Reid About It

"Guiding Light," the longest running program in broadcast history, is done for. CBS has announced the show will end September 18. (More info here)



While soap opera ratings have been declining for years, this one's a serious blow for the industry. GL has been on the air for seventy-two years, starting as a fifteen-minute radio show in 1937. For decades, GL has weathered every transition and detour, including the 90's cloning story arc and the ill-advised detour to San Cristobel. The show's handled every social issue from women's rights to alcoholism to cancer, but still couldn't survive the creeping death of the genre.



Worse yet for fans of the genre, a new soap opera won't get that timeslot. CBS plans to fill the hour with either a game show or talk show.



This seems to be pretty bad news both short term for fans of the show, and long term for anyone who's still a fan of soaps.