oprah retiring

Oprah Sets Date for Final Show

We knew the end was coming and now we have a definite date of Oprah’s last show on network TV. Her show has been on TV for 25 years, but despite the show’s continued success, Oprah decided to launch her own network (OWN) and leave network TV. Currently her show is in re-runs, but she promises us BIG things for the final six weeks. Oprah and Harpo Productions confirmed Friday that the final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show will air on May 25th. It’s hard to believe her show will be no more in less than two months…

Per Us:

“You have all invited me into your lives,” an emotional Winfrey told her studio audience in November 2009, when announcing that her 25th season would be her last. “We’ve grown together. I want you all to know that my relationship with you is one that I hold very dear. Your trust in me, your sharing your precious time with me…has brought me the greatest joy that I have ever known.”

Ratings for her new network, OWN, haven’t been great. They are decent, but not the huge numbers she was pulling on network TV. What will happen once she’s only available on cable TV? I don’t think the ratings will be anywhere near what they were. While on network TV Oprah’s show was free for those who didn’t have cable. Now that she’s established her OWN network people will have to pay a premium if they want to watch Oprah. Her network is available only on cable and not just basic cable, but premium cable. Which means more money out of her viewer’s pockets.

Although Oprah seems to be a very smart business woman I don’t think launching a network only available through a premium cable subscription was the smartest thing to do. People are struggling with money these days and many people have had to cut out the extras like premium cable.

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Images Via: WENN

Oprah Ends ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ in 2011 – VIDEO

After 25 years on the air, Oprah will announce tomorrow that she will NOT renew her contract and her talk show will end on September 9, 2011.

She reportedly told staff Thursday afternoon that this will be the last her talk show so she can focus on her new network.

ABC reports:

Back in January of 2008, Oprah announced she was launching OWN – The Oprah Winfrey Network. It was widely expected that the TV talk queen would stop doing her syndicated program in September 2011 to focus on the cable network. Sources said that the Oprah Winfrey Show would not move to OWN.

If Oprah does indeed retire her show another matter of who or what will take her place will be buzzing around soon. Ellen DeGeneres will certainly have a corner on the market.

UPDATE:

Tim Bennett, president of HARPO, has CONFIRMED that Oprah will be making the announcement tomorrow that the show will end in 2011.

“Tomorrow, Oprah will announce live on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ that she has decided to end what is arguably one of the most popular, influential and enduring programs in television history. The sun will set on the “Oprah” show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.”

Yours truly will be hiding in a bomb shelter and living on vodka and Kashi for the next few days until the shrieks of homemakers every where turn to gentle sobs.