Soaps In Depth
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Soaps In Depth is a series of magazines created in 1997 to give American soap opera viewers more variety in their soap-related magazine purchases. Instead of buying a magazine like Soap Opera Digest, in which all soap operas are covered, Soaps In Depth gave the soap viewer and potential shopper three choices: ABC Soaps In Depth, CBS Soaps In Depth, and NBC Soaps In Depth. The difference is self-explanatory: Each magazine only featured interviews with the casts relating to that network's soap opera lineup. In late 1999, when NBC decided to scale down from three soap operas to two, NBC Soaps In Depth was discontinued. The ABC and CBS issues are still being sold.
The magazines are published biweekly.
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[edit] CBS Soaps In Depth
First published in early 1997 by Bauer Publications, this magazine focused only on the CBS Soaps As the World Turns, The Bold and the Beautiful, Guiding Light, and The Young and the Restless. Each issue also includes brief news coverage, previews, and recaps for the ABC Soaps, and well as DAYS and Passions. When the CBS edition debuted, each issue cost $2.99.
[edit] ABC Soaps In Depth
First published in February 1997, this magazine focused on the ABC Soaps at that time (All My Children, The City, General Hospital, and One Life to Live). A few months later, The City was cancelled, and covereage began on the new soap, Port Charles. When PC was cancelled in 2003, only 3 soaps where covered in each issue. The ABC edition also includes brief news coverage, previews, and recaps for the CBS Soaps, DAYS, and Passions. Its initial start up cost was $2.99 an issue, but every now and then there where special $1.00 issues. Beginning in 2003, each issue costs $3.50.
[edit] NBC Soaps In Depth
The NBC edition is now defunct. When it was first published, coverage focused on NBC Daytime's soap line-up, which was Another World, Days of our Lives, and Sunset Beach. In 1999 NBC cancelled the long running Another World, as well as Sunset Beach. Passions took over one time slot, but with this drastic move in NBC Daytime, the need for its own magazine was no longer needed or could be supplied. NBC cancelled Passions in 2007, and it soon moved to direct TV. NBC's one remaining serial, Days of our Lives, still holds brief news coverage, previews, and recaps in the ABC and CBS editions.
[edit] Features
Each issue has several parts. All soaps are broken into sections. All four soaps in the CBS edition and all three in the ABC edition have their own special sections.
Each issues consists of:
News - Updates on important news stories.
Ins and Outs - Updates on cast changes.
Set Your VCR - Previews for the coming two weeks.
On the Town - Candid photos of stars at events, parties, award ceremonies, and actors/actresses who may be doing a Broadway show.
In Depth Cover Story - Major plot twists coming up on a particular show. Sporadically features Cover Stories for each show.
In Depth Previews - Upcoming plot twists for shows that don't make the Cover Story.
Hottest Stories - Shocking plot twists coming to each show. Mostly offers the scoop from cast members, writers, or executive producers.
Remote Patrol - The Editors' opinions on glitches in current storyline.
Speak Out - Viewers' opinions on storylines/cast changes.
Readers' Poll - Results of poll questions asked in a recent issue. Also includes top couples, actors, and actresses.
In Depth Answers - Fan questions answered.
Beauty Secrets - Fashion and beauty questions asked by the fans. Also includes questions for the actors, asked by the Magazine.
Star Search - Upcoming appearances by actors and actresses.
Star Talk - Question asked by the Magazine for the actors and actresses.
All-Star Scrapbook - Old photos of the actors and actresses.
Plot Points - An at a glance guide to recent goings-on. Mainly consisting of deaths, marriages, divorces, and births.
Standout Scenes - Schocking moments that recently occurred.
Storyline Recaps - Article explaining major storyline twists that occurred in the last two weeks.
Soap Style - Brief articles about what an actress (and sometimes actor) wore to an event.
In the Next Issue - Previewing articles in the upcoming issue.
Each soap has special In Depth Sections. Each issue includes Message Boards, Up Close and Personal, and games or puzzles, such as a Crossword. Each In Depth section contains a special feature as well, whether this may be a Feature Interview, Behind the Scenes, On the Road, or Off-Duty.
After each soap is featured, there are several additional articles. These include the following:
- Beauty Secrets
- Keeping Track
- Editor For a Day
- A Minute of Your Time Please
- Why They Really Left
- Hey! Wasn't That?
- From Soap Kids to Superstars
- Gold Star
- Candid Camera
There are also several special articles. These include Farwell Sections for an actor or actress who may leave a show, Daytime Emmy coverage from the Awards Ceremony, and End of Year Recaps/Milestones. A special section may also appear whenever a soap or actor reaches a big Annviersary.
While the ABC edition focuses on AMC, GH, and OLTL, brief news articles, previews, and recaps are included for the CBS Soaps, DAYS, and Passions, and vice-versa.
