In a decision that has rocked the national media, Oprah Winfrey confirmed via a spokesperson that that she will indeed end her groundbreaking daytime talk show on September 9, 2011. Winfrey will make a formal announcement on her show this Friday, November 20.
Winfrey, who recently announced plans to launch of her own cable channel, had not made a formal decision on whether her network plans would affect the eponymous chat show. Her plans were first reported Thursday afternoon by WABC, the ABC station in New York City.
“The sun will set on the Oprah show as its 25th season draws to a close on Sept. 9, 2011,” WABC said.
CBS Television Distribution also issued its own statement, “We have the greatest respect for Oprah and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. We know that anything she turns her hand to will be a great success. We look forward to working with her for the next several years, and hopefully afterwards as well.”
The 55 year-old media mogul advised her show's production staff of the final season prior to WABC breaking the story.
Once her duties on the broadcast talk show end, Winfrey will shift her focus to The Oprah Winfrey Network. A joint venture between her Harpo, Inc. production company and Discovery Communications, OWN is reportedly launching on cable in January 2011. Should the network remain on that schedule, Winfrey would have nearly nine months for the promotion of the channel on her current show.
The most successful syndicated talk show in television history, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is viewed by an estimated seven million daily viewers. It evolved into a cultural institution, radically altering the daytime talk show format in for more than 23 years, turning Winfrey into a powerful media force. How its departure will affect the ABC station group, which has been the show's home since 1986, is expected to be a serious blow to its daytime schedule.
With eroding ratings affecting all network programming and revenue streams of late, the future remains unclear for both ABC and Winfrey's ambitious new media enterprise. More, the search for a replacement, should ABC fill Winfrey's afternoon time slot with another talk show, may prove as dramatic as today's announcement.
Expect the unexpected as the effects of this media bombshell continue to reverberate in the coming months.
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