Oprah Moves and TV Landscape Quakes

By Andrew Gauthier 

The Wrap

If this were just about a talk show host and her viewers, there’d be little more to say about the news beyond “So long, ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’…roll highlight reel.”

But it’s never been just about Oprah and her viewers.

Advertisement

It’s about the TV affiliates who absolutely count on her ratings for ad sales and local newscast lead-in. It’s about the unending parade of “made” authors (and their publishers) who otherwise don’t stand a chance of selling books. It’s about Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and whoever was going to be the next phenomenally successful spinoff franchise (Nate Berkus, you’ll get right to work, if you have any sense).

It’s about the radioactive celebs, disgraced religious leaders and other public pariahs who will always need a friendly place for image reconstruction. And lately, it’s even been about national politics.

For each of these, let’s just clear up one thing right away: There is no replacement for Oprah Winfrey.

Yes, ratings for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” have been in alarming decline of late. But in reality, the show has been sliding on the same steeply tilted plane to which all of broadcast television now clings. Oprah’s still the queen. More…

Advertisement