TV soap opera budgets and history reveal a lot about how rapidly the television changed in the 1990s and 2000s. During COVID lockdown, Dr. Elana Levine and I had a lengthy discussion about daytime’s demise. It became an engaging 3-part series and follows Levine’s writing in her 2020 book published by Duke University Press, Her Stories: Daytime Soap Opera and US Television History.

The last episode of the series focused on economic pressures in network TV. Daytime programming shifted drastically as ratings declined due to evolving audience demographics. According to Levine, some believe network decision-making contributed to the genre’s decline as well. Levine addresses advertising revenue challenges, alternative entertainment platforms as massive drivers of TV soap opera budgets and history.

In presenting the genre’s history, Levine offers her expert  insights into attempts to adapt to financial reality and what ultimately replaced the serial drama format. Dr. Levine has authored several books and is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She’s a repeat guest of Advanced TV Herstory. Tune in to episodes linked below.

The 3-part series: