CBS Cancels "As The World Turns"

CBS soap opera "As The World Turns," created by Procter & Gamble in 1956, will air its series finale in September 2010.

The show was a turning point for television, introducing the first male gay character on U.S. television in 1988. It featured popular actors of today such as Meg Ryan, Julianne Moore and James Earl Jones, and earned several Emmy awards, according to Reuters.

But 54 years later its popularity is dwindling. In 1993 there were around 6.5 million viewers in the audience and today that number has shrunk to 2.5 million.

"It's extremely difficult to say good-bye to a long-running series that's been close to our hearts for so long," said Barbara Bloom, senior vice president of daytime programing at CBS.

And "As The World Turns" is the second product of Procter & Gamble, the company that coined the term soap opera, to announce its cancellation this year. CBS also brought "Guiding Light" to a close.

"Guiding Light" was on the air for 72 years, making it the longest lasting soap opera to run on both the radio and TV.