CBS' 'Guiding Light' to end in September

Despite an ambitious overhaul of the show's production -- including switching to hand-held digital cameras, and outdoor location shots from the New Jersey horse country of Peapack -- "that didn't reflect any bump in the ratings," Tellem said. CBS is gambling that "we could put a new show in that time period, which could have the potential to grow, and we could do it at a much lower cost."

Still, Tellem believes, soaps are not washed up. Not all daytime dramas are on life support; CBS still makes a profit in daytime, she said. The network's "Young and the Restless" attracts an average of 5.26 million viewers an episode and "Bold and the Beautiful" has been fetching an average 3.65 million viewers. Walt Disney Co.'s SoapNet cable channel just posted one of its best quarters in the ratings.

For soaps, it has come down to survival of the fittest.

The "Guiding Light" staff of about 100 learned their show was being canceled Wednesday morning when they showed up for work. For the show's cast and crew who deal with fictional deaths and trauma on a daily basis, the sense of loss was suddenly real.

"This show has been here since before World War II," said executive producer Ellen Wheeler. "It has gone through wars and tragedies and triumphs -- man walking on the moon, and the dawn of the computer age. This show chronicled all these changes in society. It has been our mirror on society for generations, and when you lose something that is part of the fabric of society you lose something precious."

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meg.james @latimes.com