XM to the Power of O
Fresh from changing the life of Richard Cohen and tearing apart James Frey, Oprah has inked a $55 million deal with XM satellite radio to host a channel.
The “Oprah & Friends” channel will feature original daily programming on a variety of topics including nutrition, fitness, health, self improvement, home, and current events from popular “Oprah” personalities, including Bob Greene, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Robin Smith, Marianne Williamson, Nate Berkus, and Gayle King.
Oprah said in the press release, “Together with my friends, we look forward to creating programming that will entertain, inform and inspire our listening audience on XM.”
In a slight understatement, XM CEO Hugh Panero said, “Oprah Winfrey is a prolific force in our culture whose unprecedented achievements in television, film, publishing and philanthropy will bring an amazing radio experience to the XM nation of subscribers.”
According to a conference call yesterday, Oprah will host a half-hour “reality” show each week–basically a recorded conversation with King.
According to Paul Farhi, “‘Oprah & Friends,’ as the channel will be known, is aimed at closing satellite radio’s gender gap. Men account for about two-thirds of the 9.3 million satellite subscriptions nationwide, but XM and its rival, Sirius Satellite Radio of New York, expect to attract more women as they purchase cars equipped with satellite radios.”
