On Friday, December 22, Alan Locher, host of “The Locher Room,” will welcome former Soap Opera Digest editors Meredith Berlin, Lynn Leahey and Stephanie Sloane for a live interview as they look back at their time helming the iconic magazine which last month shipped its final issue after nearly 50 years as a print publication. Despite the shuttering of the print edition, the brand continues as a digital website with much of the same features found in the magazine.
After working at the magazine as a features writer, Berlin was named editor-in-chief of Soap Opera Digest in 1981, making her the youngest person in the country at the time to hold that title at a magazine.
Leahey began her journey at Digest in 1987 when she joined as a managing editor. By 1991, she had been named editor-in-chief of the magazine. During her reign, Leahey shifted the magazine from a bi-weekly release schedule to weekly and was an executive producer at Dick Clark Productions, which oversaw the popular Soap Opera Digest Awards. This primetime television special celebrated fan favorites and aired primarily on NBC. Leahey also helped launch the website edition of the magazine. By 2000, Leahey’s title was changed to editorial director during a time in which the magazine and its counterpart, Soap Opera Weekly, were owned by Source Interlink. In addition to overseeing Digest and Weekly, Leahey oversaw new magazine brands and one-offs, including Harmony, Pixie, and Personal Journey.
Following Leahey’s decision to step down as editorial director in 2011, Sloane was elevated to editor-in-chief of both magazines. Her title was later changed to VP, editorial director under new owner American Media (now a360media). She oversaw the final year of Soap Opera Weekly, which shuttered in April 2012, and what would be the final years of Soap Opera Digest as a print magazine. Sloane got her start at Digest straight out of college in 1990. At the time, she was tasked to be the assistant to both Berlin and Leahey during their respective time in charge of the magazine. Overall, Sloane spent 33 years at the magazine until her position was eliminated following a360media’s decision to discontinue the weekly print magazine in October.
When it launched launch in 1975, Digest quickly became the go-to magazine for all daytime fans to read and learn more about their favorite storylines, actors, characters, and behind-the-scenes scoop. It would be nearly impossible not to find a single bedroom, closet, basement, garage and/or storage unit that is lined with past issues of this magazine.
So, on Friday, December 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT, make sure to spend some time reminiscing with the ladies who spearheaded the brand for much of its lifetime when Alan Locher hosted a salute to Soap Opera Digest.
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