Now that she has more money than God, Oprah is calling it quits. Apparently, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is so huge, its viewers need a two-year notice. Now that Oprah has an empire to command – including a radio channel on Sirius, a magazine, and Broadway shows, movies and TV shows to produce – the talk show that first put her on the map is taking a back seat. Oprah has been hinting for a while now that she would not renew her syndicated program once her contract expired in 2011; today’s announcement makes it official.
Oprah Winfrey just announced to her staff … next season will be the last for her TV show.
An Oprah insider tells TMZ “Oprah announced there will be layoffs after this season.” The final show will air in Sept 2011. 2011 marks the 25th year of the show — one of the most successful in TV.Oprah Winfrey insiders tell TMZ Oprah initially planned to announce she was quitting her show earlier than today … but the decision was delayed for strategic reasons.
We’re told Oprah will be making her big announcement tomorrow because it’s the last taping day of the show for the rest of the year.
As for the strategic reasons …. one insider says Oprah wants “The Dr. Oz Show” to slip into her time period on ABC when her show goes off the air. We’ve learned “The Dr. Oz Show” becomes a free agent literally within days of the final curtain for “Oprah.” Will ABC buy Oz?
Love her or hate her, there’s no way to deny Oprah’s rightful place in television history: the first black woman to have her own talk show, Winfrey ratcheted the familiar format up a few notches, making once-controversial hosts like Phil Donohue look like uptight stuffed shirts. Her ability to book A-list celebrities like Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts one day, then address hot topics such as domestic abuse and femal sexuality the next, has kept viewers glued to the set and whispering around water coolers for 25 years. Later in the show’s life span, a rejuvenated format urged viewers to enhance their lives and communities by reading books, giving to charity and getting involved in the political process. Oprah’s ability to connect with her loyal audience and influence everything from what they wear, listen to and even vote for is unprecedented for a TV host — as is her net worth.
So, what will Oprah do after 2011? Why, start another cable TV network, of course. Oprah Winfrey Network, aka OWN, will be her next big thing. Winfrey was a founding partner in the Oxygen cable channel but later withdrew from that project.
Winfrey, 55, is ending the show so that she can devote more of her time to the start of her own cable channel, OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network), which will be a 50-50 partnership between her and the Maryland-based Discovery Communications.
OWN was scheduled to start at the end of this year, but the date has been changed several times, and 2009 no longer seems likely. Winfrey reportedly told staffers at Harpo Productions that she will not do a talk show on OWN. But she could be saying that so as not to be seen as “competing” in any way with “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” which has contracts it must obligate through Sept. 9, 20011.
Winfrey was one of the founding partners in the Oxygen cable in 1998, but she said the channel did not reflect her voice and she eventually ended her relationship.
One of the most interesting stories will be the way Oprah’s move in 2011 re-aligns early evening news ratings in cities form coast to coast.
I have to be honest: I haven’t watched Oprah in years. Every once in a while I will see a clip on E!’s “The Soup,” and she appears to be out of her mind. I can’t say I’ll miss her show, but I sure will miss the crazy.
It’s about time, but not soon enough.
HALLELUJIAH!!!
I like this woman. how many odds has she defied? she’s like a walking odd defyer!
don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
I stopped watching her when she had Madonna on promoting David’s adoption. She said anyone that had anything to say could just shut up….fuck you Oprah, YOU shut up….My opinion is just as important as yours!
I like Oprah, always have! I don’t watch her show nowadays since I’m at work til 7pm, but she is pretty amazing, likeable, and has acheived a lot.
So what if she gives her opinion on something? Do you want your talk show hosts to be bland, opinion-less, and to be scared to offend someone in the world and thus, never take a position? I am not in favor of this overly-PC world that so many try and push. People have opinions, and it makes them interesting. That is, if you can stand to hear an opinion that is different than yours!
I wish Oprah all the best in her new venture.
i have nothing personal against oprah. she’s a hard-working woman who has succeeded on her own merits. that said, i abhor her typical liberal hypocrisy in that she owns a home in ca, but limits her time in residence there so she’s not subject to the state’s exorbitant taxes. okay, let’s get this straight. promote/support/vote in those who love to raise taxes on the middle and upper classes then work the system so you don’t have to pay said taxes. uh-huh, sounds like a plan.
She was a trailblazer, but I think the sun is setting on her ratings and that is the real reason she’s getting out. She seriously considered quitting a few years ago. IIRC, there was publicity about it. She was still doing very well in the ratings, though. I was still watching the show periodically then. Now, a lot of people have joined me in not watching at all, no matter who is on. It’s not that I dislike her, it’s just that I don’t want to spend the time. She’s timed this well.
see ya
Bravo Oprah , its time now to concentrate on your charity initiatives.