<P> A soap opera is an ongoing drama serial on television or radio, featuring the lives of many characters and their emotional relationships . The term originated from radio dramas being sponsored by soap manufacturers . </P> <P> BBC Radio's The Archers, first broadcast in 1950, is the world's longest - running radio soap opera; the world's longest - running television soap opera is Coronation Street, first broadcast on ITV in 1960 . </P> <P> The first serial considered to be a "soap opera" was Painted Dreams, which debuted on October 20, 1930 on Chicago radio station WGN . Early radio series such as Painted Dreams were broadcast in weekday daytime slots, usually five days a week, when most of the listeners would be housewives; thus, the shows were aimed at and consumed by a predominantly female audience . The first nationally broadcast radio soap opera was Clara, Lu, and Em, which aired on the NBC Blue Network at 10: 30 p.m. Eastern Time on January 27, 1931 . </P>

Which of the following television programs made an effort to keep