Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) Gets Real in 2010

Television Network to Focus on Oprah-Selected Best Life Programming

Sep 23, 2009

Oprah Winfrey expands her media empire by developing the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in partnership with Discovery Communications. The new network will launch in 2010.

Oprah expands her media empire by launching the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in early 2010 through an agreement with Discovery Communications. OWN replaces the existing Discovery Health channel and will provide a new breadth of Oprah-selected programming.

Discovery Health currently reaches over 76 million homes and with the added power brought by the Oprah brand, it's likely to grow significantly after the OWN makeover. The new network will feature programming to encourage and inform people on living their best life. Programming focuses on real people and real-life situations, ushering in a new reality TV form that is kinder and more inspirational.

Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) to Debut 2010

Oprah Winfrey's talk show Oprah is known for featuring guest experts like Dr. Oz and Dr. Laura Berman. Winfrey possesses an uncanny ability to identify talent and give it the powerful visibility that only Oprah can. In defining the OWN programming, Oprah will look to former guests and experts alike.

Winfrey's talent selection is bankable and in a recent USA Today article Discovery Communications CEO David Zazlav commented, "Look at some of the (television) talent she has developed: Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray— all these people."

In an April press release, Oprah noted, "One of the things I love about my work is getting to meet extraordinary people who have done amazing things in life. So, for OWN, I will be hand-picking some of the most engaging and intriguing people of our time and giving them a stage all their own to share their stories and best life lessons with all of us."

The press release continued by giving a hint of what's to come in 2010 by outlining the following programs currently in development.

Best Life All-Stars OWN Programming in Development

The Peter Walsh Project (working title), the de-clutter expert and popular guest of The Oprah Winfrey Show, will be joined by a team of experts in helping people uncover what is really going on in their lives behind the mess. This show is from Harpo Productions.

Dr. Laura Berman (working title), sex therapist, relationship expert, bestselling author, and Sirius XM radio show host - will lead a one-hour talk show based in Chicago. This show is from Harpo Productions.

Best Life Experiences OWN Programming in Development

Excellent Adventure follows a celebrity and their best friend as they embark on the adventure they have always dreamt of taking together. Whether the adventure is large or small, viewers will get to see the power of friends sharing unforgettable moments together. The show is produced by Ashton Kutcher's Katalyst Films.

Inside: Lisa Ling Investigates (working title) is a one-hour program featuring reporting with Lisa Ling. Lisa's reports take the viewers to the front lines, as we have already seen with her indepth news pieces including a look into a family addicted to heroin, a peek into the FLDS compound one year later, and an expose on America's "tent cities." In this show, from Harpo Productions, viewers will join Lisa in exploring worlds and aspects of a story they would never in their wildest dreams imagine.

Best Life Inspiration OWN Programming in Development

Master Class (working title) is a unique series produced by Harpo Productions featuring the most extraordinary people of our time, hand-picked by Oprah Winfrey. Here they will share with us who they really are - their stories, their passions, and their best life lessons.

Surfer's Healing is a docu-soap produced by Snackaholic about former competitive surfer Izzy Paskowitz, his wife Danielle, their three children -- one of whom is autistic - and their surf school business. We will watch them, their highs and lows, as they manage a business and a foundation for autistic children.

Oprah Winfrey OWN Television Network Premieres in Early 2010

With popular credits like O Magazine, the Oprah talk show, Oprah radio, Oprah book club, and Harpo Productions, Oprah Winfrey expands her media reach by creating the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The new Oprah TV network will air programming on how people can live their best life.

Through focusing on real people in real situations, Oprah may just deliver a game-changing reality television shift. OWN anticipates launching to the US market in early 2010 and can currently be found at MyOWN.com.

Discovery press release, "OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network Gives Sneak Peek of New Network Dedicated to Living Your Best Life" (Apr. 2, 2009)

USA Today, "Discovery Chief David Zaslav Transforms Television Company" David Lieberman (Sep. 9, 2009)

The copyright of the article Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) Gets Real in 2010 in Reality TV is owned by Allen Williams. Permission to republish Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) Gets Real in 2010 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.