For the first time in what may seem like one of those never-ending days in your favorite soap town, a network executive is voicing their support for the soap genre.
Speaking at the 2013 Television Critics Associate Press Tour on Monday, CBS president and CEO Les Moonves announced that both The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless were doing well for the network.
"They're profitable," he said. "They were able, a few years back, to do the shows a bit more economically. Our daytime has gone way up this year, and their profitability has gone way up. So we believe those two soaps will be on for a long, long time. We don't think the form is dead. Obviously, there are a lot less [soaps] than there used to be, but we're very pleased with what they're doing."
Both Y&R and B&B have seen their ratings rise over the past twelve months. The Young and the Restless has more than 164,000 more viewers in 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. B&B, meanwhile, has a whopping 456,000 more viewers in the same timeframe.
The Young and the Restless celebrated its 40th anniversary in March. The Bold and the Beautiful is currently in its 26th season. Both shows -- along with the entire CBS Daytime -- have been renewed through 2014.