News
SONY TV President Steve Mosko's Speech at Y&R 40th Celebration & How The Soap Genre Has Turned Around!

Courtesy/SonyPicturesTelevis
On Tuesday, the cast and crew of The Young and the Restless, executives from Sony and CBS, and invited press, gathered to honor the accomplishment of the number one soap, it’s 40th anniversary! With the stars in attendance, Sony Pictures Television President, Steve Mosko addressed the room, and related what an accomplishment 40 years truly is, how much the reinvigorated support of CBS Daytime had meant to the show, and how in a very dark climate just a few years ago, soaps are having a resurgence, while Mosko clearly pointed out what happened to another network that did not support their soaps.
Here now below is the main portion of Mosko’s speech, that we thought fans of Y&R, and fans of the genre in general, would appreciate!
Steve Mosko: “I want to say, this is the hardest working group here at Y&R. I always laugh in a good way, by the way, when I go and talk about network shows and go, “Oh by the way, we have 22 episodes of it.” But its unconscionable, how hard all of you work. Both the writing, the crew, and the cast … it’s absolutely amazing that you did it five days a week, 52 weeks a year, for 40 years. My hats off to you, because it’s astounding. I can’t thank you enough from all of us at Sony for all your hard work. Lee (Phillip Bell) who would have thought after 40 years, we all would be standing here talking about how great the show is, but it’s not just surviving, but thriving. This show is still kicking ass!

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
What gives me chills today, in a great way, is the fact that a couple of years ago, there were a lot of people in the industry who didn’t believe in this genre. I know all of you did, and I know for sure, we did. We have fought, and fought, and fought, which is why today is a great day for all of us, because you know what? We hung in there. We did great work and this genre is thriving. This show is doing fantastic. And, what I want to say is; I want to thank these two people over here, Nina Tassler, President CBS Entertainment and Angelica McDaniel, Sr. VP Daytime CBS Entertainment. Through Nina and Angelica, the support we get from CBS is amazing. I know there was a day, and a time, when I was involved with these shows, and it was like there was the “network” and it was sort of spoken under your breath. I will tell you that they are amazing partners and great supporters of the genre. Just look across the street at another network that didn’t support the genre, and look at what happened. CBS has passion about this and is supporting us, and again, if it wasn’t for you, we would not be here as well. It’s just great, because we know how we are being taken care of. Another 40? What do we think? (Laughs) Anyways, congratulations to everybody!”
So soap fans, what do you think about Mosko’s comments on how soaps are doing now? How Y&R is being supported by CBS? Do you feel a difference in the climate on how soaps are perceived, after fighting hard for its survival? Weigh-in!
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’

The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award nominations kicked-off on Monday with the announcements of four major categories including, Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series — Actor, and among the nominees is General Hospital’s Steve Burton (Jason Morgan).
Burton is already a two-time Daytime Emmy winner in the Supporting Actor category for his roles as GH’s Jason and his turn as Dylan McAvoy on Y&R. However, Steve is yet to win in the Lead Actor category and he has received 11 nominations along the way in his daytime career.
Following the reveal that he is a 2026 Daytime Emmy nominee, he and his GH co-star, podcast co-host and comedy show partner, Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) taped a special edition of their That’s Awesome podcast just featuring Burton’s reaction to the news.

Photo: JPI
FOR LESLIE CHARLESON
Steve expressed, “I know it’s such a cliche to say, ‘I’m just so honored to be nominated.’ But truly, I’m so grateful to be nominated, so grateful to just be on the show off and on for 30 plus years and to be nominated with the guys in my category. Just to get the opportunity. Frank (Valentini, executive producer, GH) texted me right away. I was just like, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to get to do what I do.'”
Taking in the moment, Burton thanked those who helped him select the material for his nominated reel. “Unless you win, you don’t get to say things. So. I’m going just say a few things: Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) helped me a lot with the material, (as did) Michelle Henry, who’s a producer on the show, Laura Wright (Carly, GH), and then my wife Michelle (Lundstrom). I believe it was Jill Phelps who told me that when A Martinez felt like he had a great show or great scenes, he would mark it down. So, when Emmy time comes, you have all the show numbers written down, and you don’t have to think about it, because that’s half the battle (finding the material).
Burton explained how meaningful this nomination is for him, because of playing the scenes of Jason losing Monica, and his closeness with the late, great Leslie Charleson.
“The nomination’s an amazing thing, and it’s beautiful, but really it’s to honor Leslie Charleson. A lot of my material was because of her, and how I started on the show as a Quartermaine, it just means a ton,” shared Burton. “Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) has obviously has been instrumental, and I’ve said it from day one and I’ll shout it from the rooftops. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, and to be working with the people that we work with is incredible.”

Photo: JPI
SHOULD JOHN OLIVER BE NAMED HOST OF THE DAYTIME EMMYS?
During the end of his conversation with Anderson, Steve suggested that the host of the Daytime Emmy should be Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver, who recently guest starred as the head of the WSB named Z on General Hospital, and is soon to show up on Days of Our Lives in a mystery role in August.
Thus far, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has not revealed their host for the upcoming ceremony to be held on October 30 in a venue to be named in Hollywood, California.
You can watch Steve sharing his reaction to receiving his 2026 Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nomination below on a special segment on the That’s Awesome podcast.
Now let us know, are you glad that Steve chose scenes surrounding Jason mourning the loss of the woman that raised him, Monica Quartermaine for his Emmy reel? What do you think of John Oliver as a suggestion to host the Daytime Emmys? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series

Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.
ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.
Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.

Photo: NATAS
THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …
The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.
This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.
Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.
Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.

Photo: ABC
DAYTIME TALK SERIES
In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.
“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.
So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’ Marks Unprecedented 16,000th Episode Milestone with New Cast Photo

Today’s Monday, July 13 episode of General Hospital marks it 16,000 episode to air on the ABC television network. It is a remarkable milestone. The previous television record was held by Guiding Light which clocked in at 15,762 episodes before it went off the air on CBS in 2009.
To mark the occasion, the cast, crew and creative team of General Hospital celebrated with a cake-cutting ceremony on the Prospect Studios lot in Los Angeles back on Monday, June 1, 2026.
In addition, GH has released a new cast photo taken the day of the on set celebration. Pictured in the photo are front row: Rory Gibson, Finn Carr, Kayden Brenna Tokarski, Asher Antonyzyn, Giovanni Mazza, Braedyn Bruner, Dean Geyer and Nathan Dean.
Featured in the back row are: Tabyana Ali, Eden McCoy, Josh Swickard, Kristen Vaganos, Rebecca Herbst, Dominic Zamprogna, Alexa Havins, Cameron Mathison, Brooke Kerr, Cynthia Watros, Steve Burton, Finola Hughes, Jane Elliot, Maurice Benard, Laura Wright, Maura West, Donnell Turner, Nancy Lee Grahn, Tanisha Harper, Kelly Thiebaud, Kristina Wagner, Lynn Herring, Chris McKenna, Katelyn MacMullen and Sawandi Wilson.
In addition, the official GH social media handles shared these sentiments along with some other photos from the cake cutting: “Today’s episode of General Hospital is the 16,000th produced since the show’s inception in 1963. It’s a milestone we couldn’t let pass by without taking some time to celebrate as a family (and, of course… eating some cake). 🍰 We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.”
WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE 16,000th Episode?
The 16,000th episode will feature Jason Morgan returning to the town of Port Charles, Anna and Valentin (James Patrick Stewart) reuniting, and a new surgeon, Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) joining the staff of ‘General Hospital.’
GENERAL HOSPITAL HOLDS SEVERAL RECORDS
Now in its 64th year, Emmy Award-winning daytime drama General Hospital is currently both the longest-running scripted American drama and the longest-running American soap opera currently in production.
General Hospital holds the record for the most Outstanding Daytime Drama award wins, taking home the prestigious Daytime Emmy Award a record 18 times. Will they do it again and make it 19 in 2026? Stay tuned for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations tomorrow on Tuesday, July 14 to find out if GH will be going for gold in the category, once again.
The ABC daytime drama series was created by Frank and Doris Hursley and premiered back on April 1, 1963. Frank Valentini is the current executive producer with Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten are the show’s co-head writers.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC and streams on Hulu.
What do you think of the new cast photo marking General Hospital’s 16000th episode? What do you think of the accomplishment to have that many episodes of a television show and its still thriving and kicking? Share your thoughts and congrats for everyone in front of the camera and behind the scenes on this milestone airing.
-

As The World Turns2 days agoScott Bryce, ‘As the World Turns’ Craig Montgomery, Passes Away at 68
-

Beyond the Gates6 days ago‘The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards’ Nominations Announcement Date Revealed: Who Will Be Going For Gold?
-

Breaking News4 days agoRandolph Mantooth, ‘Emergency!’ and ‘Loving’ Actor, Dies at 80
-

General Hospital4 days agoSteve Burton Returns to ‘General Hospital’ on Its 16,000th Episode: How Will Jason Be a Changed Man?
-

Beyond the Gates2 days ago‘Daytime Emmy Nominations Special 2026’ Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
-

General Hospital2 days ago‘General Hospital’s’ Rory Gibson Ties the Knot with Alicia Ruelas
-

General Hospital6 days agoKelly Kruger Set to Debut on ‘General Hospital’: Why Serena Baldwin Comes Back to Port Charles Revealed
-

Beyond the Gates1 week agoRATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ and ‘General Hospital’ Score Highest Weekly Viewer Increase















CBS has nothing to say about ABC… they also cancelled two classic soaps…Guiding Light and As The World Turns with the latter being the one i miss the most, and like OLTL on ABC was still good to the very end!
I was thinking the same thing before I even read any posts. If they really supported the genre they would have come up with a creative solution to keep GL and ATWT on the air. And the only reason they care about Y&R is because it has been the number one soap for 24 years- it would be pretty difficult explaining cancelling it to their many sponsors at this time slot. But trust me if the ratings dived and expenses kept soaring they would cancel it quicker than you can say hypocrites.
Guiding Light and ATWT were cancelled by Proctor and Gamble, NOT CBS. CBS does not own any show except B&B. Y&R (and DAYS) is owned by SONY.
AMC and OLTL were owned by the network ABC, which is why they had the say on whether to cancel them or not.
Jules, your post doesn’t make any sense at all.
ATWT/GL were owned by P&G but it is is CBS that cancelled these soaps, not P&G.
Secondly, B&B is not owned by CBS. It is owned by Bell Philip Television.
Even so, CBS could have took them over if they truly supported the genre`. They purchased The Secret Storm in the late 60s but unfortunately they mishandled that one and had to cancel it, however they still could have done something to save ASWTs.
What is the famous saying? Common sense isn’t so common?
1) P&G owned, produced, sponsored ATWT. They pulled out, so CBS pulled the plug.
2) I was always under the impression Bell Phillip Television Productions Inc. was a subsidiary of CBS.
In any event, right or wrong, being rude just makes you seem so small, and not just to me but to the other poster you addressed as well. Lighten up.
Hi Jules- I Googled the topic and everything I read said it was CBS and not P&G that pulled the plug on both shows. ATWT was their last scripted drama on the air and with its cancellation they no longer produced soaps, but they didn’t pull out of that show- the network cancelled it due to “low ratings”. The suits at P&G at the time came out saying there were going try to find a new home for the show, but in the end could not. Of course this is the official story- there might have been a back story that you are referring to, but on paper it was a CBS decision.
CBS did not support ATWT’S. That soap had been on TV for almost 54 years and we still miss it terribly. Bring back Jack and Carly and Holden and Lily. We miss our CarJack.
I miss them all!
I totally agree. However, I miss Lucinda and Lisa the most. Why Y&R or B&B have not hired the talented Elizabeth Hubbard for a role is beyond me. I would KILL to see her as a recast Dina Abbott Mergeron on Y&R.
With the constant talk about the “death” and revival of AMC and OLTL, I grit my teeth that everyone seems to have forgotten ATWT. GL was in very bad shape when it left the air but ATWT really could have (and should have been “saved”).
Oh yes Barbara, Liz Hubbard would be great as Dina or on any soap. Would love to see Colleen Z. ex Barbara Ryan on any of these soaps too. I have that Upstairs/Downstairs holiday special they did and i play it every Christmas. They were all so good in that, especially Liz as the cook and Barbara as the propriertress of the Barbara Ryan Home for Unwed Mothers…a hoot!
!
This is exactly why Y&R has been #1 for 24 years, they have the support from CBS, they are interactive with the fan on Twitter.. ABC gave no support to their soaps at all.
Where was CBS support of As The World Turns? So i wouldnt blame ABC 4 everything!
I don’t think Jewell knows what he/she is talking about. GH actors interacts all the time with the fans on Twitter.
Of course CBS will support Y&R; it is the highest rated soap opera for crying out loud. The moment Y&R and/or B&B start doing real bad in the ratings, CBS will drop them like a bad habit.
AGREED!!!
Congradulations to CBS.This is why I only watch GH on ABC.They didn’t support there soap fans and said they could train us to watch whatever they put on.I wish all soap fans would do the same.Don’t support a network that brung down two soaps on purpose.Frons tore down the writing and ABC wanted them to drop and blame it on the soap fans.Anne Sweeney said she did not want any daytime scripted shows on ABC.I will boycott ABC for the rest of my life and only watch GH..day and night.
CBS let P&G drop ATWT&GL with no attempts to find a way to save them…Support the genre m.a.!!!
You are partly right. CBS did not want to carry those two shows anymore because the ratings were low. P&G as the producer of those shows could have market them to another network, but either could not find a new home or didn’t try. Yet, P&G still owns those two shows as well as Another World, perhaps if PP experiment of reviving cancelled soaps on the web is successful, P&G will follow suit and either sell their rights to those shows or produce their own web version.
But for the original network cancellation, everything I read on the topic yesterdays said it was a CBS decision to no longer carry those shows on their network. If they had renew them P&G would have produced them; it was only after their last soap on air was not renewed they decided to get out of the daytime scripted drama in the States- I think I read they still help produce some Spanish novella’s in the Latin America market
Lets Go for 40 more Y & R Congratulations! GH ets go for 50 more!
Love it!!!
Y&R lives on!
Glad they are supporting Y&R. He has alot of nerve to be oquoted as saying they support the soaps and to be saying anything about the other network not supporting theirs! They cancelled the oldest of them all just a few years ago which was Guiding Light it predated television as it was on Radio for decades before!! Guiding Light had 70 combined years of Radio and TV, CBS gave it no respect and swept it under the rug along with As The World Turns with 50 or so years. Viewers also tried to stop that from happening by mail, email etc… but they did not listen. Prospect Park has at least worked to restore the beloved Daytime drama, aka, scripted drama, aka Soaps in a new form. Fans have the chance to again see what they want to see. Good Luck Y&R and B&B for many, many more years. Welcome back to AMC & OLTL on April 29. Long live the Soaps.
They cancelled those two old soaps because they were OLD. Nobody was watching them anymore except my grandmother and her friends. At least AMC and OLTL have a young audience and were still relevant today.
Their were many young people watching ATWT and GL, and i use to have local fan club meetings to discuss them. More than 1/2 who attended out of the 47 to show up were 19 to 32 years old and they loved these shows. AMC and OLTL too were also part of the discusion with some admitting they taped one while watching the other. Just because those two soaps were ‘old’ didnt mean they didnt have young viewers. Maybe if you got out of grandmas house you would know this. ATWT and GL ratings werent much higher than the two younger soaps, so if they had such a youthful audience and are so revelent how come they werent doing so much better?
one more thing GH is only a few younger than the OLD ATWT, and a few years older than OLTL and AMC so watch out OLD age is catching up to them so sooner or later theyll need to be cancelled too!
Nice that the suits are seeing the value of Soap Operas finally, but there is no “turn around” going on here…
Daytime Dramas or Soap Operas have never lost their appeal….no not ever!
They still stand as the most consistently watched programs as they continue to serve as the arch-type that set the standard on which all prime time dramas or night time soaps such as Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, Body Of Proof and all the others draw from.
Anyway….Congratulations on your 40th Y&R.
And General Hospital: You are looking so nifty at 50 ! Congratulations!
well it is nice..but he seems to forget how CBS cancelled Guiding Light and As the World Turns not so long ago..so Steve..maybe Sony support its daytime soaps (well for now) but CBS…not so much…
CBS didn’t cancel those shows. CBS never owned them. Proctor and Gamble did. And they wanted out of the soap business…..not hand washing or dishwashing soap, they’re still deep in that business, but the soap opera business.
CBS couldve saved them if the really wanted to…
ABC is totally supporting GH, now..
All the sets and on site/location, shots payroll for the vets returns etc is a huge financial investment, ..
I feel GH will go on now that there is actually team work between ABC and the peoples of GH..
One can see that ABC realizes its’ daytime mistake and showing the value in soaps by producing their prime-time soaps that have become hits.. They do know soaps are addictive and loved.
GH is safe ..
We will see if their support and investment continues after they milk the 50th Anniversary cash cow to death. If they are doing the same in 2 years I might believe it, but for now- call me skeptical.
we will see…
ABC has not learned anything. I think you are going to be disappointed.
I agree with Mary SF except I say they cancel it before the end of the year.
I hope what he says about the support from the CBS president and senior VP is true. Too bad the same cannot be said out the jug headed executives at another outfit.
Congratulation to everyone at Y&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL.. the ”he other jug headed executives” are 100% supporting GH..
GH would not be where it is and on screens if it were not being supported by ABC who has invested a great amount of money into GH this past year.. 🙂
Fronz is gone, it is a new day at ABC for GH ..
su0000 Erica S said in an interview that Brian Frons did not cancel the shows he did not have that power. She said it was ABC & Disney.
CBS is no different then any other network…these jugheads at CBS cancelled two of its soaps GL and ATWT so they do not 100% support the genre or they wouldve have at least found a way to save them or replaced them with a new soap.
It’s nice to hear something positive about my old employer, Sony, for once.
Sony gets a bad wrap, but they really do not back losing horses. They want to make money and they have quality programming. They could have easily decided to stop producing Y&R like other production companies and struck a deal with CBS for a cheap talk show or game show. However, they seem to have an investment in Y&R and DOOL.
Y&R has been under the Sony umbrella since 1973. They are proud of that show and it is evident on the lot and in the plaza with their marketing.
It’s easy for them to say the believe in the genre when the ratings are up and the shows are getting publicity. But if those ratings drop …
Couldn’t agree more what he said about ABC. Although CBS cancelled soaps in the past it seems they care a lot more about them now.
Soaps fans are the most loyal of any TV genre. It would be nice if Sony & CBS could acknowledge that there are thousands & thousands of fans that live all over the world that have watched & loved Y&R, B&B etc & who go to extreme lengths to track down up to date episodes online. We would like to be able to gain access via CBS from our countries & not feel like we are being penalised for living outside of Nth America. We are just as loyal a fan base as viewers in The US & Canada & have been watching theses shows for decades too.
CBS should hire back Victoria Rowell. Please.
Several of you people sound less supportive of soaps than ABC!!! All i hear from some of you is that you believe ABC will cancel GH by the end of the year as if you hope it happens just to prove a damn point!!! First of all they may announce its cancelled but the show would still air to 2014! But it almost seems like you think itll end before then! NBC and CBS both cancelled soaps over the years such as
AW, PASSIONS, ATWT, &GL ect but almost everyone acts as if only ABC cancelled low rated soaps! Sure they could have found ways to save them but not just ABC! OLTL ratings were up but that mostly happen after its cancellation notice…same thing happen to DS in 1971! I love watching soaps and hope all of them survive. Dont stop watching just because theres a few things you dislike about them unless you feel the whole show is bad. Lets prove to all the networks there is viewer support for the genre and that they still entertain us by watching them…its the least you could do. Otherwise without your viewership they will be cancelled and YOU’LL be more to blame than the networks that show them.!!!
i loved drucilla winters. but victoria rowell is a diva. she was a trouble maker on the set of the young and the restless. she never got along with some of her co workers. i say recast the role soon. victoria rowell is a brat. grow up and get some coucelling victoria.