Oprah Winfrey will end her syndicated show, report says
Filed under: Company News, People, Media
Oprah Winfrey has been the queen of all media for most of the 23 years she's been on the air. But it looks like she's about to pull a Howard Stern -- packing up her free, over-the-airwaves broadcast and taking it to a more exclusive venue. According to Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke, Winfrey is days away from announcing her decision to end her syndicated talk show with plans to resurrect the show on cable after the launch of the Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN. The Oprah Winfrey Show would cease to exist in its current form in mid-2011, when her syndication deal with CBS Corp.'s (CBS) CBS Television Distribution expires.
Stern made a similar move in 2005, jumping from CBS-owned Infinity Broadcasting to Sirius Satellite Radio, which offered him a $500 million contract on the premise that his presence would lead huge numbers of his fans to sign up for its service. Stern is now rumored to be thinking of leaving radio altogether in favor of broadcasting over the Web.)
A spokeswoman for Winfrey's company, Harpo Productions, says Finke's report isn't accurate: "[Winfrey] has not made a decision yet. As she's previously stated, she will be making an announcement before the end of this year."
But Winfrey can't put off the migration much longer if she hopes to make OWN a reality. Originally, the network, formed as a joint venture with Discovery Communications (DISCA), was supposed to go live this year. But the launch has been delayed amid turnover in the new venture's executive ranks.
Finke reports the new target launch date as first-quarter 2011. If that's so, you can be sure The Oprah Winfrey Show will turn up there sooner rather than later.
D-Day for Harry Reid: Can he wrangle 60 votes for Senate health bill?
Fed stalls on Chinese bank deal, costs taxpayers $1.7 billion
Dell in a handbasket: Should founder Michael Dell resign?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
11-05-2009 @ 4:04PM
flamingrose40 said...
Goodbye Oprah, you will not be missed as I stopped watching your arrogant, narcissistic, hipocrital excuse for a show years ago! You lost the humility you had years ago when you first started, and now are just a female version of our self absorbed president.
Reply
11-06-2009 @ 6:11PM
Jimmy said...
way to go , you got that right!!!!!!
11-06-2009 @ 2:12PM
dandd said...
WOW you rednecks are pissed!!! you find some way to talk bad about the president even when the blog has nothiing to do with him, as I have said before...
GET OVER IT, WE NOW HAVE A
BLACK PRESIDENT!!!!
&
YOUR DADDYS AMERICA
IS GONE
CRY ME A RIVER!!
PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS RELEVANT TO THIS BLOG... CRY TO YOUR BARTENDER
11-06-2009 @ 3:50PM
JOHN said...
SPOT-ON
11-06-2009 @ 10:15PM
Aubere said...
You don't make up the whole of the world. There will still be many people tuning into Oprah. I don't make a habit of watching her either, but I have no illusions that because I don't watch her a lot that others also don't.
You guys slay me with your arrogance. Do you actually think your opinion sways anybody one way or the other?
11-05-2009 @ 4:12PM
Hello Tiffany said...
I don't watch her show anyway. She won't be missed in my house. I love Ellen more anyways.
Reply
11-05-2009 @ 4:16PM
Now It Makes Sense said...
Who would be the best guest ever to kick off her new radio talk show? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Reply
11-06-2009 @ 10:48AM
monchild1234 said...
Jay Leno could be her first guest and he could tell her what a mistake it is to take a major money maker and make it even grater. The bigger they are the harder they fall (so they say)
11-05-2009 @ 4:22PM
El said...
It's time for her to go. Just like Jon and Kate, she has become irrelevant. I lost respect for her when she pandered to the Obamas.
Reply
11-06-2009 @ 11:30PM
Touria said...
Now she's pandering to Palin. Does that make you love her? You guys are so stupid. She can have whomever she wants on her show. I wonder what Palin will talk about? Oh, I know, she will talk about her foreign policy experience. You know, the experience she got by sitting on her patio looking over at Russia. She's such a brainy one.
11-05-2009 @ 4:22PM
Jenny said...
Wow, a42otree, just ignore posts that are off subject and ignorant. Don't stoop to a low level, your post is filthy. I live in Chicago and Oprah has been a wonderful citizen. Helping where she can, and she has been a positive influence for many. I don't care to watch her show, I'm not home then, but for those that don't like it, don't watch it. But she must have done something right to have that sort of longevity. Kudos to Oprah's success!
Reply
11-05-2009 @ 4:40PM
Mary K said...
Any friend of Obama is not a friend of mine, please go..
Reply
11-05-2009 @ 4:41PM
a42otree said...
i never said anything bad about oprah..why not? she gives cars, helps people out, people become stable because of her generosity all these people keep ranking on My president and they were too soft to rank on the twat that got us here,thats the point.why not bash her, i am part of the next generation here?
Reply
11-05-2009 @ 4:57PM
Linnie said...
a42otree, as I said, you are the weirdest creep that ever posted and have the mind of my toenail
11-06-2009 @ 11:23AM
flamingrose40 said...
Well yes, she may give away cars and such. Like Obama gives away "free money".....hence the adoration of the small minded to someone that gives them free stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2CSMtLkz3s
11-06-2009 @ 12:12PM
michael said...
Oprah does not give cars away. She generously gives away merchandise that is given to her for this exact purpose. Oprah doesnt pay for all those cars she gives away. Car manufacturers give them away. Oprah is just the vehicle for the distribution of these freebies. And what does the manufacturer get???? Lots of publicity.
11-05-2009 @ 4:41PM
a42otree said...
well then mary, dont let the door knock you out on your way..
Reply
11-05-2009 @ 4:45PM
MICHAEL said...
GOOD RIDENCE TO OPRAH , HER EGOTISTICAL TRIPE AND CHEAP PANDERRING TO THE MASSES !!!!!!! YOU HEARD IT FIRST HEAR MANY MANY MONTHS AGO WHEN SHE STABBED HILARY IN THE BACK AND BACKED THE NOBAMAS THAT THIS WAS CAREER SUICIDE AND THE END OF HER SHOW. THIS IS THE EVENTUAL MOVE FOR THE MEDIA LOSERS LIKE OPRAH AND STERN. THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER. YEP, RIGHT WHERE NOBODY CAN SEE OR HEAR THEM IN SPACE WITH SATALITES. SO LONG OPRAH, YOU NOBAMA POLITICAL MEDIA WHORE. DON'T LET THE DOORKNOB HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT. NEXT !!!
Reply
11-06-2009 @ 6:45AM
Anne said...
I agree whole heartedly. You hit the nail on the head. It is a LONG overdue GOODBYE.
11-05-2009 @ 4:48PM
Connie Algeo said...
Oprah has done amazing things to help mankind. I applaud her for that ! Thank you so very much! Connie
Reply