Talk titan Oprah‘s latest venture doomed before launch, say industry insiders.
It’s more than 20 months since Oprah Winfrey proclaimed her new network would be launching but OWN seems mired in its own muck.
Despite teaming with the Discovery Network to create a cable net reflecting her ethos "Living your best life" – The Oprah Winfrey Network – not much has happened except a revolving door of execs running for their livelihoods.
"It’s kind of like the Death Star over there — not a lot is coming out," said Brent Poer, managing director of ad-buying firm MediaVest. "This is a signal that they are trying to decide WHO they are."
This wouldn’t be the first time Oprah had to figure out who "she" was for the TV market despite her successful chat show, O mag and own book club, as her last venture into networking, Oxygen, launched in 99, was a floperoo from the Big O’s point-of-view.
Winfrey then distanced herself from Oxygen, saying "it did not reflect MY voice" and the net is now owned by NBC/Universal.
In the meantime, three top level execs have fled Oprah’s new venture, giving rise to industry pundits calling the exit strategy "rats fleeing a sinking ship".
"It’s kind of surprising to have Oprah Winfrey and the Discovery Networks, two very well-respected and reputable companies, experience this much upheaval before they even go on the air," said Brad Adgate, programming director with Horizon Media, an advertising company.
They may be stalling for time however as Oprah can’t be legally hands on with the new net until her syndicated chat show contract expires in two years.
"The worst thing that could happen would be to show everyone the baby, and then everyone says, ‘Oooh, the baby’s ugly," MediaVest‘s Poer added.
" What they are simply saying is, ‘Let’s DON’T give birth yet.’ "
Not until Big Mamma O’s available.
