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Disney launches soaps channel
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April 8, 1999: 7:01 p.m. ET
You only have One Life to Live, so ABC broadcasts will repeat for convenience
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - If you ever thought about quitting your job because of scheduling conflicts with your favorite soap operas, Disney/ABC Cable Networks wants to help.
The company said Thursday it will launch a new channel featuring soap operas by mid-January 2000.
The Disney (DIS) channel, to be carried on cable and satellite television distribution systems, will air 24 hours of programming daily. It will offer original programming and movies designed to appeal to soap-opera audiences, and same-day repeat airings of ABC Daytime's four daytime dramas: "All My Children," "General Hospital," "One Life to Live" and "Port Charles." The company said "some classic prime time soaps" will also be aired.
"This channel is an important response to the change in lifestyle of many daytime viewers who have returned to the workforce or have other schedule demands. They will now be able to watch their favorite daytime dramas at times that are convenient for them," said Angela Shapiro, president of ABC Daytime Television, in a statement about the new venture.
Moreover, Shapiro said, "Our research shows this will greatly broaden the audience for ABC's daytime dramas," citing two tests done last year in ABC-owned station markets in Chicago and Houston. "The experiment gave current daytime fans the opportunity to enjoy more episodes each week. It also attracted lapsed viewers whose schedules do not permit daytime viewing, and it brought new viewers to the dramas." 
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Disney
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