Oprah losing 'queen of daytime TV' crown
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Oprah Winfrey's viewing figures are slipping. (Photo: Getty Images)
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By David Bauder in Chicago
Monday Sep 14 2009
IT was once one of the most eagerly awaited events in showbusiness, but Oprah Winfrey is losing some of the allure that has made her the most important person on US TV for two decades.
Her show's 24th season is to open with a bang in an attempt to win back lost ground. One week of programmes include a Chicago block party with the Black Eyed Peas, an exclusive Whitney Houston interview and her first visit from Dr Phil in seven years.
Invincibility
Oprah is still the queen of daytime television, but the aura of invincibility is gone. The average viewership for 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' slipped under seven million last season, down 7pc from the year before. One week during the July season, the show had its lowest ratings since its 1985 debut.
There are many possible explanations for the fade, including some over which Winfrey has no control. Ratings declines are common with so many choices and demands on time, particularly during the day. It's even rarer for programmes that have been on the air as long as Winfrey's to grow.
Winfrey has also alienated some of her audience, particularly in more conservative parts of the US, said Janice Peck, author of 'Age of Oprah'.
By endorsing Barack Obama and campaigning for him, she shucked her apolitical image. Winfrey's book club selection of Eckhart Tolle's New Age religion book 'A New Earth' angered some conservative Christians.
Winfrey's buoyant encouragement of her audience, telling them that their possibilities are limitless, may no longer resonate in tough economic times, Ms Peck said.
How things go this season will affect an important decision: Winfrey is signed to do her show until September 2011, and has promised an answer by the end of the year on whether she'll renew her contract.
- David Bauder in Chicago
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