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Oprah Gets OWN Network Via Discovery Deal

Jan 15, 2008  •  Post A Comment

Discovery Communications has made a deal with Oprah Winfrey to create OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network.
OWN will be a multiplatform media venture. On cable it will take over the Discovery Health Channel, which is in 70 million homes, in 2009. OWN also will include Oprah.com on the Internet.
OWN will be equally co-owned by Discovery and by Ms. Winfrey’s Harpo production company. Discovery said no cash was changing hands to create the venture.
Ms. Winfrey was an original investor in Oxygen Media, which was acquired last year by NBC Universal.
“Fifteen years ago, I wrote in my journal that one day I would create a television network, as I always felt my show was just the beginning of what the future could hold,” said Ms. Winfrey, who will serve as chairman of OWN. “For me, the launch of the Oprah Winfrey Network is the evolution of the work I’ve been doing on television all these years and a natural extension of my show.”
The search has started for a CEO for OWN.
“There is no stronger voice than Oprah Winfrey in engaging, motivating and connecting people to live healthier lives,” said David Zaslav, president-CEO of Discovery Communications. “Oprah has inspired me personally, and through this new venture, Oprah’s talent and drive will have a dedicated multimedia platform to empower, engage and connect with people on-air and online.”
“At Discovery, our goals are to improve the quality of the networks while expanding the reach and success of our Web presence,” he added. “This venture does both, and having Oprah as chairman and creative leader makes OWN a very unique property in a crowded media landscape.”

16 Comments

  1. God help us all.. At least shes not getting Discovery Science.

  2. I thought the Discovery Health Channel made me queasy, OWN will be hard to stomach any time of day.

  3. This is terrific! Consumer Health desperately needs very high quality LIFESTYLE, syndicatable content worthy of the amazing suite of multimedia tools and utilities on deck. An emotional quotient that is proactive, hopeful and empowering will provide an on-the-go, on-demand, always-on branded experiential product that FINALLY honors CONSUMERS, yet bridges to the establishment healthcare communities and their tech partners. As the huge, robust contingent of boomers make their historically lengthy third age, worldwide — HIGH QUALITY CONTENT that honors the integrity of the experience is needed. Kudos Oprah and Discovery Health!

  4. OWN!? This is too hilariously narcissistic. Hell, we should all have our OWN network. You have money in this country, you have it all, even your own personalized network. Although, to be fair, Ted Turner did it first. Vanity, vanity, all is vanity. Is this a great country, or what?!

  5. Although, to be fair, Ted Turner and Oprah each earned a billion dollars – and you didn’t. I love commenters.

  6. Don’t we just love to bash people who are successful? What is up with that? Reminds me of high school. I’m glad Oprah has her own network. I’m looking forward to watching it and seeing if it is something I will enjoy. If I had enough money I would love to have my own network, radio station, magazine and website too. Why the hell not? Instead of spending her money on more shoes she has an opportunity to create jobs, and hopefully inspire postive dialogue. Compared to the wasteland that is out there now, 99% of which just irrates me, I’m sure it will be an improvement.

  7. Good for Oprah. And for those of you who are feeling “queasy” over her new network, YOU DON’T HAVE TO WATCH IT! That’s the amazing thing about TV, isn’t it? What’s even more amazing is that with hundreds of channels you can spend your time watching, you guys still have time to complain!

  8. RA!RA! Oprah. I have been waiting for you to do this. It will be great and to those who have an issue with it, God gives us something called free will, don’t watch it and the world doesn’t need another critic, too many of those. I have a small tv show I have been doing in Boston for over a year that I think would be great on her network. What Oprah is doing is allowing people such as myself a place to go with their shows instead of pulling the draw bridge up around her castle she is letting others in like myself. I love you Oprah and the world will embrace your courage and thinking. If anyone wants to watch my trailer go to http://www.rarawithlaura.com I now have hope that I might have a place to go with my show, it is also called OPPORTUNITY for the people such as myself who are further back on the weeded path that we chose to take that wasn’t cleared and we had to blindly go down and hope that someone like Oprah would stop and reach back and help us.
    LauRA

  9. I really like the colors here on your blog. did you design this yourself or did you outsource it to a professional?

  10. I really like the colors here on your blog. did you design this yourself or did you outsource it to a professional?

  11. This is good info! Where else can if ind out more?? Who runs this joint too? Keep up the good work 🙂

  12. Dreamin. I love blogging. You all express your feelings the right way, because they are your feeling, focus on your blog it is great.

  13. I love the way you write and also the theme on your blog. Did you code this yourself or was it done by a professional? I’m very very impressed.

  14. I would like to start my own blog one day. This was a really nice blog that you made here. Keep up the success 😛

  15. This is good info! Where else can if ind out more?? Who runs this joint too? Keep up the good work 🙂

  16. Dreamin. I love blogging. You all express your feelings the right way, because they are your feeling, focus on your blog it is great.

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