Oprah’s “OWN” Network To Launch In 2011

While we have quite a bit of time before Oprah’s final departure from national network television, many are already feeling the loss. Oprah has endeared herself to millions of viewers – sharing her life with us, becoming a friend who we trusted, and a mentor from whom we learned. She’s intelligent, warm, honest, caring and giving. I shudder to think who will attempt to fill Oprah’s very big and capable shoes.
Dr. Oz has benefited from intimate tutelage from the Mistress of Talk herself. He brings similar warmth and caring to his topical subjects; however because his current talk show is vertical in scope, covering health and beauty specifically, he does not have the platform to touch as many areas as Oprah. Dr. Phil has a similar dilemma; he is boxed into discussing psychological issues that impact families and individuals. Ellen’s current format seems to focus more on entertainment, designed with a similar format of the old talk shows like Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson. Oprah’s show is horizontal with coverage of a broad range of topics, including health, beauty, politics, entertainment, sports, and news. A host would have to be an avid reader with excellent comprehension of current events. This takes extraordinary talent.
Tyra or Wendy Williams simply lack the intelligence, knowledge, fortitude or journalistic integrity to discuss profound topics, or to address political issues with analytical questions that unveil, reveal and expose deeper interpretations; nothing but the shallow can be expected from these hosts, and only the youngest audience demographic would be even slightly satisfied with either’s vacuous offerings.
Hopefully, someone new will emerge. Oprah was an unknown when she first debut on the national scene. With time, America and the world came to love and trust her.
I wish Ms. O well with her future endeavors. Although I already know that whatever she touches will turn to gold. I am looking forward to seeing what Oprah has planned for her own network. Imagine that – an African-American woman from the back woods of the south, starting out with very meager beginnings and enduring abusive relationships, incest and molestation – now owns her own national network. This is what I so love about Oprah. Her story whispers to every child’s soul: believe in yourself. You can do it – just believe! Congratulations, Ms. O.

It’s the end of an Era…