Breaking News for Black America » Oprah Winfrey

New Book Claims Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey Clash Behind Scenes

Ruth Manuel-Logan — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:46:59 +0000

First Lady Michelle Obama and talk show diva Oprah Winfrey are not all smiles and buddy-buddy as they’d like us all to believe according to the new book “The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House” by Ed Klein, reports RadarOnline.

The two female powerhouses have allegedly had some ugly confrontations before and after Barack Obama was elected president. Reportedly, Mrs. Obama has accused Oprah of using the White House to her own advantage in order to hike up her TV ratings. Both women are also being accused of raking each other over the coals to close associates.

But wait, it supposedly gets nastier!

As Barack Obama’s inauguration drew near, Oprah’s calls to Michelle allegedly went unreturned. According to the book’s author, Oprah felt as if she had been kicked to the curb.

Mrs. Obama has also allegedly talked about the burgeoning weight of the woman whose endorsement netted her husband 1,015,559 votes and decided the primary election, while Oprah has reportedly referred to the First Lady as someone who hates fat people.

On another alleged occasion, Oprah invited Mrs. Obama to discuss childhood obesity, which is a cause she is passionate about, and was turned down. The book claims that Oprah was pretty peeved about the rejection by Michelle Obama and reportedly stated, “Michelle hates fat people and doesn’t want me waddling around the White House!” Klein then alleged Mrs. Obama told her staff, regarding the invite to Oprah’s show to discuss obesity, “Oprah, with her yo-yo dieting and huge girth is a terrible role model. Kids will look at Oprah, who’s rich and famous and huge, and figure it’s OK to be fat.”

Klein does state that the president has maintained his close ties with Oprah despite the fact that his wife has delegated the job of dealing with her to aides. Sources also contend that the president telephones Oprah at night to get her opinion on how he can become more popular with the masses, which makes the allegedly jealous Mrs. Obama not very happy. “Michelle thinks he should turn to her, not Oprah, for that kind of advice,” the book quotes an anonymous source.

When our president supplicated to his missus to extend the olive branch to Oprah, sources told Klein that is why Michelle taped a May 2011 interview for one of Oprah’s final shows.That peace offering has done zilch to do away with the intense dislike that both women reportedly have for each other, according to Klein.

Sound off!

With OWN Reportedly $330 Million in the Hole, Is It Curtains For Oprah?

Newsone Staff — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:56:06 +0000

It was all good just a year ago, as Oprah Winfrey (pictured center), then OWN CEO Christina Norman (pictured left) and David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery Communications (pictured right), popped champagne to celebrate the network that was poised to revolutionize cable television. Fast forward to 2012, Norman is gone, fired over dismal ratings, and the riskiest venture of Winfrey’s career is folding under a staggering $330 million in losses, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

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With insiders predicting that OWN will probably fold in a year, the media magnate faces some tough branding decisions if she wants to keep her “baby” from going under:

The Daily Mail reports:

Though ratings have seen a slight insurgence thanks to interview program “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” it has stumbled since the get go with ratings of just 308,000 daily. It is believed shows which do not feature the chat show queen herself are not popular with viewers.Discovery, which partnered with Winfrey to launch the network and has been underwriting its costs, has invested nearly $600 million in it since 2008, according to an extensive report in Businessweek magazine.

Since it started on the air in January 2011, it may have lost as much as $330million, according to the magazine.

Zaslav, who talked Oprah into the idea of OWN, is famously impatient with money-losing operations within his company and insiders say he will not put up with the ailing network’s losses for much longer.

Winfrey appeared before advertisers two weeks ago to ask for more time, telling them: ‘I am in the climb of my life. I am climbing Kilimanjaro.’

Although she doesn’t risk losing a lot of money from the channel’s failings, Oprah’s reputation is at stake.

Over her 39-year career, The Oprah Winfrey Show had as many as 12.5 million viewers. O, The Oprah Magazine had more than two million subscribers. And her Internet site, Oprah.com, draws more than three million unique visitors a month.

Her image as the most successful TV star of her generation is on the line.

E-mails to OWN and Oprah’s production company, Harpo, were not returned yesterday.

OWN’s reputation for scarce ratings went from bad, to worse, to desperate when she begged the Twittersphere for viewers in February. In an attempt to compete with the Grammy Awards, Winfrey sent the following tweet to almost 10 million followers:

“Every 1 who can please turn to OWN especially if u have a Nielsen box.”

Winfrey issued an apology for the tweet, saying “I removed the tweet at the request of Nielsen. I intended no harm and apologize for the reference.”

Citing a specific category of violation, titled, “Falsified Reporting or Attempts to Coerce Nielsen Panel Members,” the company issued a statement of it’s own, saying, “In accordance with our policies and procedures, Nielsen is reviewing this incident with out clients…We take any violation of our policy seriously and will work with clients to resolve the situation.”

Maybe Lady O’s issues can be solved with a change in programming; after all, it worked for her in 1994 when she made a conscious decision to separate herself from the “trash pack,” consisting of Jerry Springer, Ricky Lake, Montel Williams and others.

We would say that only time will tell, but time is apparently running out.

Still, regardless of what happens with OWN, Winfrey will undoubtedly reinvent herself and bounce back. She always has.

Oprah Winfrey To Deliver Spelman’s Commencement Address

Newsone Staff — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:20:25 +0000

Media mogul and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey will deliver the 2012 commencement address at Spelman College on Sunday, May 20. The class of approximately 550 will soak in the wisdom of one of the most celebrated, beloved and successful women in the world.

Winfrey has a long history with Spelman College — one of the institutions of higher learning in the historic Atlanta University Center, which also includes Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Morris Brown College. In 1993, she received an honorary degree from Spelman College and this year she will receive Spelman’s National Community Service Award.

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Winfrey’s groundbreaking Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa is in partnership with Spelman. Several Spelman students participate in internships at the academy, while several girls from the academy have been accepted into Spelman’s freshman class of 2016.

Spelman’s president, Dr. Beverly Tatum, voiced her enthusiasm for Oprah in a statement released Thursday:

We are thrilled to welcome Oprah Winfrey back to our campus to receive this well-deserved award. I know her address to the Class of 2012 will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the graduates, as it did in 1993.”

Previous speakers include First Lady Michelle Obama in 2011, Dr. Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, in 2010, Dr. Cornel West in 2009, Sheila Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment in 2008 and Dr. William “Bill” Cosby in 2007.

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Will Oprah’s Interview With T.D. Jakes Rejuvenate OWN?

Ruth Manuel-Logan — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:37:39 +0000

Oprah Winfrey will be in Dallas on Easter Sunday to have a sit-down with T.D. Jakes. Her interview with the mega church pastor will delve into issues of race, faith, ego and love. Oprah will also talk to Jake’s wife, Serita Jakes, (pictured), about her marriage to the evangelical superstar.

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Jakes is the senior pastor at The Potter’s House, a non-denominational mega church with more than 30,000 members sitting in its pews.

Time Magazine featured Jakes on the front cover of its September 17th, 2001 issue with the accompanying phrase “Is This Man the Next Billy Graham?” He has authored more than 30 books, many of them New York Times bestsellers.

Jakes’ ministry spans the world and has a strong focus on Africa. The Potter’s House also spearheaded a drive that supplied water wells, medicine, and ministry to thousands of people in Nairobi, Kenya. The 55-year-old pastor’s conferences easily draw thousands of attendees.

Check out Jakes’ and Oprah’s meeting-of-the-minds discussion in a preview here.

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Oprah Speaks On Difficulty Of Running OWN Cable Network

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:40:24 +0000

Oprah Winfrey‘s staggering list of accomplishments positions her as one of the most iconic media figures that has ever lived.

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As a talk show host, businesswoman, producer and philanthropist, Oprah has conquered nearly every medium she’s chosen to engage. Yet even with her apparent formidability, Oprah has publicly admitted that running her own cable network proved to be difficult. She said she would have never created the station if she knew the hardships beforehand.

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Sitting opposite of her good friend Gayle King and co-anchor Charlie Rose, Oprah appeared on “CBS This Morning” earlier today to discuss OWN network’s struggles after some friendly banter between the three. “The idea of creating a network was something that I wanted to do,” Oprah said on the show. “Had I known that it was this difficult, I might have done something else.”

Oprah added, “I didn’t think it was going to be easy, but if I knew then what I know now, I might have made different choices. If I were writing a book about it, I could call the book ‘101 Mistakes.’”

Rose then pressed Oprah on what those mistakes were.

“Launching when we really weren’t ready to launch [the network],” said Oprah. “And doing that because you announced you were going to do it. It’s like, having the wedding when you know you’re not ready.”

Although Oprah has faced heavy criticism for her network’s shortcomings, she has no intentions of giving up OWN and any of her other ventures anytime soon.

“I believe that I am here to fulfill a calling,” said Oprah confidently. “That because I am a female who is African American, who has been so blessed in the world, there’s never going to be a time to quit. I will die in the midst of doing what I love to do.”

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Bill O’Reilly: Oprah’s Trayvon Martin Comments ‘Absurd’

NewsOne Staff — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 01:27:50 +0000

Fox News host Bill O’Reilly slammed Oprah Winfrey on his show Thursday, calling her comments about the ongoing Trayvon Martin case “absurd.” Winfrey has spoken out via Twitter about the shooting of the Florida teen, calling it a “tragedy” and a “shame.” Huffington Post reports:

Bill O’Reilly attacked Oprah on his Thursday show, saying that she was rushing to judgment in the Trayvon Martin case.
Oprah commented on the case during an interview with “Extra” on Wednesday.
“It is a tragedy and it is a shame that we’re sitting here 33 days later and there hasn’t been an arrest, or questioning of what actually happened,” she said. “It’s a tragedy and it is a shame and we all know it.”

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O’Reilly pounced on this.
“Ms. Winfrey saying that there hasn’t been a questioning of what happened is simply absurd, and I’m surprised at her,” he said. “Oprah’s usually responsible and fair in her assessments. …Her intentions are usually good. Not on this one.” He said that the Florida legal authorities were investigating and knew a lot more than Oprah did about the case.

Oprah’s OWN Lays Off One-Fifth Of Staff

NewsOne Staff — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 05:07:33 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oprah Winfrey’s struggling television network, OWN, said Monday it is laying off one-fifth of its workers and restructuring its operations in New York and Los Angeles.

The decision to let 30 employees go is a “tough” one, but the economics of a start-up cable network didn’t fit with OWN’s cost structure, Winfrey said in a statement.

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“As CEO, I have a responsibility to chart the course for long-term success for the network. To wholly achieve that long-term success, this was a necessary next step,” Winfrey said.

The responsibilities of the laid-off workers will be distributed among people with the network and its venture partners, Discovery Communications and Winfrey’s Harpo Studios, according to OWN.

The cable channel, which launched Jan. 1, 2011, endured a freshman year of executive turnover and missteps that proved OWN lacked a solid foundation on which to build. This was despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.

Discovery executives will take a more active role in the channel, according to the announcement.

Neal Kirsch, chief financial officer of Discovery’s U.S. networks, will move to OWN as the chief financial officer and chief operating officer, reporting to OWN presidents Erik Logan and Sheri Salata.

John MacDonald had decided to exit as OWN’s COO, Logan said

Another Discovery executive, Lee Bartlett, will have joint oversight of business and legal affairs with an OWN vice president, Tina Perry.

OWN started as an ambitious new platform for Winfrey after she stepped away from her long-running, top-rated daytime talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” But viewership for OWN shows have been largely unimpressive, with one example being a short-lived Rosie O’Donnell talk show that was cancelled last week.

OWN got a burst of viewer attention this month for Winfrey’s exclusive interview with Whitney Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, which drew 3.5 million viewers, the channel’s biggest audience to date.

From the start, OWN failed to improve on, or in some instances even match, the modest ratings and small audience earned by the low-profile Discovery Health channel it replaced.

As the new channel struggled for footing, Winfrey stepped in behind the scenes and became CEO and chief creative officer of OWN, bringing in her Harpo leadership team of Logan and Salata as presidents. She also increased her on-camera profile with “Oprah’s Next Chapter.”

“I would absolutely say it is and was not where I want it to be for year one,” Winfrey said in December. “My focus up until (last) May was doing what I do best, which is `The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ and giving that my full attention” until its conclusion.

Since September, according to OWN, it’s seen a double-digit increase in ratings and a network high cumulative of 40 million viewers per month.

“We’re very bullish on the evolution of our network,” Logan said Monday.

The channel is banking on a boost from the second-season returns of “Oprah’s Life Class” and the reality series “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.”

There are no immediate plans to launch a talk show with a new host to replace O’Donnell, he said.

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Oprah Honored With Lifetime Achievement Honor at DVF Awards

NewsOne Staff — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:06:49 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey was embraced in a hug by longtime friend Diane von Furstenberg as she took to the stage to accept a “Lifetime Leadership” honor at the third annual DVF awards.

“She is the most formidable person I have ever met in my life,” the designer and humanitarian said of Winfrey at the event, held Friday night at the United Nations. “What is extraordinary about Oprah is that she has done so much and yet she is still a little girl. She is still very pure and you can make her cry and laugh so quickly.”

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Upon accepting the award, Winfrey was expected to talk about her career, but instead used the majority of her time to praise another honoree, Jaycee Dugard, who was abducted when she was 11 years old and held in captivity for 18 years by Phillip and Nancy Garrido. She was raped and gave birth to two children before she was eventually rescued. Her captors were convicted.

“I wanted to have the opportunity to meet her and to tell her how much her story and her life meant to me,” she explained. “I said to Diane, `I know Diane Sawyer should be the one to introduce her, but would you please let me do it.’” Winfrey went on to thank Sawyer, who was also in attendance, and praised the television special she did with Dugard.

“Jaycee Dugard, I am so proud of you, your courage, your ability to press onward toward the future and toward a more victorious life for yourself and for using your courage your strength and your power to show the world that you care,” Winfrey said.

Following Winfrey’s introduction, Dugard took to the stage, getting emotional as she thanked her mother for never giving up hope of finding her. She also spoke about her JAYC Foundation, which aims to give support to families dealing with abduction and other tragedies.

“My hope is to be remembered for what I do and not for what happened to me,” Dugard told the audience.

Earlier in the evening, presenter Jessica Alba showed off an acorn necklace she was given by Dugard. The necklace represents Dugard’s charity.

The DVF awards honor women who are courageous and fight for justice. Artist Panmela Castro, who battles against domestic violence; Chouchou Namegabe, who fights for women’s issues in her native Congo; and Layli Miller-Muro who founded the Tahirih Justice Center, which protects women from human rights abuses, were also honored.

The awards were part of the festivities surrounding the Women In the World conference.

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Bobbi Kristina’s Family Not Pleased About Upcoming Oprah Interview

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:36:05 +0000

As Bobbi Kristina, the daughter of the late-iconic songstress Whitney Houston and R&B singer Bobby Brown, prepares for her one-on-one interview with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday, certain members of her family are raising concerns about her decision to chat with the talk show diva so soon after her mother’s death, reports People.com.

The coroners have not come back with a conclusive report as to how Houston died, when she was discovered in a hotel tub on February 11. Since the singer’s death is still a mystery and not that much time has elapsed since her untimely demise, there are family members who are reportedly not happy about Bobbi Kristina’s willingness to speak so intimately to such a global media person.

“There are people who just want her to stay out of the limelight for a while,” says the family friend. “This is a little girl who just needs some time.”

Currently, Bobbi Kristina, who has reportedly battled some drug-addiction demons of her own, is staying with her aunt Patrica and Whitney’s brother, Gary Houston.

What everyone — whether family member or not — agrees on, though, is that Bobbi Kristina is at an age where she is impressionable and certainly vulnerable. She clearly needs to heal not only from her mother’s death but from the media frenzy that has taken place as a result of it.

The source also states that many people expect Bobbi Kristina to fill the big shoes that her world-renowned and much-beloved Mother left behind, which is a difficult feat.

“She has to start finding herself as a woman on her own as opposed to defining herself as Whitney’s daughter and Whitney’s support. It’s kind of interesting to see what’s going to happen to her from here on in.”

So far, Bobbi Kristina has let it be known that she, too, wants to follow her parents career path of acting and singing. According to the source, the road won’t be easy for the 19-year-old, because she will constantly be compared to her mom. The source adds, “I think she needs to find her own niche.”

Bobbi Kristina is not the only member of the Houston clan whom Oprah will interview on Sunday; Patricia and Gary Houston will also be featured. The show airs Sunday, March 11, on OWN’s “Oprah’s Next Chapter.”

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Bobbi Kristina: “I Trust Oprah”

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 03:03:04 +0000

Bobbi Kristina, 19, the only daughter of the late, legendary Whitney Houston and New Edition singer, Bobby Brown, says that Oprah Winfrey is the only person she would trust with an interview about her mother, reports Rolling Out.

It’s been less than a month since Houston was found dead in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 11 and speculation has been running rampant that it was too soon for Winfrey, who has made no secret of OWN’s troubling ratings, to prey on a vulnerable Bobbi Kristina.

But taking after her mother, Krissy seems to know her own mind and is defending the decision:

“[Oprah] was loyal to my mom, and never did my mother wrong, or made her look bad. She always looked out for my mom.”

Oprah conducted one of Whitney’s last interviews and it was one of the classiest moments of her later career. She was clearly sober, honest and ready to move forward with her life. The bond between she and Oprah — whom has long been considered a friend of the Houston family — was evident from start to finish.

The interview is set to air on OWN Sunday, March 11 at 9 p.m.

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Oprah Lands First Interview With Bobbi Kristina, Houston Family

NewsOne Staff — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 04:54:14 +0000

NEW YORK — Oprah Winfrey has landed an interview with Whitney Houston’s daughter and other family members for a TV special that will air on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

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“Oprah’s Next Chapter” will feature an interview with 18-year-old Bobbi Kristina, Houston’s only child. It will also include Patricia Houston, who’s the singer’s sister-in-law and manager, as well as the singer’s brother Gary. It is scheduled to air March 11.

The superstar was found dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 11. An exact cause of death has yet to be determined.

Winfrey was one of the guests invited to Houston’s funeral in Newark, N.J., last month.

Houston was 48 years old. Her daughter turns 19 Sunday.

Oprah Blasted After Asking Viewers To Watch OWN Instead Of Grammys

NewsOne Staff — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:30:30 +0000

Former talk show diva Oprah Winfrey is in some boiling water. On Sunday night, Winfrey took to Twitter, urging viewers, especially Nielsen households, to watch the OWN network as opposed to the Grammy Awards. After breaking Nielsen’s cardinal rules of never influencing a viewer and their TV-watching habits, Winfrey issued an apology on Monday.

Nine-million Winfrey Twitter followers received the following tweet moments before her “Oprah’s Next Chapter” show began:

“Every 1 who can please turn to OWN especially if u have a Nielsen box.”

The responses from Winfrey’s tweet set off a firestorm, with many feeling that Oprah’s demands for her struggling cable channel were “desperate.” Winfrey defended her actions by tweeting back:

“The word ‘please’ is used as courtesy not a beg … ‘desperate’ not ever a part of my vocab … ‘unethical’ a little harsh don’t u think? Seemed like it made sense to me. Sorry if u’re offended.”

On Monday, Winfrey made the decision to remove the tweet that might have angered the higher-ups at the company that measures TV viewership according to household surveys across the country. According to the New York Times, the apology came after Nielsen and OWN executives powwowed Monday morning.

Soon after, Winfrey tweeted:

“I removed the tweet at the request of Nielsen. I intended no harm and apologize for the reference.”

In response to the Winfrey Twitter brouhaha, Nielsen Spokesman Matt Anchin said in an e-mail:

“It is Nielsen’s policy to note attempts to single out panel members to either change their viewing habits or otherwise influence or affect their reporting.”

Still, there are consequences to Oprah’s ask: Nielsen has decided to add an asterisk to OWN’s ratings at the time of the Twitter plea and make a notation that there might have been some “possible biasing effect” with regards to the ratings.

Ironically, Winfrey seemed to have snuck a peek at the Grammys herself; she praised L.L. Cool J, the show’s host, and complimented Adele profusely.

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Happy 58th Birthday, Oprah!

NewsOne Staff — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:22:01 +0000

The queen of talk, mega-mogul, and humanitarian bar none, Oprah Winfrey has been an unending source of inspiration for all. She has graced our homes and warmed our hearts with more than 25 years of lessons and enlightenment that we’ve gathered from her shows. And now at 58 years young, the diva is still on a mission to help us achieve our “authentic selves” and ultimately “be the change you want to see in the world” via her OWN cable television network and countless other projects. Oprah, NewsOne wishes you the happiest of birthdays and would like to share some of our wishes for you.

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1) William Shakespeare once said that “with mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.” We wish you a year of endless smiles that are brought on by the sweetest and happiest memories of your life.

2) You are a hero and your phrase from ”zero to hero,” which means that no matter where or how you begin in life, you can make a difference, has been so inspirational to many. Your influence has spread far and wide and you’ve used your might to inspire, empower, and educate the masses. We wish you continued compassion and vision for a better world.

3) Your love of acting moved you to form your own production company, HARPO Entertainment Group. We wish that your company continues to be a formidable force in films and television and that the fire in you never dies to bring us a continuance of quality entertainment programming.

4) Named one of the world’s most-generous philanthropists, we wish that for each and every noble goal and selfless endeavor you set, may all of your future efforts be equally successful and rewarding.

5) Spirituality seems to fuel and nourish your soul. You’ve expressed that through a more spiritual lifestyle one can reap the benefits of increased energy, enjoyment, alertness, love, calm, and a nearness to an exalted God. We wish you unwavering peace and joy in your spiritual journey.

6) Your love of reading has spurred thousands upon thousands of people to pick up a book. You have spread the idea and invigorated the concept of reading a book as a shared community. You are passionate about the written word and we wish that your enthusiasm for encouraging us to read never ceases.

7) Finally, you who have been a true trailblazer, glass ceiling shatterer, media maven extraordinaire, and best friend to the masses, we truly wish that you continue to inspire “Ah-Ha” moments and help us to ‘live our best lives.’

We love you, Oprah, godspeed and Happy Birthday!

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Morgan Freeman Enrolls in Oprah’s “Master Class”

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:45:46 +0000

Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, one of the most-recognizable actors in American cinema, has enrolled in Oprah Winfrey‘s cable show “Master Class.”

http://www.oprah.com/common/omplayer_embed.html?article_id=35514

First Look: Oprah’s Master Class with Morgan Freeman

On the show, Morgan, who is best-known for his explosive performances in “Street Smarts” and “Lean on Me,” shares some riveting moments of his illustrious 45-year acting career. The recipient of countless prestigious acting awards, Freeman opens up about those not so glamorous days before he hit it big:

At one point I was very broke living on on the streets, eating stale donuts. When you are put out of someplace and you’re on the street, how you gonna pay the rent? I didn’t get any work so I thought I had better start thinking of better ways to make a living.

Morgan decided to leave the military and pursue his love of film — a move that he has never regretted. One of Morgan’s gifts is infusing a quiet dignity into his roles, such as “Hoke Colburn” in “Driving Miss Daisy” or “Nelson Mandela” in “Invictus.”

Of his success, the 74-year-old actor adds:

You always make the choice of the road you take but it always splits. When you have made your choice, it is providence that is your guide, good bad or indifferent, your faith lies in that.

You can watch Morgan and the talk show diva extraordinaire sit a spell on Sunday, January 22, at 10:00 p.m. EST on the OWN channel.

Oprah’s Bodyguards In Scuffle With Indian TV Reporters

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:53:20 +0000

NEW DELHI — Indian police briefly detained three of Oprah Winfrey’s bodyguards after they scuffled with local TV journalists Thursday, a news agency reported.

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The American talk-show host had been traveling with both American and Indian bodyguards while visiting the Hindu pilgrimage town of Mathura, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Delhi.

Press Trust of India said police detained three of the guards after local journalists said their video equipment had been damaged in a brawl. No one was reported hurt, and there was no indication that the American bodyguards were involved.

The three guards were released after apologizing in a letter to the journalists, PTI said.

It is Winfrey’s first trip to India, where she has been filming her new show “Oprah’s Next Chapter.”

Earlier this week, she delighted Mumbai locals by wearing a bright orange sari while meeting with Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai at a private party.

She also visited the Taj Mahal on Thursday, and she is due to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival that begins Friday.

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“Roots: 35 Years Later” To Air On Oprah Winfrey Network Tonight

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:35:15 +0000

The 1977 landmark television series “Roots,” which was the dramatization of late author Alex Haley‘s lineage, will be brought to life again by Oprah Winfrey.

In order to honor the show’s 35th anniversary, Oprah will interview Cicely Tyson, Leslie Uggams, LeVar Burton, John Amos, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Ben Vereen (all pictured above from left to right) at her Montecito, Calif., estate.

Original clips from the miniseries will also be aired, and the actors will share personal anecdotes on what it was like to work on such a historical undertaking. Since the airing of “Roots,” no TV program has approached the problem of slavery and its aftermath as honestly as Haley’s work. “Roots: 35 Years Later” will premiere on Monday, January 16, at 8 p.m., EST on Winfrey’s OWN network.
http://www.oprah.com/common/omplayer_embed.html?article_id=35300

First Look: Oprah and the Legendary Cast of Roots

In this OWN special event, Oprah opens the doors to her home and reunites the legendary cast of Roots, 35 years after they helped make television history. Tune in Monday, January 16 at 8/7c to celebrate the most iconic miniseries ever filmed.

“Roots,” which was watched by more than 100-million viewers, was considered to be a monumental television phenomena, because it was the first time that audiences from all colors and creeds witnessed the unsanitized version of slavery. Viewers were exposed to the dehumanizing experiences of Blacks who were stolen from the Motherland and forcefully brought to a country that treated them as less than human. Haley’s 12-hour miniseries depicted a people, whom despite the physically brutal acts of abuse and psychological degradation, were able to maintain some semblance of dignity and self-esteem.

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NewsOne Staff — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:00:53 +0000

HENLEY-ON-KLIP, South Africa (AP) — Johnson Mncube remembers the first day at Oprah Winfrey’s boarding school for underprivileged South African girls, when 11- and 12-year-olds were crying at the thought of being separated from their families, and he said he almost wanted to put his own daughter in his pocket and take her home.

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Five years later, Mncube was joyful she stayed. On Saturday, he gazed proudly at his daughter, dressed elegantly in white for the first graduation ceremony at Winfrey’s school. Bongekile Mncube is headed to the University of Johannesburg to study politics and economics, and vows to one day help “build the economy of this country.”

“We are so thankful to Oprah,” said her father, a pastor and small businessmen who never went to high school. “We pray that God helps her to fulfill the vision that she had.”

Elgar’s “Pomp and circumstance” rang out Saturday as the graduates marched in, some unsteady on new high heels. The ceremony saw cheers and tears, including Winfrey’s own.

Winfrey’s school is an attempt to wield philanthropy and celebrity against South Africa’s social and educational crises. High-achieving students from poor families were admitted after a rigorous application process in which Winfrey was deeply involved, and she has visited regularly to counsel her girls. She held a last, late-night “pajama party” with the graduates Friday.

Winfrey told reporters after the ceremony that her girls would continue to be able to rely on her support. A counseling unit had been set up to help the graduates budget time, money and priorities in university.

In a graduation speech, Winfrey praised the teachers, administrators, social workers, psychologists and family members she said had ensured the students succeeded. Winfrey said she has learned it takes a team to support students, especially those who have experienced the poverty and personal trauma that define so many South African lives.

Winfrey said she sees the students as her daughters, and listed the blows they have experienced: “Divorce. Violence. Molestation. The loss of one parent. The loss of another parent. Sorrow. Sadness. Grief.”

The first class to graduate from the school overcame adversity to see 72 of the 75 original members graduate. All 72 are headed to universities in South Africa and the United States. Across South Africa, more than half a million members of the class of 2011 disappeared before the 496,000 remaining took their final exams, and only a quarter of those who graduated did well enough to qualify for university study, according to government figures.

“I’m one proud momma today,” said Winfrey, who wore eye shadow and a flowing gown in green, a school color.

Quoting Maya Angelou, she called the graduates “phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal women.”

Graca Machel, whose husband former South African President Nelson Mandela inspired Winfrey to open the school, called on the graduates to change the world. Mandela has retired from public life and did not attend the ceremony. He attended the opening of the school in 2007.

“You are leaders,” Machel said in her graduation speech. “But be humble. Listen. Learn. Try, and try again.”

Winfrey, among the wealthiest women in the world, spent $40 million to build the school, giving it facilities many South African universities might envy. But she said the school’s success was owed to teachers who came early and stayed late, social workers like one who traveled hundreds of miles (kilometers) to rescue a student who had encountered violence during a visit home, and parents who instilled discipline despite difficult home lives.

Winfrey asked staff and family members to stand for applause during the ceremony.

Winfrey encouraged all South African schools to raise their expectations, saying the experience of her school showed young people would respond by excelling. From the start, Winfrey’s students were told they should set their sights on university.

Despite the money and intentions, the school has had trouble. Soon after opening, a woman working as a dormitory matron was accused of abusing students. She was acquitted in 2010. Winfrey, who has spoken of being abused as a child and called the allegations against the matron crushing, and has said the trial’s outcome was “profoundly” disappointing.

Winfrey settled a defamation lawsuit filed in Philadelphia by the school’s former headmistress, Nomvuyo Mzamane, who claimed Winfrey defamed her in remarks made in the wake of the scandal.

Last year, a baby born to a student at the school was found dead.

Winfrey said Saturday there were times when she was discouraged, but that “I always held the vision that this day was possible.”

Winfrey noted the gradates were born in 1994, the year apartheid ended, “into a nation that said: You are free. You are free to rise. You are free to soar.”

Graduate Bongekile Mncube took Winfrey’s words to heart.

“The world should watch out,” she said. “We’re about to take over.”

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Oprah Winfrey Tries To Save “OWN” Network With “Next Chapter”

cganemccalla — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:29:05 +0000

Oprah Winfrey is trying to save her struggling “OWN” network with a new TV show called “Oprah’s Next Chapter.” The reality show follows Oprah Winfrey across the world as she interviews politicians and celebrities.

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The Week reports:

The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) turned a year old on Sunday, but there wasn’t a whole lot to celebrate. Ratings for the fledgling network “have been a major disappointment,” says Elizabeth Blair at NPR, and the media has seized on OWN’s failure to fulfill its Oprah-sized expectations. Hoping to reverse the negative trend, the former talk show host is getting back in front of the camera. “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” a reality series that follows Winfrey as she tours the world interviewing celebrities and trying out new experiences, debuted Sunday night.

Oprah Winfrey Calls Kim Kardashian “Phony” Over Haiti Trip

cganemccalla — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:59:08 +0000

Oprah Winfrey has called reality TV star, Kim Kardashian a “phony” over her recent trip to Haiti. Both Oprah and Kim were both in Haiti at the same time for charitable missions according to the National Enquirer.

According to the Enquirer, Oprah says that Kim made the trip to rebuild her own image for her own selfish ends rather than for real charity work. The Enquirer also claims that Kim spent a fortune pampering herself and insulted Haitian people and attended fashion shows in Haiti while Oprah joined Sean Penn in Haitian refugee camps.

Oprah traveled to Haiti as a guest of Penn’s for his organization, while Kim traveled with her mother as a part of We Advance, the organization cofounded by actress Maria Bello.

Top 10 Black Tweeters

NewsOne Staff — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:00:36 +0000

—–

This month, NewsOne presents a special exploration of Black Americans’ influence on social media, #TWEETING WHILE BLACK.

—–

Twitter has amassed more than 300 million users since its public launch in 2006, and a Pew Research Center survey shows that African Americans are more likely to Tweet than any other demographic. There is some speculation that this is because the median age among African Americans is currently skewing seven years younger than that of Whites — which can then be linked to smartphone usage and interest in the celebrities and media outlets (like BET’s 106 & Park), that rank among the most followed — but no conclusive study has been conducted.

But there’s no doubt that Black Americans are among the most effective and powerful users of Twitter, and that their influence is far out of proportion to their share of population.

Here is NewsOne’s official list of the Top 10 Black Tweeters. Are you following them?

1. @BarackObama: 11,449,382 Followers)

The account is run by his #Obama2012 campaign staff with at least daily updates on Presidential happenings. Much less frequently, he’ll chime in (he signs these Tweets “-BO”): “This dinner is important because I’m only president thanks to the work of millions of Americans like the four I just met.” (He dined with a teacher, an entrepreneur, a postal worker, and an artist who all donated at least $3 to his campaign and won the “Dinner With Obama” contest.)

2. @rihanna: 10,428,259 Followers

Her Tweets range from a Happy Birthday @britneyspears to quoting Jay Z to self-promotional commentary on her own social gaffes like “Shooting another vid in Ireland today!No farm this time :( … Im shooting another #ARMANI campaign Spring/Summer!Try to sneek u a pic ;)”

3. @Oprah: 8,456,870 Followers

She’s surprisingly not new age-preachy on this Twitter account. Instead, the media mogul posts one word response to her followers (“hi”), smiley face icons, and the occasional update of what it’s like to be Oprah: “Just saw Hugh Jackman on Broadway. WOW was he awe inspiring. He BROUGHT IT. Sang it, danced it and THREW DOWN!”

4. @NICKIMINAJ: 7,560,448 Followers

Between her Pink Friday promotions and congratulations to @maryjblige for her new album, the platinum-selling artist spends most of her Tweets thanking her Barbz and acting in cyber-speak: “Thank u my loves. I couldn’t do this w/o you. I am overwhelmed. I’m in love w/u guys. How could one girl be this lucky? *holds u close*”

5. @chrisbrown: 6,011,182 Followers

He still has a considerable following after recently deleting most of his Tweets. Now, Young Brezzy’s account is sporadic, sparse words like: “ELEVATE MENTALITY” and “Live LIFE!”

6. @MariahCarey: 5,314,200 Followers

With her record-breaking 1993 release, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” still charting and recently being remixed by Justin Beiber, Mrs. Cannon is using her Twitter to count down the days ‘til 25th, and bubble about her new song with John Legend, “When Christmas Comes.” She also takes a moment to shout out her second cousin’s sweet sixteen, post a Twitpic of herself in the booth, and send a note to O.D.B.: “Happy birthday & RIP to the late great O.D.B! I miss you & love you. “Ol’ dirty bastard across the globe.” – Fantasy.. classic, forever. Xo”

7. @aliciakeys: 5,284,370 Followers

Besides the occasional personal Tweets to the likes of @traciellisross, she’s all business on her account promoting her Keep A Child Alive cause, the Broadway play “Sticky Fly” that she produced, and her job as a “light bearing mommy/artist/songwriter/musician…”: “‘You’ve got to dance like nobody’s watching and love like it is never going to hurt ~ Ann Wells’.”

8. @50Cent: 5,301,573 Followers

He goes in multiple times per day, and will sometimes drop insight like how amazing it was to see Goldie Hawn and @deepackchopra live, but in true 50 fashion is mostly about the marketing strategy: “Streetking is the movement I’m not reading or retweeting if I don’t see SK in your tweets I need your help hold me down” (referencing his energy drink partnership with the United Nation to feed the hungry).

9. @kanyewest: 5,251,094 Followers

Only a select group of Tweeters have millions of followers without following anyone at all (the Dalai Lama, Rev Run, and Lord Valdermort), and, of course, Kanye tops that list. But it’s not the arrogant, Ye-centricity that one may expect. He expresses gratitude with a thank you to HipHopDX.com for a “tasteful well written review,” Chicagoan camaraderie with a re-Tweet of Bears stats mid-game, and just genuine goodwill: “Support Michael J. Fox foundation & NIKE and the fight against Parkinson’s”

10. @SnoopDogg: 5,222,697 Followers

He’s got a narrowed-eye focus on #macanddevin via many daily Tweets. The only thing that’ll make him take a breather from his new joint album with Wiz Khalifa is news of his Snoop Youth Football League Superbowl game and his family: “Sunday n vegas syfl superbowl go hard or go home! Happy 2 b home. Cocori! N tae tae !! Love yall!!”

SEE THE ENTIRE #TWEETINGWHILEBLACK SERIES HERE

METHODOLOGY:

List derived from Twitaholic.com, data updated via Twitter.com

Oprah And Farrakhan Visit Haiti On Separate Trips

NewsOne Staff — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:54:47 +0000

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan started a five-day trip to Haiti on Sunday, arriving just ahead of fellow Chicagoan Oprah Winfrey as they make separate trips to the poor Caribbean country.

Farrakhan told reporters at the airport that he will be exploring ways his organization can help Haiti rebuild from the devastating 2010 earthquake.

He said he intends to “listen, learn and share,” and is particularly interested in learning more about Voodoo, the religion widely practiced in the country.

“I have longed throughout my life to set my foot in the sacred soil of Haiti,” Farrakhan said.

Haitian Foreign Minister Laurent Lamorthe greeted Farrakhan at the airport, and the Nation of Islam leader was expected to meet later in the week with President Michel Martelly.

Authorities hustled the journalists out of the airport after the news conference so they could not cover Winfrey’s arrival.

Winfrey was expected to visit a settlement camp for displaced people run by Hollywood actor Sean Penn and his aid group J/P HRO on Monday. She was also expected to meet with fashion designer Donna Karan, who has celebrated the work of Haiti’s artisans through her Urban Zen Foundation since the quake.

Martelly has said he would meet with Winfrey on Monday. He said he hopes she will serve as a goodwill ambassador for Haiti and help bring aid to the country.

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Oprah's OWN Network Wants Her Black Audience Back

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:21:21 +0000

Oprah Winfrey, having largely geared her brand towards Middle-American white women over the course of her rising career, is now working to regain her Black audience.

Struggling to attract a large viewership nearly eleven months since her fledgling OWN network premiered, Winfrey, the network executives, is switching up her game plan, acknowledging that she is going after black audiences.

The Grio reports:

Though it’s nice to know that we’ll be getting more shows out of Ms. Oprah, it’s hard not to harbor some resentment at being her ugly-duckling-turned-swan, reckoning Winfrey’s sudden change of heart with virtually being ignored for years.

Farrakhan And Oprah Will Visit Haiti In Separate Visits

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:07:05 +0000

Haitian President Michel Martelly will host Oprah Winfrey when she visits the Caribbean nation.

Martelly tells The Associated Press that he hopes Winfrey will serve as an ambassador for Haiti. He says he would like her to help Haiti get more assistance for rebuilding from the 2010 earthquake that displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

Winfrey is expected to arrive in Haiti on Sunday. She is to visit a settlement camp run by Hollywood actor Sean Penn’s aid group J-P HRO.

Martelly said he will meet with her on Monday.

The president made the announcement Friday while in Trinidad for a trade summit with Caribbean leaders.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan started a five-day trip to Haiti on Sunday, arriving just ahead of fellow Chicagoan Oprah.

Farrakhan told reporters at the airport that he will be exploring ways his organization can help Haiti rebuild from the devastating 2010 earthquake.

He said he intends to “listen, learn and share,” and is particularly interested in learning more about Voodoo, the religion widely practiced in the country.

“I have longed throughout my life to set my foot in the sacred soil of Haiti,” Farrakhan said.

Haitian Foreign Minister Laurent Lamorthe greeted Farrakhan at the airport, and the Nation of Islam leader was expected to meet later in the week with President Michel Martelly.

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Gayle King Says Wendy Williams Lied About Oprah “Black” Letter

NewsOne Staff — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:06:12 +0000

Gayle King accused Wendy Williams of fabricating a letter from Oprah, during an interview on the Tom Joyner Morning Show yesterday.

King called Joyner to clear up rumors that there was “rift,” her and Oprah’s friendship. She also told Joyner that Oprah denied ever sending a letter to Williams.

AUDIO:

“The letter that I heard Wendy read — I didn’t see it — I know Oprah never wrote a letter to Wendy. I said, ‘I’m getting all these messages that you wrote a letter to Wendy,’ and she goes, ‘Gayle, you know more than anybody knows that that’s not true,’ ” said King.

Oprah Tells Wendy Williams To “Stay Black”

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:22:56 +0000

Oprah Winfrey told talk show host Wendy Williams to “Stay black,” in a letter Williams read during a show.

Oprah apparently wanted to set the record straight on her friendship with Gayle King, and sent The Wendy Williams Show host a letter.

The letter stated, “I know there’s been some speculation that Gayle and Oprah had a falling out because Gayle will be hosting the new morning show on CBS. I wanted to make sure everyone knows that there is only happiness for Gayle and this wonderful opportunity.”

The letter was signed “Love, Oprah. P.S. Stay black!”

Oprah’s BFF Gayle King To Join CBS’s The Early Show

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:52:16 +0000

Oprah Winfrey’s best freind, Gayle King, will be joining CBS’s The Early Show as a co-host, the New York Times is reporting.

According to the Times, King along with Charlie Rose are being added to the lineup to compete with NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America.

According to the Times, CBS is putting the finishing touches on a two-hour news show that “will emphasize hard news and use a conversational approach like Morning Joe on MSNBC and The View on ABC.”

Digital Oprah! Winfrey Looks To The Web To Energize Her Network

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:01:24 +0000

LOS ANGELES — After 25 years on TV, Oprah Winfrey says she’s having the time of her life on the Web.

The 57-year-old mogul is connecting with viewers through her weekly webcasts, and she says it’s “the most fun I’ve had ever.”

Winfrey’s live webcast discussions about her new show, “Oprah’s Lifeclass,” have been so popular, they’ve been added to the lineup on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

“Lifeclass” premiered earlier this month and features Winfrey sharing her favorite interviews and insights from her long-running talk show. On Fridays, she discusses “Lifeclass” lessons during an hour-long webcast with a live audience, and invites viewers to comment or ask questions in person or through Facebook, Twitter and Skype.

Response to the webcasts has been so positive that Winfrey and her team decided to air them on OWN.

“That was my vision of what this network could be,” she said in a recent interview. “You’re interacting with people, you’re on TV, you’re saying stuff that you think is meaningful, you’re not just wasting people’s time, and people are acting and interacting with us at the same time. It’s just a fantastic experience.”

Interacting with viewers and inspiring them to think about things in new ways was part of her dream for her network, which launched in January. Though it drew low ratings initially, Winfrey said she feels good about OWN’s future.

“I’m going to build on the success of the connection to the Web response and to `Lifeclass,’” she said, “so I’m really excited about it.”

One More Try! Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network Set To Relaunch

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:28:46 +0000

After months of failing to live up to the success of her extraordinarily popular television talk show, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network is undergoing a makeover.

According to Forbes, Winfrey and Discovery Communications is upping the network’s advertising push as well as featuring two of the network’s biggest stars, Winfrey herself and Rosie O’Donnell.

Adding to a laundry list of problems the channel has faced — too high on the channel guide, unclear brand, not enough programming or Oprah — Winfrey herself admitted that she and her team had been too distracted by wrapping up her marquee show that not enough attention was paid to OWN’s launch.

Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones To Receive Honorary Oscars

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:05:58 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones and makeup artist Dick Smith have been picked to receive honorary Oscars.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says the three will be honored with Oscar statuettes at the Governors Awards in November. The academy’s Board of Governors voted Tuesday to recognize the entertainment industry veterans.

Winfrey will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which honors philanthropic and humanitarian contributions. The 57-year-old media mogul, who was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for 1985′s “The Color Purple,” supports various charitable and educational causes, including her own namesake foundations and Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Jones and Smith will receive honorary Oscars for their outstanding careers.

Jones has appeared in more than 50 films. The 80-year-old actor – voice of Darth Vader – was nominated for an Academy Award in 1971 for “The Great White Hope.” His other credits include “Field of Dreams,” “Patriot Games” and “The Hunt for Red October.”

Smith was NBC’s first makeup man when he started his career in 1945. He won an Oscar in 1984 for his work on “Amadeus” and was nominated again in 1989 for “Dad.” Known as the “godfather of makeup,” he also worked on “The Godfather,” “The Exorcist” and “Taxi Driver.” Smith also helped train many of today’s top movie makeup artists.

Smith, Jones and Winfrey will receive their statuettes on Nov. 12 at the 3rd annual Governors Awards dinner at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center, just above the Kodak Theatre, where the Academy Awards are presented.

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Oprah Winfrey Appointed CEO Of OWN Network

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:58:46 +0000

Oprah Winfrey was named on Wednesday the chief executive and chief creative officer of OWN, the cable network she launched earlier this year.

Winfrey posted a letter on Facebook today, explaining that Harpo Productions Inc. will join forces with OWN to run the network. The letter read:

So as of today… Harpo Team and OWN team become ONE.

Our intention is to use the cable platform and the internet platform and the mobile platform to create messages that fill you up and bring you to new levels of awareness about yourself, ourselves, and our world; our potential…

It’s an incredible challenge ahead trying to figure out what kind of shows and programming will resonate with you, inspire you, bring a little piece of light into your already crowded existence. But I feel called to do it, and will be relying on your feedback, emails and tweets and message boards to let me know what you think.