Several of the most established soaps on American television ended between 2009 and 2012. The longest-running drama in television and radio history, Guiding Light, barely reached 2.1 million daily viewers in 2009 and ended on September 18 of that year, after a 72-year run (including radio). As the World Turns aired its final episode on September 17, 2010, after a 54-year run. As the World Turns was the last of 20 soap operas produced by Procter & Gamble, the soap and consumer goods company from which the genre got its name. As the World Turns and Guiding Light were also among the last of the soaps that originated from New York City. All My Children, another New York–based soap, moved its production out to Los Angeles in an effort to reduce costs and raise sagging ratings; however, both it and One Life to Live, each with a 40-year-plus run, were cancelled in 2011. All My Children aired its network finale in September 2011, with One Life to Live following suit in January 2012. Both All My Children and One Life to Live were briefly revived online in 2013, before being cancelled again that same year. In 2019, production of Days of Our Lives was put on "indefinite hiatus" and all of the cast's contracts were terminated, raising concerns within soap publications that cancellation would ensue, though the show was later renewed through September 2021. In 2022, NBC announced that Days of Our Lives would be moved exclusively to its streaming service, Peacock, making NBC the first of the big three networks not to air any daytime soap operas.
several of the most established soaps on american television ended between 2009 and 2012 the longest-running drama in television and radio history guiding light barely reached 21 million daily viewers in 2009 and ended on september 18 of that year after a 72-year run (including radio) as the world turns aired its final episode on september 17 2010 after a 54-year run as the world turns was the last of 20 soap operas produced by procter & gamble the soap and consumer goods company from which the genre got its name as the world turns and guiding light were also among the last of the soaps that originated from new york city all my children another new york–based soap moved its production out to los angeles in an effort to reduce costs and raise sagging ratings; however both it and one life to live each with a 40-year-plus run were cancelled in 2011 all my children aired its network finale in september 2011 with one life to live following suit in january 2012 both all my children and one life to live were briefly revived online in 2013 before being cancelled again that same year in 2019 production of days of our lives was put on "indefinite hiatus" and all of the cast's contracts were terminated raising concerns within soap publications that cancellation would ensue though the show was later renewed through september 2021 in 2022 nbc announced that days of our lives would be moved exclusively to its streaming service peacock making nbc the first of the big three networks not to air any daytime soap operas