The End of An Era

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Maybe Oprah should’ve timed her show to end in 2012, that would definitely legitimatize some “end of the world” predictions.

Arguably the greatest living success story in America today and a source of motivation for many young black people, Oprah Winfrey  has been hosting her own daytime talk show longer than most recent college graduates have been alive. The Oprah Winfrey show started running nationally on September 8, 1986 and on September 9, 2011, the Queen of Talk will host her last show.

CHICAGO (WABC) – It’s the end of a remarkable run. Oprah will be leaving her talk show behind in 2011.

Oprah told her staff of her decision during a company meeting on Thursday afternoon. The president of Harpo Studios notified media partners later Thursday.

She is expected to make a public announcement on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” on Friday.

The sun will set on the Oprah show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.

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.

Winfrey started her broadcasting career in Nashville, Tenn., and Baltimore, Md., before relocating to Chicago to host WLS-TV’s morning talk show “A.M. Chicago.”

That show was renamed “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and launched on September 8, 1986.

A year later, Winfrey established Harpo and her talk show went into syndication. In 1990, Winfrey opened Harpo Studios in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood.

The president of Harpo, Inc. issued a statement to stations that carry the Oprah show about her announcement.

“As we all know, Oprah’s personal comments about this on tomorrow’s live show will mark an historic television moment that we will all be talking about for years to come,” wrote Tim Bennett.

Officials said Harpo has other projects in development, but nothing to announce at this time.

Winfrey’s 24th season opened earlier this year with a bang, including hosting a show in Central Park with Mariah Carey. She also drew more than 20,000 fans to the Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue for a Chicago block party with the Black Eyed Peas.

She followed up with a series of blockbuster interviews – Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, exclusives with singer Whitney Houston and ESPN’s Erin Andrews, and just this week, former Alaska governor, GOP vice presidential candidate and best-selling author Sarah Palin. She found time between shows to lobby the International Olympic Committee in Denmark for Chicago’s failed bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

Famously rich single and childless, in most estimations, Oprah is the most influential woman in the world. The name “Oprah” brings so many different things to mind: incredible weight loss, devastating weight gain, Tom Cruise jumping on the couch, Obama supporting, Palin dissing, white women boycotting, sexual predators being captured, South African school for girls, a magazine with the same face cover after cover, Dr. Phil, Rachel Ray, book club, James Frey fraud, 50 Cent feud, David Letterman truce..and, of course, money.

Oprah Winfrey is a legend and the end of her show is definitely the end of an era.

Tagged as: 2012, off the air, Oprah, wabc, winfrey

Article by FreshXpress Staff

theFreshXpress.com is a collection of free thinkers and individuals that have come together to give voice to a nation of young African Americans. It is our mission to provide fresh thought, fresh perspectives, and fresh debate on issues relevant to the African American community.

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