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Five years after being taken off contract and placed on recurring status, Jacklyn Zeman (ex-Bobbie Spencer, “General Hospital”) has opened up to Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue about the circumstances surrounding her unexpected departure from the ABC daytime drama series.

A week after word leaked that Ronn Moss (Ridge Forrester) opted not to renew his contract, CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful,” now in its 26th season, has worked overtime to not lose another member of its “core four” (the soaps four original cast members).

In its newest issue, TV Guide Magazine has revealed some of televisions highest paid stars. As you can imagine, the list comprises of former daytime soap stars who’ve either gone on to host their own talk show or headline a top ranked primetime series, or in the case of primetime soap stars – gotten richer!

America Media, Inc. (AMI) has purchased 37-year-old Soap Opera Digest from previous owner Source Interlink Media. As followers of Soap Opera Network knew, America Media licensed Digest from Source Interlink on April 14, 2011, wherein American Media would retain editorial, advertising, marketing and distribution control of the magazine and its sister publications Soap Opera Weekly and Pixie! (both now defunct), while ownership would remain with Source Interlink.

On Friday, June 1, 2012, Source Books (publisher of the recent “Days of our Lives” series of novels and coffee books) has scheduled the hardcover release of “The Young and Restless Life of William J. Bell: Creator of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful,” which covers the life and times of one of daytime’s most creative minds.

Although the likelihood was expected thanks to the loss of long-time soaps “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” in 2011 and 2012, which were preceded by the departures of “Guiding Light” and “As The World Turns” in 2009 and 2010, news broke on Thursday, March 22 that after 22 years in publication Soap Opera Weekly would end its successful run as one of the premier soap opera magazines. The final decision to end the mag was just one of many blows the soap opera industry has felt in as many years. Soap Opera Network takes a by the numbers look at Weekly and how its readership levels helped lead to its ultimate demise.

In a story we had been following since it was first reported last April that Soap Opera Weekly and Soap Opera Digest magazines would fall under the umbrella of American Media, publishers of such mags as Star and TV Guide, Soap Opera Network has learned that after 22 years Soap Opera Weekly (launched in November 1989) will be shuttered and its April 10, 2012 issue will be its last.

Because we were working overtime trying to get the re-designed website up while also transferring servers, we didn’t get a chance to report on this. For those who may have missed out on it all, E! is debuting a new reality series that actually covers the behind the scenes lives of some of your favorite soap stars for a change and not those “Real Housewives” we’ve gotten bored with from network sibling Bravo.