own-related stories
Posted Nov 21st 2009 11:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Celebrities, Talk Show
After watching
The Oprah Winfrey Show today and hearing her teary announcement about her decision to end her syndicated talk show, I had one thought in my head.
Oprah Winfrey is doing a
Johnny Carson. She's writing her own script (no pun intended). Oprah is leaving while she's still wanted, while she's still strong, and by setting the date 18 months down the road, she's giving herself a victory tour.
This is very much like Johnny Carson's decision to leave
The Tonight Show. The difference, of course, is that Oprah's show is not an established landmark entity like
The Tonight Show, which had Steve Allen and Jack Paar as hosts before Carson. No, Oprah was/is
The Oprah Winfrey Show. She will not leave it behind for someone else to inherit the throne. She's taking the throne with her.
Continue reading Oprah's exit is like Johnny Carson leaving The Tonight Show
Posted Nov 15th 2009 3:07PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Daytime, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
There's a lot of speculation in the biz about
what will Oprah do next. The daytime talk show giant supposedly made up her mind recently and decided that her syndicated show,
The Oprah Winfrey Show, would end its run in syndication and move to OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network (formerly Discovery Health). An official announcement is anticipated before the end of the year, but is that really was Oprah has decided? Nobody knows for certain.
There are
pros and cons on either side. The companies that syndicated her talk show stand to lose a significant asset if she wraps up the current incarnation and abandons the market. Think of all those afternoon hours around that country that count on Oprah at three or four o'clock, or the morning slots where Oprah leads in to noon newscasts. Companies like CBS Distribution and the Tribune Company have feasted on the robust ratings Oprah has consistently delivered.
Continue reading What would you do if you were Oprah?
Posted Nov 6th 2009 9:29AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
Yesterday
there was a story on Deadline Hollywood that
Oprah Winfrey would be ending her syndicated talk show in 2011 in order to move over to her OWN cable network. She'd still have a talk show, one based on Los Angeles, but it would not be syndicated. It would be on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), formerly Discovery Health.
Well, after the news was reported all over the place, Oprah's company Harpo, Inc. issued a statement that there would be no announcement until the end of the year. They didn't deny it; they just said the announcement about the switch would be later in the year.
To the average fan, if Oprah stopped her syndicated show, it probably wouldn't matter too much. Most people have basic cable and OWN would probably be a major addition to most cable systems, as well as DirecTV and Dish. Longtime fans would be able to watch Oprah on cable or satellite. No biggie.
Continue reading Is Oprah ending her syndicated show for her OWN show?
Posted Dec 5th 2008 9:31AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
There's a famous scene in
The Godfather: Part III -- the only really memorable one -- where Michael Corleone says, "Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in." I thought of that when I read that
Oprah Winfrey may not be ending her talk show in 2011 after all. What? I thought it was a done deal, but no. Every time I think she's done, she's back again.
When asked by
Access Hollywood about
The Oprah Winfrey Show ending in 2011, Ms. W said, "I'm not done." Well, you sure could have knocked me over with a feather. I mean, really, I understand that it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind, but I really thought Oprah had other worlds to conquer, other fish to fry.
Continue reading Oprah's talk show future might be all her OWN
Posted Apr 9th 2008 12:04PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, Daytime, Talk Show, Reality-Free
Please file this item under the "Duh" file: Dr. Mehmet Oz, Oprah's favorite medical expert, is getting a spin-off talk show. Harpo Productions, Oprah's company,
is developing a Dr. Oz talk show to commence fall of 2009.
According to insiders, the Harpo team had meetings with distributor in Chicago last month. A medical talker with Doc Oz, which I bet will be called
Ask Dr. Oz -- the name of his successful segments on Oprah's show -- would follow in the footsteps of Dr. Phil. Remember, Dr. Phil McGraw began his life as a talker by appearing on
Oprah in infrequent hours that were a de facto pilot for his own talk show.
Dr. Phil then launched in 2002, as a Harpo production, and has been a big time hit. He's even challenged
Oprah in some markets.
Continue reading Oprah developing new show for Dr. Oz
Posted Mar 19th 2008 9:03AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Celebrities, Talk Show
Kirstie Alley is coming back to the small screen and Oprah's got her.
Harpo Productions has signed Alley for future TV projects. It could be a sitcom like
Fat Actress, it could be a talk show, like the one she shopped around last year, but in whatever format, Harpo will be behind it. One definite possibility would be for Kirstie to appear in a show on OWN, the new
Oprah Winfrey Network, which used to be Discovery Health Channel.
Continue reading Oprah makes a deal with Kirstie Alley
Posted Jan 15th 2008 2:04PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: TV Royalty, Industry, Celebrities
You think Oprah Winfrey is already the most powerful person on television? You have no idea.
Winfrey and Discovery Communications announced a deal today that will have the Discovery Health Channel given to Oprah and switched to The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN - really!). In return, Discovery gets Oprah's web site. I'm not really sure what getting to run Oprah's web site means for Discovery, but it will be part of the network.
Continue reading Get ready for The Oprah Network
Posted May 15th 2006 5:02PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: Industry, Web
How would you like to have the coffee table from
That '70s Show? Or maybe Kitty's crockpot? Then again, maybe you're more of a
Malcolm in the Middle fan and want to own the couch from the living room set? If any of these props (and others) sound cool to you, Mr and Mrs. Moneybags, you should check out
this auction going on right now over on eBay. This is a charity auction, and proceeds from the
That '70s Show stuff will go to The Young Storytellers Foundation while money made off props from
Malcolm in the Middle will go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The auction ends May 17.
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