Daytime radio shows sponsored by laundry detergents earned the nickname?

Daytime radio shows sponsored by laundry detergents earned the nickname "Soap Operas." This term originated in the 1930s when these serialized dramas were often funded by soap manufacturers, reflecting the domestic themes and audiences they targeted. Over time, "soap Opera" became synonymous with the genre itself, characterized by melodramatic storytelling and ongoing plotlines.