Oprah Winfrey has given away cars. She's given away houses. She's even given away trips to Australia. Soap fans thought -- and hoped -- that she might be able to help save All My Children and One Life to Live from cancellation. Now the soon-to-be-exiting talk show host has said that she can't (and won't) pull off that miracle.

"I understand what it feels like to have a show that you love go off the air," Winfrey said in a video to soap fans, noting that her web site and Twitter account have been "bombarded" with pleas from soap fans.

Citing soap operas' declining ratings, Winfrey explained that she felt the medium was not financially viable. In her message, Winfrey seemed to be directing her comments not just at fans of All My Children and One Life to Live, but to fans of all soap operas.

"I appreciate that you all think that I could save the soaps," Winfrey said before offering the "bone marrow truth" about why she cannot. "If there was a dime left to be made from them on broadcast television, it would still be happening... All good things come to an end. All things have their time... I will not be taking on the responsibility of trying to revive an institution that, for all intent and all purpose, indicates that that time has come for it to be over. Thank for you for believing I can save them, but I really can't."