CHICAGO and SILVER SPRING – Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications announced plans today to create "OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network”, which will be the company’s Discovery Health Channel, rebranded.
The new multi-platform media venture will be “designed to entertain, inform and inspire people to live their best lives,” says the press release. OWN will debut in 2009 in more than 70 million homes and the venture will also include the award-winning digital platform, Oprah.com.
(It’s too early to say at this time whether Canwest, which now co-owns Discovery Health Canada with John Malone’s Discovery, will follow the same re-branding. Actually, we’ll probably have to see the results of the BDU and specialty service policy hearings which will happen in April in order to see if the channel can join the other women-focused, Canadian-owned specialties already in existence since genre-protection will be a hot button issue during those proceedings.)
"Fifteen years ago, I wrote in my journal that one day I would create a television network, as I always felt my show was just the beginning of what the future could hold," said Winfrey, who will serve as chairman of OWN, in a statement. "For me, the launch of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Network’ is the evolution of the work I’ve been doing on television all these years and a natural extension of my show."
"There is no stronger voice than Oprah Winfrey in engaging, motivating and connecting people to live healthier lives. Oprah has inspired me personally, and through this new venture, Oprah’s talent and drive will have a dedicated multimedia platform to empower, engage and connect with people on-air and on- line," said David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery Communications in the same release.
"At Discovery, our goals are to improve the quality of the networks while expanding the reach and success of our web presence. This venture does both, and having Oprah as Chairman and creative leader makes OWN a very unique property in a crowded media landscape."
In addition to providing her talent, and personal commitment, Winfrey will have full editorial control over the joint venture and will be responsible for OWN’s programming, branding and creative vision.
The venture will be 50-50 owned by Discovery and Harpo, Winfrey’s production company. This is a cashless transaction and The Oprah Winfrey Network, LLC will be an independent company.
Discovery Communications will contribute to the venture the Discovery Health Channel as well as handle distribution, origination and other operational requirements for the proposed venture. Both organizations will contribute advertising sales services to the venture.
The search for OWN’s CEO to oversee day-to-day venture operations will begin immediately.
