The Popularity of Soap Operas

The Popularity of Soap Operas

Television researchers have established a number of reasons why soap

operas appeal to such a large and diverse audience. In this essay I

will be examining these reasons with reference to my own attraction to

soaps, and seeing how they fit into the everyday lives of the millions

who watch them. Furthermore, I will investigate the way in which the

construction and conventions of a soap opera aids its appeal. I will

be considering such aspects as class, race, ethnicity and gender in

order to determine the pleasures of soap opera viewing and will

briefly look at their international appeal. My discussion will

comprise aspects of the British soaps, for example, Brookside,

Coronation Street, Crossroads and Eastenders, the American super soaps

such as Dallas and Dynasty and the Australian soap Home and Away.

Dorothy Hobson conduced a set of interviews between February 2nd & 7th

1987, to establish how far the soap operas fit into the working

environment of women. With the help of her secretary she set about

interviewing six women who worked for Birmingham City Council: Diane,

Gill, Mary, Susan, Vijya and Wendy, whose ages ranged from 23 to 35.

The interviews took place at a night club which opens for lunches

during the day. The informal setting enabled the women to speak freely

about their viewing habits and the mode of discourse was relaxed as

the women were accustomed to socialising together. In consequence,

talking in unison or interrupting one another were not uncommon during

the interview, for example, when Gill was commenting on the characters

she found annoying in Brookside, the other women added in uniso...

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15/11/96

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