Money Winners of 2007: Oprah Winfrey remains media queen

Posted Dec 14th 2007 4:18PM by Jonathan Berr
Filed under: Television, Magazines, Money and Finance Today, Presidential Elections

TV personality Oprah Winfrey Remember how they used to say that the sun never set on the British empire. The same goes for talk show queen Oprah Winfrey's empire.

In an era when most media conglomerates struggle, Winfrey has the midas touch, which is why her endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama may have a huge impact on the election. Her continuing presence at the pop culture zeitgeist is nothing short of remarkable.

Ratings for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" remain strong. When she got 100 plus members of the Osmond clan on her program on November 12 following the death of patriarch George, she scored her best ratings since the prior January, according to Broadcast and Cable. During the week ended November 25, Her protege Dr. Phil McGraw earned a 5.5 rating, trailing Winfrey's show, which got a 5.7, but her ratings included Thanksgiving while his didn't, the trade publication says.

Her magazine also continues to perform impressively. O-The Oprah Magazine earned about $70.8 million in advertising revenue between July and September, up 6.8% from a year earlier, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. Her magazine has 481.35 advertising pages during that same time, surpassing the totals of rivals Every Day with Rachael Ray (141.86) and Martha Stewart Living (383.8). Overall, the magazine business continues to suck wind as advertising dollars migrate to the Internet.

How about books?

When the Oprah's Book Club chose British author Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth, its publisher immediately shipped 612,000 copies of the 973-page book, according to BBC.com, which notes, "Oprah's Book Club has approximately one million members and each of its selections have skyrocketed to the top of bestsellers lists."

Who knows what the future holds for Winfrey. She's probably isn't running for president herself because it would be a demotion.

Be sure to check out more Money Winners of 2007.

Tags: barack obama, democratic party, O-The Oprah Magazine, oprah winfrey, presidential election, The Oprah Winfrey Show

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)

12-14-2007 @ 8:18PM

donroutledge said...

I don't think Miss Winfrey will help Obama much. She just doesn't have much to work with. However, having said that, I appreciate the fact that she is not supporting Hildabeast. Oprah has the right to support her favorite candidate, for any reason, just as the rest of do.

12-28-2007 @ 8:42AM

John said...

All that glitters is not gold.Why adore the Oprah chick,she is noboby,she is unmarried,childless,and selfish.What has she done for the poor blacks in this country,those in the ghettos, where 75% of the kids do not know who their father is ,"Nothing"I guess she will be the first person that will have a UHAUL truck attached to her coffin when she dies.It is because of the white man she became rich.She supports the fool Obama because he is "Black".Look at the audience at her TV shows(80% white).Money does not make you a great person.There are more smart and intelligent black women in this country than Oprah,who are real people,she is a fake.She is rich financially and poor in spirit.To have a child is a blessing from God.So she is the modern day DEVIL.

12-28-2007 @ 12:55PM

dee said...

Oprah is racist, that is obvious.........

Her choice to back Obama is just one of her courses.

12-28-2007 @ 12:54PM

Loris Allen said...

For all of you who think that Oprah is picking a candidate based upon race, let's think again. What would happen if all of the negative thoughts you had about her choice were turned to positive ones. Let's just say that perhaps Oprah has done her research like she most often does, and discovered that Obama has great qualities to help make good changes in this nation. What a concept. Who Knew?

12-28-2007 @ 12:54PM

Shirley Cooper said...

God is awesome, powerful and in control of everything. Thank Him for giving us free will of speech and choice. How we use those gifts will bless us and please God. WOW!! we have surely made a mess of this world; we are very lucky that God is a forgiving, caring, generous and loving God. We are quick to judge and critisize each other for their actions, deeds and words before we "walk that mile (experience)in their shoes." No matter what Oprah says or does she will be critisized because of jealousy, envy and racism. I give her credit that she chooses the high road in all her actions and that she is her own woman in her choices. She doesn't need to ask permission of anyone when she turns her house key or writes her check. May she continue in God's good grace.

12-28-2007 @ 12:54PM

storybks4u said...

Oprah used to be a good program to watch but now she takes over all the conversation. She sure must be stuck on herself with only HER picture on the O magazine.