Screening of daytime soap operas in Australia

A number of American daytime soap operas have aired in Australia over the years.

In February 1974 the Nine Network ran NBC's "Days of our Lives" (in 55 minute installments) at 12.00 midday each week day, and "General Hospital" (in thirty minute episodes) at 2.30 pm. [ Citation
last =
first =
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title = Television
newspaper = The Sun
pages = 46
year = 1974
date = 8 February 1974
url = ] . By December that year the Nine Network was screening "Days of our Lives" (now in thirty minute episodes) at 12.00 midday each week day, followed by "The Young and the Restless" (in twenty-five minute installments followed by a five-minute news service) at 12.30 pm. "General Hospital" now screened on Nine at 1.30 pm in thirty minute installments. [ Citation
last =
first =
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title = Television
newspaper = The Sun
pages = 40
year = 1974
date = 2 Dec 1974
url = ] .

Currently, the Nine Network holds "Days of our Lives", while Network Ten airs CBS's "The Bold and the Beautiful" and Foxtel's W. Channel screens "B&B"'s "sister soap", "The Young and the Restless", multiple times a day. In the past, "Search for Tomorrow", "Another World", "Texas (TV series)", "One Life to Live", "Santa Barbara" have appeared on the major Australian networks, and cable television has showed other Daytime soaps.

"Days of our Lives"

Nine has aired "Days of our Lives" since several years after its U.S. debut in 1965, and is currently aired 2pm weekdays. It soon garnered a huge Australian fan base. By 2004, episodes had fallen four-and-a-half years behind those airing in the U.S., due to the show being pre-empted for cricket telecasts over the Summer, as well as other sporting events. In September 2004, Nine skipped four years of episodes to bring Australian viewers almost in-line with their U.S. counterparts (the same was done for "Y&R"), which proved highly controversial amongst viewers. Australian episodes were now only six months behind, although, due to the cricket broadcasts, are now 11 months behind (as of October 2008, Australia is seeing episodes from November 2007).

Current "DOOL" cast in Australian episodes

Others

"General Hospital"

ABC's "General Hospital" aired on the Nine Network and on Network Ten. It was relatively successful on the Nine Network but by the late eighties was in a slump, and left Australian television soon after. It was briefly revived in the early nineties by Network Ten and again in 1999, lasting less than a year. It was picked up by Foxtel in 2004. After running for several months on W. Channel, it was moved to FOX8, before being pulled altogether. Fans in Australia have been lobbying to get it back ever since.

"Passions"

"Passions" ran on the Seven Network from 2001 to 2007 and Seven affiliate Prime from 2001 to 2004. New episodes stopped airing in Australia as NBC Productions believed it was too expensive to clear music rights for international distribution. ["http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/networking/2005/08/02/1122748642614.html", "Networking", August 4, 2005 retrieved 8 April 2007] .

It originally began in a 3pm timeslot on weekday afternoons, before being shifted to a 9.30am timeslot. After new episodes were ceased to be received, it was moved into re-runs in a 2am weekday morning timeslots. It has recently broadcast a "Series Finale" in its slot, and is unlikely to return to Australian television.

"Santa Barbara" and "Another World"

NBC's "Santa Barbara" and "Another World" also ran in Australia until their cancellations in 1993 and 1999 respectively. Santa Barbara premiered in Australia on the Ten Network the same day as The Bold and The Beautiful in November 1987, in a soap opera block from 12PM - 1:30PM. Another World appeared variously on both the Nine and Ten Networks. "Another World" in particular became very popular in the early 1990s when Australian actress Carmen Duncan, formerly of "Number 96", played the role of villainous Iris Wheeler.

"Rituals" and "Generations"

Both "Rituals" and "Generations" had short runs in Australia. They were screened on the Seven Network in the early hours of the morning.

"Texas"

"Texas", the ill-fated Another World spin-off, aired on the Ten Network in an early morning timeslot for a period in the early 1980s.

"Loving"

"Loving" also aired for a short time on the Nine Network, like "Texas", in an early morning timeslot in the late 1980s.

"One Life To Live" and "All My Children"

"One Life to Live" and "All My Children" also appeared briefly on the Ten Network's daytime schedule in the late 1980s.

References