Webmaster Errol Posted October 8, 2021 Webmaster Share Posted October 8, 2021 Please register in order to view this content Twenty years ago today, @Soap Opera Network launched as a soap opera discussion forum. Today, as a .com service, the website is one of the most popular destinations for news, interviews, ratings, and more, covering current soaps "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Days of our Lives," "General Hospital" and "The Young and the Restless." HISTORY Soap Opera Network began as an online message board on the then popular ezBoard platform by two individuals that wanted to start a more industry focused discussion forum for fans of the soap opera genre with the idea that not only could one discuss the comings, the goings or the general news of the day, but also have the opportunity to learn more about the names, the faces and the minds of the people that help make daily dramatic serials happen year in and year out. At launch, soap operas “All My Children, “As The World Turns,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Days of our Lives,” “General Hospital,” “Guiding Light,” “One Life to Live,” “Passions,” “Port Charles,” and “The Young and the Restless” were on the schedules of television networks ABC, CBS and NBC. In November 2002, Soap Opera Network left ezBoard and became its own .com service. Thanks to elaborate databases such as a ratings archive (how soaps rated over the years), episode count archive (who appeared in episodes of a soap opera each and every month and year), its end credit archive (who wrote, directed or produced each episode), including a listing of each episode's writers and directors along with profile pieces on more than 80% of the writers, producers and directors who've worked on soaps, Soap Opera Network has cornered the market on information surrounding the inner workings of the soap opera format. Of the message board's original co-founders, only @Toups remains active. Here's to 20 more years of #BringingDramaCloser! #SON20 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted October 8, 2021 Members Share Posted October 8, 2021 Congratulations!! Here's to me being a moderator after being here for 15 years!! Please register in order to view this content 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DramatistDreamer Posted October 8, 2021 Members Share Posted October 8, 2021 Wow, 20 years, congratulations on a really great idea that expanded even further. The soaps may be dull at times (more often than many of us had wanted) but the discussions certainly aren't. The atmosphere is always lively. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Toups Posted October 9, 2021 Administrator Share Posted October 9, 2021 A big thanks to Errol! It was because of his hard work, dedication, and brilliant idea to create a .com, that took SON to another level from just being another message board. SON would not be what it became if it weren't for him. Thank you to past moderators and contributors who volunteered their time to help SON grow and evolve. And of course, thank you to the members who have made SON such an amazing community and the best place to discuss soaps. As cheesy and this is going to sound, I wouldn't trade you guys for any other soap message board, even though I’ve had to pull my hair out many times over the past 20 years. LOL Like anything that lasts two decades, there’s been ups and downs, and a ton of memories. Who knows what the future will bring……will we be here 20 years from now? Please register in order to view this content Happy 20th anniversary! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webmaster Errol Posted October 9, 2021 Author Webmaster Share Posted October 9, 2021 Thanks, Toups! You're the reason I'm so fascinated by ratings and how they have (and still do) impact television programming. I remember searching for ratings way back in the day on what was called Inside the Web, the premiere search engine before Yahoo and Google took over, and I found a place called "The Soap Opera Network." From the time I discovered the place I would post news from various other sources before we eventually evolved into becoming a .com and posting our own original news reports. I too thank all the past moderators and contributors for their help in sustaining the site in its early days, particularly Angela, Scotty, Gehrig, Chris, Matt, Vanessa and many others. I know I wasn't easy to work with back then which I attribute to being young and an asshole, but because of y'all I've grown and become human. The members are the lifeblood of the boards and the site. Without all of them this place wouldn't have survived the early days of re-registering due to my lack of tech knowledge and how Invision at the time required you to not do updates with a specific file loaded. Since I had no clue how websites worked at the time I caused at least two avoidable crashes in the site's history. Thankfully, the dedication and the support of the SON Community sustained and here we are 20 years later, thriving larger than ever before. Traffic is the biggest ever and that's with just four soaps on the air. Maybe that's why the networks don't currently see a reason to add more. Thank you all! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Liberty City Posted October 12, 2021 Members Share Posted October 12, 2021 Twenty years of excellence! Here is to another twenty! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dan Posted October 12, 2021 Members Share Posted October 12, 2021 CONGRATS ERROL AND TOUPS!! It was a pleasure being even a small part in the history of this great site. Cheers to you all! Also GOD how I wish I could have saved some of our staff chats. They were definitely something. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dragonflies Posted October 12, 2021 Members Share Posted October 12, 2021 Congrats @Errolthanks for creating such a great board!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoldRestless Posted October 12, 2021 Members Share Posted October 12, 2021 Congratulations!!! I wish I had discovered it way back then, but I really appreciate how many old threads are still archived. It's fun to go through them sometimes. The discussions here are always top notch. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members YRfan23 Posted October 13, 2021 Members Share Posted October 13, 2021 Congratulations!! Please register in order to view this content 20 years is an incredible milestone! I also wish I had known about these forums back then (yet I was only 11, and really didn't know my way around the internet like I do now LOL) but I can't express how much fun I have every day exploring this forum, and hope to have many more years with it! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted October 13, 2021 Members Share Posted October 13, 2021 Congrats on 20 years, and best wishes for many more. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webmaster Errol Posted October 13, 2021 Author Webmaster Share Posted October 13, 2021 Dan, the man! I think I saved all of our conversations on an old computer or something but I don't think I have it around anymore. With that said, those were some wild Sunday evenings. I'd hate to know the person I was then, honestly. Sadly, I know people who are still that way even today at their older ages. Glad to still have you around after all of these years. The gang may have shrunk a bit but the lights are still on. Glad to have you all here, regardless of when you found the joint. The fact that you all have taken the time to not only discover the SON Community but to register and provide insight on the soaps that is found no place else is a testament to what @Toups helped create. Personally being able to drive this ship for 19 of those 20 years still amazes me, and I hope to continue steering for many decades to come. I've got big plans for this place, and the industry it covers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted October 13, 2021 Members Share Posted October 13, 2021 I've noticed some familiar names log in now that SON turned 20. I keep in touch with some who sometimes pop up and some that haven't. Dan...I remember our chats...can't recall the chat room...it wasn't yahoo...I don't think that chat place exists anymore...the name of it is not coming to me...damn age Please register in order to view this content 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AbcNbc247 Posted October 13, 2021 Members Share Posted October 13, 2021 I’m so glad I found this board when I did. Here’s to 20 more! Please register in order to view this content Age=Experience 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members All My Shadows Posted October 14, 2021 Members Share Posted October 14, 2021 Congratulations, SON and team! It's incredible to me that it's been 20 years. I've been here for 18 of them! I was a thirteen year old child in junior high when I joined this board, and my maturity level certainly matched my age! But because of the many awesome members here, I learned so much about this genre we love. Soaps were truly my escape. I always say other kids had Harry Potter, but I had daytime drama - it was my happy place, the one thing I knew would provide nothing but comfort and peace. I'll never forget the excitement of the weekly ratings posts or - and this is taking it back - Matt's weekly top 10 of actors, actresses, and couples. Those truly were the days. The soaps might not have been their best, but there were still so many, and we all watched them like a hawk, so no matter what, on any given day, at least one or two shows had some good stuff going on. Thank you EVERYONE for having a part in "raising" me over the years. A big part of who I am today is because of who you all were back then. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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