Howsoapoperaschangedtheworld?Soapoperasaren'toftencelebratedforcontributingtothegoodofsociety.Whetherit'sthematerialismofDallasortheidlegossipofNeighbors,theyarebetterknownforbeingshallowandaddictivethanforbringingaboutsocialchange.Butaroundtheworldthegenrehassucceededinproviding"educationalentertainment"-ablendofpublicservicemessagesandmelodramathathasenrapturedmillionsofviewers.Herearesomeofthethingssoapshaveachieved.GrowingfoodItwasin1951thatBBCradioandtheMinistryofAgriculturecreatedan"everydaystoryofcountryfolk",whichencouragedfarmerstotrynewtechniquestoincreaseproductivityintheyearsafterWWII.It'sonethingtoreadapersuasiveargumentinprint,andit'squiteanothertobepersuadedbythepowerofthehumanvoice.Theserieswashugelypopular.Stillonair61yearslater,itisthoughttobethelongest-runningsoapoperaintheworld.GettingpeoplesewingIn1969,therags-to-richesstoryofadomesticemployeewhomadeherfortunethroughherskillswithasewingmachineprovidedthetemplateforanentertainmenteducationrevolution.SimplementeMaria,aPeruvianTVtelenovela---wasextremelypopularthroughoutLatinAmericaandledtoarapidincreaseinbothsalesofsewingmachinesandpeopleenrollinginsewingclasses.SimplementeMariawasespeciallypopularinMexico,whereitwasrumoredtohavereceivedhigherviewingfiguresthanthe1970WorldCup.MarriageforloveSomesoapsencouragedviewerstodiscussissuesraisedbythemandhelpedpeopleconvincetheirparentstoletthemmarrythemanorwomanoftheirchoice.Girls'rightsButpoorpeopledidn'towntelevisionsets,soPCIMediaImpactsoonrealizeditcouldreachmorepeoplethroughradio.In2002itcreatedaradiodramacalledTaru,setintheIndianstateofBihar,whichchallengedthepreferentialtreatmentofboysovergirls.Theseries'researchersfoundthatgirlsinruralBihardidn'tcelebratetheirbirthdaysanddecidedtotellthestoryofapluckyyounggirlwhopetitionedherfamilytothrowheraparty-andwonthemover.Listenersacrosstheregionfollowedavidlyasalittlegirlplannedherbirthdaypartyforthefirsttime.Inthefollow-upresearch,peoplesawbirthdaycelebrationsforgirlspoppinguparoundthereg