It’s tough when most of the cast and writers of your new top-rated show are committed to another project. But if you are SoapNet General Manager Deborah Blackwell, it’s a small worry because the network is bubbling all around her.

On the heels of adding 13 million households to its subscriber base, SoapNet enjoyed record viewership in July. The channel’s first original scripted drama, "General Hospital: Night Shift," is outdrawing SoapNet’s prime-time reruns of the popular ABC soap it was spun off from, averaging 915,000 total viewers and 397,000 women 18 to 49.

Ms. Blackwell said she would love to renew the show, but when "General Hospital" ends its summer schedule of producing five episodes in four days, it’s going to be tricky to continue to pump out episodes of "Night Shift."

"I’m talking to the writers and producers now to see if that’s something they can accomplish," said Brian Frons, president of daytime for Disney ABC Television, to whom SoapNet reports.

"We didn’t know what kind of physical and creative toll it would take on the ‘GH’ team, and while the ‘GH’ numbers have been great, people are getting tired. So I have to figure out how we can sort of keep the energy in both programs."

In the meantime, SoapNet is also getting buzz for its newest reality show, "The Fashionista Diaries," and next week launches the fourth edition of "I Wanna Be a Soap Star."

All of the above are contributing to big business in the upfront, with revenue up 40 percent and price increase percentages in the teens on a cost-per-thousand basis.

With the change to commercial ratings as the basis for ad sales, SoapNet was helped by its strong viewer loyalty and its retention of viewers through commercial breaks, said Heidi Lobel, senior VP of ABC Daytime and SoapNet Sales. "There were major CPM issues for other cable networks and we didn’t face that, so I’m quite sure we will come out of this upfront with the highest CPM increases" after the differential between program and commercial ratings is taken into account.

The network picked up 24 new advertisers, including several in fast food, a new category for the channel, Ms. Lobel said.

SoapNet, now in 64.4 million homes, was the 39th-ranked ad-supported cable network in terms of total viewers in prime time during the fourth quarter. Launched in 2000 to repurpose ABC’s soap operas, in the past year the network has been evolving its programming, adding younger-skewing off-network shows such as "The O.C." and "One Tree Hill" to the mix to funnel new viewers into the soap genre.

"We want to ensure the future vibrancy of the soap genre. We want to always be sure that we’re bringing new young viewers into it," Ms. Blackwell said.

But while young women have tuned in to see "The O.C." and "One Tree Hill," the network over its whole day remains flat among women 18 to 34.

With its original programming, the network is in a better position to offer the product-placement and integration deals sponsors are demanding. Diet Coke is featured in "The Fashionista Diaries" and L’Oreal cosmetics are being integrated into "Soap Star."

"Creating new opportunities for our advertisers is really a high priority for us," Ms. Blackwell said.

Advertisers are showing their appreciation. Derek Baine of SNL Kagan Research said SoapNet "had a significant bump in ad revenue last year and we are predicting this will happen again in 2007." SNL Kagan projects that SoapNet’s ad revenues will increase 23 percent to $46.6 million this year.

"It seems like a lot of what they’re trying has been successful," said Shari Cohen, co-president for national broadcast at Mindshare. "I think it comes from an understanding of who they are and understanding their audience and what they’ll be receptive to watching."

Ms. Cohen said SoapNet was attractive in the upfront because "their price point makes sense and they’re certainly growing."

SoapNet’s broadened distribution—which brings added subscription and advertising revenue—is what is allowing it to acquire more current shows and ramp up original production, executives said. The network has been generating cash for Disney since 2003, according to SNL Kagan, and should have record cash flow of $56.9 million in 2007.

The fourth episode of "General Hospital: Night Shift," which aired Aug. 2, was the highest-rated since the premiere, showing gains in the network’s key demographics of women 18 to 49 and women 18 to 34.

"The idea we could put it on and actually have better ratings than ‘General Hospital’ is kind of a jaw-dropper to me," Mr. Frons said. SoapNet gets promoted on ABC Daytime and as part of ABC Daytime media buys. He said about 10 percent of "Night Shift" viewers had never watched SoapNet before and 38 percent of women 18 to 49 watching "General Hospital" on ABC are watching "Night Shift" on SoapNet.

With the success of "Night Shift," SoapNet will look at extending other soaps on its air. "I think we do have to look hard at what ‘One Life to Live’ might be able to do for us in terms of an original spinoff," Mr. Frons said.