THE WORLD STOPS

I’ve never been a soap fan but I figured I should mark its passing…

"For 54 years, CBS took viewers to the town of Oakdale, Ill., home of "As the World Turns." On Friday, after almost 14,000 episodes, the legendary soap opera aired its final episode. Soaps, which once ruled daytime television, have been on the decline for several years. At the height of their popularity, 40 years ago, there were 19 on TV. That number is down to six. And yesterday, As the World Turns, one of the most successful of them all, fell victim to TV's tough new economic realities. "It's all about the bottom line," explains the show's executive producer, Christopher Goutman. "Scripted drama in daytime is a tough proposition, because it's expensive to produce, and I understand that. We are a victim of the times."