OWN
I was on vacation last week. But thanks to the magic of publishing—and the magic of working double-time before vacation—I had a story in TIME anyway! I previewed Oprah Winfrey’s just-launched OWN network, which essentially atomizes the themes and content of The Oprah Winfrey Show across a 24-hour cable lineup:
A successful, long-running daytime show like Oprah’s is a TV network in microcosm, bundling several “shows” in the form of regular segments: it is at once an interview show, a self-help show, a game show, a reality show, a personal-finance and literature and fashion show — all built around a common brand and themes.
In the case of The Oprah Winfrey Show, those themes are self-actualization and celebrity. Or maybe self-actualization through celebrity: the idea is that by adopting the best personal habits and studying the life and spiritual practices of Oprah and Oprah-approved role models, you can, as she says, “be your best self.” That too is the overarching credo of OWN…
In practice, that means a lot of shows like you might find, say, on TLC. And I’m doubtful that even a successful cable network can have the cultural force that a single concentrated hour of Oprah does. Then again, maybe no single hour can again.