Greetings PR Methods Students:
This blog post is about Oprah Winfrey, the reigning queen of talk show hosts who has dominated the television talk show industry for the past 20 years.
I can remember when Oprah first hit the talk show circuit. She was an overweight, very unpolished and unsophisticated young woman who many of us did not think would last long in the industry. She dressed funny and she spent a lot of time out in the audience hugging people and crying with them. For those of us who considered ourselves very forward-thinking back then in the early 1980's, her chronic need to pacify her guests (mostly white women) seemed too much like the tragic 'mammy' figure from earlier times. We really wished she would stop.
And eventually she did.
Over the years Oprah Winfrey has parlayed her talent to talk into a billion-dollar empire. Not only did her talk show go on to consistently win the ratings sweeps each year, but she developed Harpo Studios and began to branch out into television movies, big-screen productions, product endorsements, book clubs, angel networks, a popular website, talk radio, and more. Many of you will recall the leadership school that she runs in South Africa, the housing efforts that she is leading in New Orleans, and her recent 'Big Give' television reality show/contest. (Yes, Amanda, we know FAMU's chapter of DST won the competition!)
Indeed, Oprah has the 'Midas' touch....or does she?
A review of the ratings for her television talk show indicate that she is gradually slipping in percentage points. And in spite of the ongoing list of new projects that she takes on each year, many of them don't automaticaly soar to the top of the charts as they once did.
Some media outlets attribute her decline to her support of Senator Barack Obama. They believe that white female viewers (her largest and most faithful demographic for the past 20 years) have stopped watching Oprah for this reason.
Some viewers are tired of the format (regardless of how often she redesigns the set) and think it is time for her to move aside and let someone younger come in.
Others believe that Oprah's inability to connect with people of color (African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, etc.) as well as her long-standing rift with black men is finally beginning to take its toll on her ratings. Her track record shows that she has pandered almost exclusively to middle-to-upper class white women and that she has designed her who's programming and format to accomodate them. Meanwhile, the census data show a clear indication that people of color (particularly Hispanics) are the fastest-growing population segment in America. Maybe Oprah is missing the boat.
I personally think that in spite of Oprah's wealth, she has never been allowed to truly be herself. She has had to satisfy the media's need to expose every aspect of her life as a celebrity and and she has had to live a life (on and off the cameras) that 'fit' with the image that television has created of her. As a result, she hasn't been allowed to openly love her man (Stedman) or get rid of him and find a new one. She has only been allowed to form one friendship (Gayle). Her battle with weight (something a lot of women face) has been publicly monitored down to every pound that she loses or gains. She has even had to forego building bonds with her family (other than her father) because her target publics might not watch her show otherwise.
She has sacrificed much to be where she is today. I'm just not sure the sacrifices were worth it. In the final analysis, the television viewing audience is fickle. They love you until they get tired of you.
What are your thoughts? Why is Oprah Winfrey's talk show on a gradual decline? Do you think it has anything to do with the three theories presented in this blog? Or is it something else?
Let us know what you think.
You have until Sunday, June 8, 2008, at 5:00pm, to repsond to this post.
Professor Kinchlow
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11 comments:
No Oprah's magic isnt gone at all!While the thought cirulates that it is time for Oprah to pass the reigns down to someone younger like Tyra Banks, she capatilizes on all her other business. As the blog mentions she has several companies including the Angel Network and other charties that are booming right now.
No way is Obama the cause for Oprah's lost ratings, the entire presendentail race is.Oprah is hurting Obama more than Obama is hurting her. Because Oprah's die hard fans are busy supporting Senator Clinton and McCain they forget that the Oprah show is one. No,its not because shes loosing her touch. Its becuase this presenditial race is a intergal part of history and instead of laughing and crying with Oprah they are worried about what is going to happen to our country. No is that so wrong!?
I do think the ratings lowering have something to do with her inabilty to connect to other races other than white, but hey thats been happening for years. If anything, her support of Obama has cause more black women to stand behind him as well.
I do agree with the fact that Oprah hasn't had the opportunity to truly be herself.Then again we wouldnt really know becuase we have never witnessed her true self. I think that the television personality that she has created is realistic though. She goes on vacation, she says dumb things and she even gets fat! Even though she may not be like you and I, she isn't suffering from herself like other celebrities like Lindsay Lohan.
All in All, Oprah is the richest woman in America right now, she has accomplished things that I'm sure she didnt think was capable but she did it, and did them well. If it is Oprah's time to give up being a talk show hosts she will have broken down the barriers for many women to be just like her. Either way she will continue to be a influential person in american society!
Personally, I don't feel that Oprah's success will ever deminish. She worked hard and she has become very successful.
I feel that people are probably just tired of the "Oprah Rule". I respect the countless positive opportunites and contributions that Oprah has done throughout her career maybe people fed up with hearing about it.
I think individuals have the mentality like, "OK, Oprah...what's new?" People want to see something new and fresh. Individuals don't want to continue to see something that caters to women all the time.
Maybe she is also losing ratings because she is supporting Barack Obama. Many of Oprahs fans are middle-aged white women who share more of a common bond with Hiliary Clinton. Maybe the fact that Oprah is supporting Obama is putting a different image of her in the minds of some of her "faithful" fans.
Research shows that Oprah’s talk show has been on a steady decline for the past three years. I read a feature article on thecelebritycafe.com that had some interesting statistics about Oprah’s decline in viewers. According to the Telegraph, a British newspaper Web site, viewers for Oprah’s show “have declined by nearly 7 percent this year, based on numbers attributed to Nielson Media Research, its third consecutive year of decline. The yearly average has dropped to 7.3 million from 7.8 million in 2007.” Oh my gosh! Hello! Did I miss something? Oprah still has impressive numbers when it comes to viewers. Yes, her viewers may have declined. But the decline is not significant enough to start clearing the stage for a replacement.
This decline could be due to several reasons. Some attribute her decline in viewers to the fact that she supports Scientology, causing her to lose the interest of Christians. The more recent thought is that her support of Obama has caused her to lose favor with some. I do believe these factors could have definitely influenced her decline in viewers. I do not know if viewers have stopped watching her show because of the format. After all, it is her format that made her show unique and climb to the top of the charts. I do believe that Oprah needs to cater more to people of color. I do not think this has much to do with her decline in viewers because I believe many of her viewers are white women.
There are people sitting back and waiting for a chance to steal the spotlight from Oprah. Tyra Banks, for example, would kill to have the type of success Oprah has. She has already started on the path to become a little Oprah. For instance, Tyra’s talk show has the same format as Oprah’s, Tyra has her own production company, she has her own reality show, the list of similarities goes on and on. However, Oprah still has a large viewing audience and a lot of influence. I just do not see her going anywhere anytime soon.
No Oprah Has not lost her magic! The fact is... Oprah's rating have been declining for the past couple years. Oprah has built an empire for herself, she has sacrificed many things to becomee who she is today. Oprah is a brand that cannot be broken. Oprah is a titan in the talk show industry it would be a freat disappiontment if she were to step down to hand the crown over to someone younger. She has paid her dues and gone through public embarrassment everytime she gains a pound or seems a little off. Surely Oprah has another 10 years of contiuned success with her talk show and all her other endevers.
The idea that some viewers would abandon her after 20 years in the talk show industry because she is an avid supporter of Barack Obama is just plan outrageous.
However I do think that some of the decline in her ratings might have something to do with her inability to connect with members of the colored race.
As New York Times said, "Oprah is still the queen of all media, but her crown is beginning to look a bit tarnished." I think the ratings lowering have been something long overdue because her inability to connect to other races other than white and her contradicting nature.
I remember when she first opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. When Newsweek asked why Africa and not America she simply stated, “I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city schools that I just stopped going. The sense that you need to learn just isn’t there,” she says. “If you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don’t ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school.”
Many were offended by this comment because it implied that American children don’t want an education when many do. Even if it is true, the fact remains that there are plenty of people who struggled just like she once did and are still struggling in here in the United States. Although Oprah does a lot for the community there is always more to do. If she really wanted to do something, she would instead of letting society’s implications on our children stop them from having an opportunity. Oprah has such a loyal following that she really does have the power to CHANGE the world, but instead of doing so she stays in the comfort of well-developed shell, in my opinion, so that viewership will not be lost.
Even with the good thing (Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls) she started in South Africa it still has gone up in flames. Last year Oprah had to apologize for the alleged abuse at her school. And before that parents were complaining that the school was so strict that they wonder were their children in prison.
Overall, Oprah has paved the way for many African American women and became a pivotal figure for all humanity. However, I think many have started to lose faith and conviction in what Oprah stands for and to me that was CHANGE.
I do not believe Oprah’s magic is gone. I believe the reason the show is on a gradual decline is because of the format of the show. In these past few years, people are really going for change. Whether that is making a black man president or going green everybody want something different. I definitely do not believe that Oprah should pass down her reigns to Tyra lord help us all if she does that. Oprah is a real journalist and knows what she is doing unlike most other talk show host. Like you mentioned earlier in the post Oprah used to dress funny and cry with her audience and do all kinds of things that she has changed which has helped her grow an audience. All she needs to do know is change a few things as far as content and format and I think her rating will go back up. I do think Oprah needs to start focuses more on people of color and our issues but I do not think that is what is causing her ratings problems. She has pushed us aside since she started. At the end of the day Oprah is Oprah I think she can do whatever she wants whenever she wants to, within reason of course. I think if Oprah wanted a new man she can get one and do a whole show about and it would only help her not hurt her. I do not think she can get rid of Gayle but she can maybe add a new friend into the mix.
I believe Oprah's magic touch may be beginning to fade, or put another way I believe Oprah's magic may be transitioning to other areas. Oprah has ruled daytime television for decades. It has long been assumed that if Oprah endorsed a product it would instantly fly of the shelves. She has been a trail blazer in many respects.But as the old saying goes nothing can last for ever. I don't believe that we are witnessing the beginning of the end of the Oprah dynasty. I think we are simply watching her legacy transition. As many others have already noted television ratings are a funny thing, whats hot today may be gone tomorrow, therefore it is hard to say what is causing Oprah's slip in the ratings. Maybe it's Obama, maybe it is the format, or maybe people have become tired of Oprah and decided to move on. Whatever the case may be it seems that Oprah is losing the dominance she once enjoyed with her show. In my opinion however, this does not equate to Oprah losing her magic. The question I ask is where does Oprah's magic lay? What if Oprah's show was more popular than ever but it lacked the human interest stories or the charitable giveaways ? What if her show was more popular than ever but she never did any of her philanthropic works and never championed for causes she believed in? Would people talk about Oprah they same way if she was simply a media giant who made it rich? I don't believe so. I don't think dropping ratings are a sign of Oprah loosing her magic. I think that it could be a sign that it will eventually be time for Oprah's magic to move on. The show is a forum, it is a means for Oprah to share her great gifts with the world. Over time things change and and people must find new venues in which to do great works.In my opinion wildly popular ratings and great commercial influence was never the magical part of Oprah. Controversial figures such as Bill O' Reilly enjoys popular ratings and has the power to make books fly off the shelves but no one compares an Oprah to a Bill O' Reilly. I think Oprah's true magic is her ability to reach out, to touch something very deep in the hearts of so many. Her popular tv show may have initially gave her a way to reach the masses, but as time goes on maybe it is time Oprah moves beyond her show. Maybe it is time Oprah transitions from her show and uses her magic for other things that she truly believes in, things that she has always wanted to do but was to worried about ratings to ever try to achieve.
The magic of Oprah will never be gone, she has created an empire which will live on forever! The problem is that people not only want the 'magic' of Oprah but the POWER of Oprah to be gone as well. It's so sad that people relate the ratings of Oprah's success to her tv ratings alone. Oprah is magic because everything she touches turns into gold. This woman doesn't stand on her tv show alone. She has branched out to movies, tv series, radio, she even built her own school. People can't seem to get enough of Oprah.
Through the years her ratings have fluctuated, however, maybe it's because her market is changing or growing up. This issue has nothing to do with her weight, her friend (singular LOL!) or her man Stedman. People change and so will the ratings. Maybe the ratings have declined because the number of stay-at-home middle-class-caucasian women have declined due to the fact that since the economy is so low that many homes are having to become two income family homes.
If anything, Oprah's ratings might have declined because her demographic of Caucasian women might finally be realizing that Oprah is black and supports blacks. For example, Oprah is backing Barack Obama, a black man, instead of a woman. Oprah built a school in Africa not a private school in Chicago. Yes, this might cause Oprah's common viewers to ease off watching Oprah a bit. However, Oprah is now taping into another market of young African Americans that is sure to bring her a come back.
As the saying goes “Every good thing must come to an end,” I think Oprah has hit the decline of her success. Of course she will always go down in history as the “Queen of all media,” but her time to shine is slowly decreasing.Many things have triggered this decline in ratings such as supporting Senator Barak Obama, not supporting minorities and the format of her show to name a few.
Many people don’t understand that success comes at a price. It is obvious that Oprah has simply forgotten about her struggles growing up and is only concerned with the upper-class Caucasian women of America. Those are the people that will constantly stand by her side, buy her book club novels and participate in the lifestyle events and morals that she now calls her own. It’s sad that Oprah Winfrey never has many black guests, especially males on her show and that she doesn’t seem to talk about issues that impact the black community.
According to the comments stated regarding the location of the Oprah Winfrey Academy, Winfrey feels that the minorities in America just aren’t serious about school. However, wouldn’t that be a reason to help out the lower-class communities? Instead, Winfrey decided to build a school in one of the better areas of South Africa.
Many people reach their peak of success and become molded into what their viewer’s ant to see. Is success worth losing everything and forgetting where you came from? Winfrey wasn’t always focused in school and headed down the road of success; without the help of her father, Oprah may have had numerous kids and no education.
It is a tough decision, but very hard to recover from. I just don’t really see what Oprah can do to hold onto her crown. After years of ignoring the minority communities, Winfrey can’t just start accommodating them now. I honestly feel like the world is bored and ready to watch someone else.
Tyra Bank’s is becoming the new face of talk shows. The Tyra show “keeps it real” and really accommodates all races, especially minorities. Because of that, I feel the show has the potential to take over. Not only does the Tyra show cater to minorities, but the show also caters to women of all ages; which is something the Oprah Winfrey show doesn’t do.
At the end of the day, Oprah will always be successful and her name will continue to remain in the media. However, I truly feel her days as the “Queen of media" may be over. Times are changing; therefore, people are ready for something new.
Honestly, Oprah used to be someone that I would watch. But I only watched Oprah because my mother did. Now I still admire her, I believe she has achieved great things and will continue to achieve great things. Unfortunately, I think that as Oprah has gotten older, so has her audience and instead of finding ways to reach out to a new, younger audience, she has stuck with the same format for years and years. I wouldn't watch her show because many of the things she discusses are boring to me. I find her intelligent and I respect her strength of will, her talent and her commitment, but in my opinion her topics are dull. Sometimes she touches on things that I may find entertaining, but on the whole I can’t say that I would ever TiVo any of her shows. Her declining ratings could have a lot to do with many things. Maybe it does have something to do with her support of Barak Obama; maybe not. Maybe it has something to do with passing the reigns to Tyra Banks or her losing support of the minority communities. I really don't know, because I don't watch Oprah. Most of my friends don't and it's because, in my opinion, her topics are not exceedingly appealing to a lot of people my age. Honestly, this might be the reason her star might be falling. This is all just speculation becuase I don't see her ever failing or diminishing in popularity among the majority. She is just too big of a personality. So... her ratings slip a little. I would think that would have more to do with the present economy and people not having the leisure time to sit back on a weekday and watch Oprah at 4:00 p.m., than with her candidate affiliation or any other statistic. Honestly, I have two jobs and I can barely pay for gas. Even if I wanted to, I don't have the time to sit down on a Wednesday afternoon and watch Oprah.
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