![]() Final logo, used from 2007 to December 31, 2013 | |
Country | United States |
---|---|
Broadcast area | United States |
Headquarters | Burbank, California[1] |
Ownership | |
Owner | Disney–ABC Television Group (The Walt Disney Company) |
History | |
Launched | January 20, 2000 |
Closed | March 22, 2012(some providers) December 31, 2013 (officially) |
Replaced by | Disney Junior (some providers) |
Links | |
Website | sn.soapnet.go.com (Archive link) |
Soapnet was an American basic cable network 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 growing adoption of digital video recorders, cable/satellite video on demand, and streaming video options making its primetime soap encores increasingly unnecessary on a traditional linear network, Disney announced in 2010 that Soapnet would be replaced by the new preschool-oriented network Disney Junior, which launched on March 23, 2012. While some providers removed Soapnet upon the launch of Disney Junior, the channel continued to operate on some providers until it finally ceased operations on December 31, 2013.[2]