[3][4] It may be more accurately described as the first daytime drama or the first soap opera strip, as it was preceded by DuMont series Faraway Hill in 1946 and Highway to the Stars in 1947, both of which are described as soap operas but aired later in the evenings and broadcast only once a week; Guiding Light had also been in production for 12 years once These Are My Children debuted, but only as a radio series - its TV version did not debut until 1952.
[6] In addition to critical opinions, the immediate factor in NBC's cancellation of These Are My Children was the decision by AT&T Corporation to end use of its coaxial cable for weekday eastbound distribution of programs originating in Chicago.
Simultaneously executives of NBC "had found fault with the program" while they wanted to have more shows originate in New York rather than in Chicago or on the West Coast.
[7] Phillips later created many popular daytime dramas,[8] and Felton produced primetime soaps Dr. Kildare and Executive Suite.
[citation needed] A review in the trade publication Variety described These Are My Children as "visualization of an ordinary actionless daytime drama"[10] It said that the program differed from soap operas on radio only in that "the actors have memorized lines and have to look sad most of the time.