The Oprah Winfrey Show

The Oprah Winfrey Show
GenreTalk show
Infotainment
Created byOprah Winfrey
Directed byJoseph C. Terry
Creative directorReed Woodworth
Presented byOprah Winfrey
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons25
No. of episodes4,561[1]
Production
Production locationsHarpo Studios
Chicago, Illinois
Camera setupMultiple
Running time40–45 minutes
Production companiesWLS-TV Chicago
(1986–1988)
(seasons 1–3)
Harpo Productions
(1988–2010)
(seasons 3–24)
Harpo Studios
(2010–2011)
(season 25)
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseSeptember 8, 1986 (1986-09-08) –
May 25, 2011 (2011-05-25)
Related
Oprah's Lifeclass
Super Soul Sunday
Oprah's Next Chapter
Oprah: Where Are They Now?
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

The Oprah Winfrey Show, often referred to as The Oprah Show or simply Oprah, is an American daytime syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, from Chicago, Illinois. Produced and hosted by Oprah Winfrey, it remains the highest-rated daytime talk show in American television history.[2]

The show was highly influential to many young stars, and many of its themes have penetrated into the American pop-cultural consciousness. Winfrey used the show as an educational platform, featuring book clubs, interviews, self-improvement segments, and philanthropic forays into world events. The show did not attempt to profit off the products it endorsed; it had no licensing agreement with retailers when products were promoted, nor did the show make any money from endorsing books for its book club.[3]

Oprah was one of the longest-running daytime television talk shows in history. The show received 47 Daytime Emmy Awards before Winfrey chose to stop submitting it for consideration in 2000.[4] In 2002, TV Guide ranked it at No. 49 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.[5] In 2013, they ranked it as the 19th greatest TV show of all time.[6] In 2023, Variety ranked The Oprah Winfrey Show #17 on its list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time.[7]

In November 2009, Winfrey announced that the show would conclude in 2011 following its 25th and final season. The series finale aired on May 25, 2011.

  1. ^ Hollingshead, Iain (May 20, 2011). "Oprah Winfrey retires: Those in the spotlight can't bear the final curtain". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  2. ^ Rose, Lacey (January 29, 2009). "America's Top-Earning Black Stars". Forbes. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  3. ^ Carr, David (November 22, 2009). "The Media Equation – Oprah Winfrey's Success Owes to Decisions That Avoided Common Traps". The New York Times. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  4. ^ "'The Oprah Winfrey Show': Trivia". Web. Oprah.com. January 1, 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  5. ^ "TV Guide Names Top 50 Shows". CBS News. April 26, 2002.
  6. ^ Fretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt. "The Greatest Shows on Earth". TV Guide Magazine. 61 (3194–3195): 16–19.
  7. ^ "The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time". Variety. December 20, 2023.