Disney Ends SOAPnet Channel

A year and a half after announcing the end of SOAPnet, Disney pulled the plug on the network December 31, 2013. Walt Disney Company spokesmen cited a shift in corporate priorities as the reason for the network shutdown.

SOAPnet launched in 2000 and was on FPB Preferred Cable channel 164. SOAPnet was established to give daytime soap opera fans an opportunity to catch up on their favorite shows during evening and primetime slots. The advent of the digital video recorder (DVR) gave viewers another avenue to watch programming at any time and this, coupled with Disney’s desire to add another children’s network, led to the SOAPnet shutdown. Disney executives originally planned to end SOAPnet over a year ago and replace it with Disney Junior, but kept both networks on the air until December 31. Disney Junior is available on FPB Preferred Channel 137. There is currently no network on FPB Cable channel 164.

Viewers of CBS produced soaps do have viewing options. Repeats of "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful," which air on CBS, already have relocated to the TVGN cable channel (FPB Classic Cable channel 61 and in HD on 561), which is co-owned by CBS Corp.

Fans of ABC’s “General Hospital” can catch up on past episodes on FPB Video On Demand under the Free Cable Favorites/ABC tab.

NBC makes the 10 most recent episodes of “Days of Our Lives” available at NBC.com