So OWN is filling up airtime running reruns of the Oprah Winfrey Show

Hopefully Snapped is on there.

Discovery buys majority stake in OWN from Oprah Winfrey

Discovery Communications is paying $70 million to take a majority interest in OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Until now, OWN had been a 50-50 joint venture between the television star and the cable programming giant. The deal, announced Monday, increases Discovery's ownership stake in the basic cable channel by an additional 24.5% to nearly 75%.

The transaction marks the first time that Winfrey has taken money out of the venture. The channel launched in 2011.

Winfrey, however, will continue to serve as chief executive of the network. As part of the deal, she will work exclusively for OWN in the basic cable space through 2025.

With the deal, Winfrey is cashing in on her involvement in OWN. According to Discovery, this is the first time Winfrey has received a payment from her company’s ownership stake in OWN in the 10 years since forming the joint venture with Discovery. Harpo will retain a “significant minority interest” in OWN and Winfrey will continue in her role as CEO. Her exclusivity contract with OWN, including as on-air personality, has been extended through 2025.

Discovery was quick to point out that the $70 million price tag on a 24.5% stake should not automatically peg OWN’s valuation at $280 million as it was agreed upon “after taking into account net debt at the network.”

The now successful OWN got off to a rocky start, with ratings struggles and executive turnover marking its first couple of years on the air until it found its groove with programming appealing to African American female viewers. The company raked in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses before starting to turn profit.

“Ten years ago, Oprah and I began to imagine what a network, inspired by her vision and values, could mean to viewers across the U.S.,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery. “In an increasingly crowded landscape, OWN has emerged as the leading destination for African-American women and one of the strongest superfan brands across all screens and services. This transaction allows Discovery and Oprah to unlock more value from our partnership; extends once more her commitment to the network; and lets us continue our strong work together to nourish OWN viewers with the content they love.”

Launched in 2011, OWN has become the No. 1 network for African-American women with the top four original scripted series on ad-supported cable. Its roster includes hit dramas Queen Sugar and Greenleaf, the top two original series on all of television Wednesday nights for African-American viewers. Following a long partnership with Tyler Perry, which delivered OWN’s first scripted hits, led by The Haves and the Have Nots, the network forged relationships with such top writer-producers including as Ava DuVernay, Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil, Academy Award-winning Moonlight writer/producer Tarell Alvin McCraney and prolific filmmaker Will Packer.

“Creating OWN and seeing it flourish, supported by Discovery and a rapidly growing group of the finest storytellers in film and television, is one of my proudest achievements,” said Winfrey. “I’m thrilled with the network’s success and excited about this next chapter in our partnership. Together, we’ll continue to inspire our viewers with real-life stories that are emotional and entertaining, connecting them to each other and to their greatest potential.”

Discovery is increasing its stake in OWN as it looks to complete its acquisition of fellow cable programmer Scripps in early 2018, whose stable including Food Network and HGTV will be combined with Discovery’s portfolio of female-focused networks, including TLC, ID and OWN. That gives Discovery five of the top pay-TV networks for women, representing 20% share of women watching primetime pay-TV in the U.S.

“I’m excited for OWN to be part of Discovery in a deeper, more meaningful way and for the opportunity this unlocks for our future,” said Erik Logan, President, OWN. “Our network has achieved what most people thought was impossible and as we look toward the future, now more than ever, we are poised for continued success.”

$70 million doesn't seem like a lot for a quarter a network and Oprah doesn't need the money. I wonder what's really going on.

“So”, what?

[quote] Discovery buys majority stake in OWN from Oprah Winfrey

I had missed that but it's not the first time she has done this. Oprah originally established the Oxygen Network (Oh TV) before selling it to NBC. Since then there has been absolutely nothing to watch on Oxygen unless you are addicted to Dateline reruns.

So Discovery wants more of a stake in OWN to... air Oprah reruns?

The network has been a flop but nobody wants to say it in order not to embarrass Oprah.

I loved her show but barely watch the network. She was best condensed into an hour. A SiriusXM channel is on thing for a music artist, but a whole network for a media personality is overload. She should sell out, let them rebrand as an inspirational network and go back to network & the one-hour format.

OWN Delivers Its Highest-Rated, Most-Watched and Highest-Ranked Quarter in Network History

"Queen Sugar" / OWNOWN: Oprah Winfrey Network closed out the 3rd quarter of 2016 delivering its highest-rated, most-watched and highest-ranking quarter in network history. In primetime, the network averaged a 0.43 rating in its key W25-54 demo (up +39% vs. last quarter and up +10% vs. YAGO) and 599,000 total viewers (up +29% vs. last quarter and up +9% vs. YAGO).

In prime, OWN ranked #13 among ad-supported cable networks with W25-54 (up +15 spots vs. last quarter and up +5 spots vs. YAGO). Additionally, OWN is the #1 cable network in prime among all African American women and total viewers.

This quarter's success was bolstered by OWN's two new original drama series, "Greenleaf" and "Queen Sugar," which both premiered to record ratings and are 2 of the year's top 3 new scripted cable series among women, and Tyler Perry series "The Haves and the Have Nots" and "If Loving You is Wrong." "Queen Sugar" premiered to record ratings (9/6/16 and 9/7/16), delivering the highest-rated two-episode debut in network history, averaging a 1.9 W25-54 rating and 2.416 million total viewers over its two-night premiere. "Greenleaf" premiered as the #1 series debut in OWN history with over 3 million total viewers (6/21/16).

In addition, OWN was Tuesday night's #1 cable network among W25-54. Popular series from Tyler Perry, "The Haves and the Have Nots" was Tuesday night's #1 original cable series among W25-54 and W18+ and "If Loving You is Wrong" ranked #2 among W25-54. Both series were also the most-watched cable series among African-American total viewers in all of prime.

All of OWN's scripted drama series ("Queen Sugar," "Greenleaf," "The Haves and the Have Nots" and "If Loving You is Wrong") have averaged over 2 million total viewers for the quarter in Live+SD and over 3 million total viewers in Live+3. Additionally, OWN had 4 of the top 6 original scripted series on ad-supported cable among W25-54 and 4 of the top 7 among W18+. OWN also had the top 4 scripted cable series among African-American total viewers.

Additional 3Q 2016 Stats:

-- OWN was Tuesday night's #1 cable network among W25-54

-- OWN was Wednesday night's #2 cable network among W25-54

-- "Greenleaf" and "Queen Sugar" were among Wednesday night's top 3 original cable series for W25-54

-- "Greenleaf" and "Queen Sugar" were Wednesday night's top 2 original cable series among African-American W25-54, AA W18+ and AA total viewers

-- OWN was Wednesday night's #1 network on all of TV among African-American W25-54, W18+ and total viewers

-- "The Haves and the Have Nots" was Tuesday night's #1 original cable series among W25-54 and W18+

-- OWN was Tuesday night's #1 network on all of TV among African-American W25-54, W18+ and total viewers

-- OWN had Tuesday night's top 3 original series on all of TV among African-American W25-54, AA W18+ and AA total viewers with "Queen Sugar," "The Haves and the Have Nots" and "If Loving You is Wrong"

-- "Iyanla: Fix My Life" was Saturday night's #1 original cable series among African-American W25-54 and AAW18+

-- OWN had Saturday night's top 3 original cable series (non-sports) among African-American W25-54 and AA W18+ in "Iyanla: Fix My Life," "Flex & Shanice" and "Oprah: Where Are They Now?"

[quote] I loved her show but barely watch the network. She was best condensed into an hour. A SiriusXM channel is on thing for a music artist, but a whole network for a media personality is overload. She should sell out, let them rebrand as an inspirational network and go back to network & the one-hour format.

She doesn't need to do any of that. Own struggled at first but it is now a success. The network became profitable in 2013. After revamping what started out as mostly inspirational programming. That formula did not worked. Adding scripted programs and reality programming saved the network. Last yr it became one of the 50th most watching networks (among adults 18-49).

She doesn't need to do any of that. Own struggled at first but it is now a success. The network became profitable in 2013. After revamping what started out as mostly inspirational programming. That formula did not work. Adding scripted programs and reality programming saved the network. Last yr it became one of the 50th most watched networks (among adults 18-49).