet continued to operate following the launch of Disney Junior (with some TV providers carrying both). In November 2013, Disney eventually confirmed that Soapnet would be discontinued after December 31, 2013. The network ceased operations a minute before midnight the same day.
When Soapnet launched on January 20, 2000, the channel aired only current ABC soap operas in the evening and early morning, so that people who were at work or school during the day could watch them at their convenience. Programming was inclusive, as the channel was owned by ABC. Soapnet eventually gained high cable carriage due to Disney's aggressive policy of pulling ABC-owned broadcast stations and the popular ESPN channels from cable providers if they did not agree to carry Soapnet as well. This was the main reason for ABC owned-and-operated station WABC-TV being pulled from Time Warner Cable's New York City system for two days in May 2000.
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