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If you listened carefully, it sure sounded like Oprah Winfrey is starting to acknowledge what everybody else seems to know: that OWN — her cable channel joint venture with Discovery Communications — has been a disappointment since it was launched in January. “We’re all about raising this child, and it does indeed take a village,” the talk-show hostess told an audience of advertisers and ad buyers at Discovery’s upfront presentation Thursday. She added that “we are all learning more and more about the viewers.” She promised that, once her syndicated daytime talk show ends in May, “I get to devote my full attention to OWN,” but not until September. OWN’s live total day ratings among people between ages 25 and 54 were down 3.8% in the first quarter from the numbers that the channel it replaced, Discovery Health, delivered during the same period last year.
Oprah Admits Her OWN Is Underachiever
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Wow, Oprah’s touch isn’t so golden after all. Not snarking, just amazed. Giving the unwatchable Rosie O’Donnell a show can’t help, either.
I think it may be a smart move to combine both ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE into one show and them to her lineup and that would certainly attract all the viewers Soapnet had as well as the AMC and OLTL viewers, After all she recently had several soap stars on her show and included a clip of her first acting gig — a small role on ALL MY CHILDREN.
I agree! If she wants OWN to gain loyal viewers and boost ratings then picking up AMC and OLTL would be the way to do it. The last time I saw the ratings OLTL was ranked 3rd. I haven’t watched OWN one time, there is nothing on that channel that currently interests me however I would watch in a heartbeat if she put those shows on her network.
I think if Oprah took All My Children and One Life to Live on her network the fans would automatically come!!! I suggested this a long time ago. She loves Susan Lucci so what’s the hang up. Tweak the names of the Shows!!!!!
Frankly, I am so over Oprah at this point. She has reached her level of inefficiency. What always made Oprah click with viewers was the notion, “she’s one of us.” Well honey, she sure ain’t one of us anymore. She jumped the shark with her road trip show with Gayle. How bizarre was that? And not very funny.
And now, “I’m a teacher.” You ain’t Gandhi, babe. She has lost touch with her core base. In fairness how could she not? As an icon celebrity, she’s isolated. And who ever goes up against her? She’s a benign despot. Although the media is afraid of her, I haven’t talked to one person who will miss her program, interesting, eh?
Forgive this last comment but how can a woman who has more money than God still have that odd dark line down the right side of her face that isn’t camouflaged by makeup? What is that?
Hello,
I’m sitting listening to the 2nd to last Oprah show.
Wondering where will the Hollywood A list go to peddle their trade. How do you spell celebrity status, be invited on an Oprah show where she plugs the movie or tv show better than you can.
So, Ms. O will be able to build her brand with all her dying leagues of gal pals and questionable men pals. I hope her next venture is more diverse then the last 25 years appeared. The big joke is when she discussed her Network – it was her network till you find out that Discovery channel is on board.
By end of August you will be seeing Oprah flog her network on all of the late night talk shows. By the kick off of the fall season you will definitely see a revised talk show with the BIG O back on screen.
Does anyone believe that anyone will pay a MILLIOM BUX for a thirty in her last syndicated program? Any agency that recommends their client to buy in that last program for more than today’s thirty second cost should be fired.
the shows are a bit boring. I don’t like self help books and the OWN network just feels like an endless self help book.
I have no idea the criteria for choosing them. And if it is going to be successful without OPRAH doing a show then they have a lot of work to do.
Plus the Oprah Show is just a snooze fest for these last few weeks. She should have gotten some celebrities that have never been on the show. I could think of several that would pull in the ratings. She seems to be just phoning in that show right now and it shows.
I find it incredible that her ratings are worse than the shows that they replaced on Discovery Health. Didnt the same thing happen to Martha Stewart on Hallmark?
Here’s an idea Oprah:
Put something on that widens your brand appeal instead of limiting it — i.e. Rosie O’. She’s earned quite a negative and divisive reputation of late and clearly faces an uphill battle to earn back her audience. Talking ‘time’ here — something you’re running out of.
In addition, I’d have to believe your base expects something more innovative from you than another ‘talk’ show.
Shoot for the moon. Be gutsy. People want fantasy fulfillment these days more than ever. And this is right up your alley — you give away cars, take an audience to Australia, give teachers their due. People want and expect THAT kinda next trick up your sleeve and if the best you got is Rosie, people will lose faith in your ability to deliver.
Give them a show that gives every day people their due and I think you got a winner. It’ll extend your brand appeal and at the same time maintain loyalty with your base. Focus in that arena and I think the mob will show up en masse.
I am and have been a big fan of Oprah forever and was very excited when she announced her new network OWN I’ve tuned in and I too have been disappointed. I was expecting her to raise the bar and set the tone for new programming that motivates, inspires and educates—instead her programs lack excitement and entertainment and I’m not going to even touch the fact that there is a obvious omission of diversity. Oprah is quoted as saying “it takes a village to raise this Network,” so perhaps she should make sure her village is reflective of the diverse world in which we live.
I was excited for exactly one show on OWN: Trading Spaces reruns. And now those aren’t airing anymore, so I gave OWN the boot.
I think the key here is ego. Oprah can still develop a network that people want to watch but it can’t be 24 hours of continuous new-age blather and metrosexual retreads.
Modern women face real and significant challenges and there is nothing for them on TV. Here’s a chance to really program for a new generation, Oprah.
I don’t know why it is a surprise. When she finally stopped doing the regular trashy talk show back in the early 90s her ratings went down too. It is a very niche market that she is looking at.
Of course that channel is not offered in many homes. I would have to upgrade to a more expensive cable package to get it and I’m not willing to do that when I can watch some of the shows On Demand instead.
But it is nice to see her try to do what she is doing. It’s better than the junk on MTV and depressing crime shows all day long.
‘A very niche market she’s looking at?’
Yep the Oprah show ratings are really in the toilet!
Oh and of course the book club, O magazine, Favorite Things shows – all disasters since she went upmarket in the early 90′s…
Why Septemeber? Does she think she’s European or something? TV doesn’t shut down in the summer.
Erspamer must realize that she needs to change her head of talent
…for many, many reasons…Lisa the town has issues, big ones…and
you should too for other reasons.
Knowing from first-hand experience, many of the execs there are out of touch with what the life of the average American is really like, especially across the majority of the country between the coasts. Granted, that’s not uncommon in Hollywood and Oprah herself probably is too, but it’s not 100% universal. In the past, Oprah at least seemed like she was able to fake it and put on a show which the average American could identify with, or give them good advice or something to aspire to or even fantasize about perhaps. However, the development process at OWN has gone through so much turmoil and turnover that is has only strayed even further and further away from what America is really like and what America cares about. If anything, the OWN execs should take an anonymous road trip and drive across the country to meet real people and get their heads screwed on straight.
Surprising that lame boring crap is not getting many viewers. How about a late night uncensored celebrity sex tape show?
we go through the same bs every time a new channel starts… reality is it’s always tough… it always takes time and years for it to grow…
yet we still have to play this dance of “look how disappointing it is” months into a launch
so silly
When OPRAH isn’t on at 4 in the afternoon, people will move to her channel. Then and only then when people can no longer get their Oprah fill from network tv will the cablette get a feel for it’s former Oprah viewers presence. I hope they continue to deveolop shows that need to be seen. I love Lisa Ling.
ironically OWN is not a creative, talent and deal-friendly place. until that changes don’t see anything innovative happening there.
OWN sucks, it needs btr programming, even the “fruitloop” mktg launch sucks. re read some past articles – OWNs had troubles since 2009 – before the launch folks. one would think finding good people and good programming would not be so hard in LA?
It might not hurt for Oprah to get out of the studio and do some shows in cities and towns across the country. Her presence in different venues could help to boost OWN’s visibility and connect with the viewers she covets.
Exactly which cable network started off strong in its first year?
Oprah’s show is pretty good and it didn’t tank when she went upmarket. It dipped but ended up beating Jerry and Maury. New channels take tons of time to launch. No matter who’s name is on it. This was probably a bad idea to begin with since Oxygen only got traction with trashy shows. This last season has had a lot of good moments. She’s really putting it all out there this season. I would have waited to launch until May, to make it a smooth transition to get your Oprah fix. I’d do home shows, make over shows just not as over produced as the shows on HGTV.
I am really not a Oprah fan, but just like when Fox got started it takes a minute.
OWN will be out of here in less than 5 years.
Winfrey will be forgotten in 6.
Count on it.
Even if that turns out to be true, I don’t think she’ll be clipping coupons afterward, so she’ll be just fine.
If Oprah really wants some numbers then here’s what she should explore…Have OWN pickup “AMC” AND “OLTL” = INSTANT NUMBERS in a KEY Demo. Not only that the cable providers and Discovery Network would also make money.
It makes perfectly good sense if Oprah could make a deal (even if it meant some changes ie:30 mins instead of 60). There are some very upset people threatening to boycott ABC…give them someplace to go with the hope that they’ll STAY!
Just putting that out there.
Now that the daytime soaps are getting canceled we can look forward to yet more ponderous programming consisting purely of blowhards sitting on a couch.
The OWN network tries to teach viewers how to live a better life by getting out and taking control of your life. However, the OWN does require you sit inside and watch 18 hours of their programming each day to learn how to do this. With this kind of brilliant thinking, I can’t figure why they don’t have higher ratings. Maybe the Big “O” should put Steadman in charge of the network, it can’t get much worse.
Seriously, can the stray dogs, or in this case, stray cats, go back to their alley.No one wants those soaps.Enjoy them while they are still on television and move on afterwards.
Take it off pay cable. We ain’t paying for Oprah! She doesn’t need our money.
Trouble with OWN is they want to do all reality programming. They need some sitcoms and dramas to anchor the channel and draw in viewers. I’ve pitched some high-concept projects to their development folks only to be told they are not looking for scripted.
I agree. She needs orignal smart series. Who needs a cooking show when there is a whole network for that! Reality series come on.