Canceled soaps get new life online

(AFP PHOTO/ TIMOTHY A. CLARY)

When One Life to Live and All My Children end decades-long runs on ABC-TV, the popular soap operas, which were canceled in April, will live on - online, the network announced on July 7.

The iconic shows have been licensed to Prospect Park, a production company that intends to produce new episodes and program the soaps for loyal fans to view on an upcoming new online network.

"We are privileged to continue the legacy of two of the greatest programs to air on daytime television, and are committed to delivering the storylines, characters and quality that audiences have come to love for over 40 years," said Prospect Park's Jeff Kwatinetz and Rich Frank in a statement.

Prospect Park produces the series Wilfred, starring Elijah Wood and based on the Australia hit show, on cable channel FX .

According to the New York Post, the shows will pick up where they leave off - All My Children ends September 23 and One Life to Live will end in January 2012. The new producers plan to keep the same cast and crew, including the star Susan Lucci.

Plans include delivering the soaps via "additional emerging platforms," such as internet-enabled television sets.

Both soaps cost about $50 million a year to produce and attract about 2.5 million viewers each on television. The hope is that they follow onto the internet.

"It takes a lot of living to make a soap opera a serial, and the wonderful teams on both shows have done just that," Agnes Nixon, who created both soaps, responded to the news in a statement. "Together, we are a big family that keeps going, and I'm looking forward to working alongside these wonderful people."

RC