Oprah Winfrey to Get Own Network

Allie @ Gone Hollywood | Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Discovery Communications and Oprah Winfrey announced a deal Tuesday where the Discovery Health network will be turned over to Winfrey next year, becoming OWN — the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Yahoo News reports,

The cash-free transaction involved Winfrey turning over her Web site to Discovery, while the communications company makes her chairman of the network, which is currently seen in 68 million homes, said David Zaslav, Discovery Communications chief.

“The focus of the channel will be the focus of Oprah’s brand, which is the educate and inspire people to live the best life they can,” Zaslav said.

Some of Winfrey’s stable of regular contributors could be expected to be part of the programming, he said. Winfrey’s current talk show, as well as rights to use of reruns, is spoken for until the end of the 2010-11 season.

Besides hosting syndications top-rated talk show, Winfrey puts out her own magazine.

However, maybe they should be giving the network to Ellen DeGeneres?

Ellen Degeneres managed to score the top spot as America’s favorite TV star. The annual poll was released yesterday and Ellen managed to push Oprah off her pedestal.

Oprah has been #1 on the Harris Poll for the past five years. They were ranked as follows: