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CBS creates soaps for the small screen

Marguerite Reardon Former senior reporter
Marguerite Reardon started as a CNET News reporter in 2004, covering cellphone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate and the consolidation of the phone companies.
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Marguerite Reardon

CBS is planning to create a new soap opera series for mobile users, according to the entertainment Web site Variety.com

The network, which is home to TV soaps "Guiding Light" and "Young & the Restless", plans to run five to seven episodes a week of a new original series, specially produced for mobile phones. The episodes are expected to run for about three to five minutes each.

Unlike regular soap opera's, which have story lines that have lasted for decades, the new made-for-mobile soaps will likely only have story arcs that last about three months. CBS hasn't started casting yet, and it's not yet known which service provider the network plans to use to distribute the new shows, Variety.com reported.

CBS already has a deal with Verizon Wireless to offer clips of the "CBS Evening News", "Entertainment Tonight", "CSI", and "Letterman" through Verizon's V Cast service.

CBS also has a deal with the newly launched mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Amp'd Mobile. Amp'd uses Verizon's CDMA EV-DO network to offer streaming and downloadable content for the youth and young adult markets. MTV invested $50 million in Amp'd back in December.