‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ To End In 2011  Oprah Winfrey |
‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’, the iconic TV Talk Show will end its broadcast in 2011 after running for over two decades, Winfrey’s production company said.
Winfrey plans to announce the final date for her show during a live broadcast on Friday, Harpo Productions Inc. said, bringing a finish to what has been television's major talk show, broadcasting in 145 countries globally and viewed by an estimated 42 million people a week in the US alone.
Winfrey, 55, is expected to start a new talk show on OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network, a much-awaited JV with Discovery Communications Inc. that is expected to debut in 2011.
CBS Television Distribution, which distributes ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ to more than 200 markets covering the United States, hoped that it could continue to do business with Winfrey.
"We have the greatest respect for Oprah and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors," the unit of CBS Corp. said in a statement. "We know that anything she turns her hand to will be a great success. We look forward to working with her for the next several years and hopefully afterwards as well."
Tom Cruise declared his liking for Katie Holmes on this program in 2005.
In 2004, Winfrey revealed her most famous giveaway, when almost 300 members of the studio audience opened a gift box to find the keys to a new car inside. The stunt became a classic moment on the show.
The show was also a take-off point for Oprah's Book Club.
The end of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ would be a big blow to CBS Corp. as it earns a percentage of heavy licensing fees from TV stations that use it.
