Winfrey ready to reverse fortunes of her cable channel

LOS ANGELES Former Nashvillian Oprah Winfrey earned the rare opportunity to convert her media charisma into a monogrammed TV channel. Now shes the one tasked with rescuing OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, after a disappointing first year.

Its a high-stakes, potentially ego-shattering challenge that could make the strongest woman or man flinch. But win or lose, Winfrey says she relishes the fight to turn OWNs fortunes around.

Yes, some mistakes were made. Who hasnt made mistakes? The real beauty is you can say, I learned from that, Winfrey said. I dont worry about failure. I worry about, Did I do all I could do?

The cable channel, which marked its first year Jan. 1, is trying for a fresh start after executive turnover and missteps that proved OWN lacked a solid foundation on which to build, this despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.

Viewers snubbed the lineup that skimped on programming and, surprisingly, what should have been OWNs unique weapon of choice: Winfrey herself, whose limited on-air presence will be boosted Sunday with a new weekly series, Oprahs Next Chapter.

OWN has failed to improve on, or in some instances even match, the modest ratings and small audience earned by the low-profile Discovery Health channel it replaced.

I would absolutely say it is and was not where I want it to be for year one, Winfrey said. My focus up until (last) May was doing what I do best, which is The Oprah Winfrey Show, and giving that my full attention until its conclusion.

But Winfrey, who said management team errors in planning and execution could serve as a cautionary tale, rejects the idea that a single years performance will determine OWNs ultimate fate. Or hers.

Somebody was talking to me in that kind of saddened, How are you? tone, and I was thinking, Im fine, said Winfrey, 57, who ruled as the queen of daytime TV until she ended her talk show after 25 years and turned! her att ention to the channel.

I realized the reason people have this tone is theyre reading all the press (about OWN), so you see me and wonder if I can still walk. I am a determined and committed woman. I dont give up. Im just getting started, she said in a recent interview.

One bonus of being Oprah: She has received pep talks from other media movers and shakers.

Everybody has told me Ted Turner has told me, Barry Diller has told me, Lorne Michaels has told me, David Geffen has told me anybody whos ever worked with a channel, whos ever done anything, has said it takes three to five years, she said, adding, You have to do the work. ... You do not have to pay attention to the criticism.

The changes

Year two for OWN will reflect executive changes made last July, when Winfrey expanded her role at the channel by adding the roles of chief executive and chief creative officer to her position as chairwoman. Discovery Communications COO Peter Liguori had filled in as interim head after OWN CEO Christina Norman was dismissed in the wake of poor ratings.

Although the channels ownership is split evenly between Discovery and Winfreys Chicago-based production company, Harpo Inc., it is Discoverys money thats on the line.

With more scheduling consistency, movies, original series with and without Winfrey, and a lot more Oprah in general, Discovery is a lot more confident that were heading in the right direction, said company spokesman David Leavy.

Sheri Salata and Erik Logan, two veteran Harpo executives, were brought on board to share the title of OWN president, with Logan moving from Chicago to OWNs Los Angeles headquarters.

Logan said he clearly understands the hard work in establishing any cable channel, and this one in particular.

One of the greatest gifts and challenges is to have her name on the door, Logan said of his top boss. Everything you do garners a high level of scrutiny and attention. ... We dont run from that.

The initially slight programm! ing line up is being beefed up, most notably with Oprahs Next Chapter. The weekly series debuted Sunday with Winfreys visit to the New Hampshire home of Steven Tyler.

Next Chapter turns the once studio-bound Winfrey into a globe-trotting interviewer who drops into the home of a Hasidic Jewish family in New York, George Lucas Skywalker Ranch in California and cook Paula Deens Georgia estate. There is also a trip with Sean Penn to Haiti, and a planned India trip with Deepak Chopra.