TVweek.com TM S:.50 APRIL 19, 2004 I) o HoiioLed `U11c. DistinLua L'tV t LLtL-tLt T L _ , z , . Celeb t" Yi;as INSIDE Exclusive 1_1 Oprah interview, biography, friends' _. memories and a poem by Maya Angelou S2 SPECIAL REPORT MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2004 TelevisionWeek Oprah Winfrey nationwide in 1986, and, incredi- Tribute bly, after all these years, its ratings are stronger than ever. According content io the NSS Ranking Report, "Oprah's" household average for the February 2004 sweeps was up 16 percent over the same month i (last year. The 7.8 rating puts Ms. Winfrey's audience total higher than it was six years ago. "She has the ability to reach the audience and know what it is they want to know from the guests," said Phil McGraw, who seemingly came out of nowhere when he began appearing regu- S6 In Depth With larly on "Oprah." After five years Oprah Winfrey Dr. of guest appearances, The TV Icon bares her McGraw got his own series with soul to TVWeek Editor Ms. Winfrey's help. Dr. McGraw Alex Ben Block. calls himself "a Ph.D from Oprah University." "Oprah is the most powerful communicator I have ever seen," he said. "She is complete- ly in the moment when she's GOOD WORKS Dr. Gloria Wilder-Brathwaite, one of Oprah's Angels, appears on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in speaking to you." April 2002 to receive the Use Your Life Award for her work with the Children's Health Fund in Washington. Ms. Winfrey has shared her own background without mak- ing it seem a confessional or a bid for attention. She was born in rural Mississippi and experi- enced hardship and abuse dur- S4 Distinguished ing her formative years. "She changed what we Company fission: believed was possible," said Oprah Joins the greats motivational speaker Terrie of broadcasting as a recipient of NAB's Williams, a fan and the author of highest honor. the top -selling "The Personal Touch: What You Really Need to Succeed in Today's Fast -Paced S8 The Girl From Business World." Mississippi "I say that not only meaning Oprah's incredible we black women, nor only black Journey from people, but all who view the church recitations to ssible conditions from which they her own talk show. Oprah Winfrey Achieved Stardom by Being Herself come as a handicap." By Lee Alan Hill Ms. Winfrey's series is booked 518 A Breath of Fresh Special to Television Week to run through the 2007-08 sea- Air on Cable Her 20 -year impact on the son, though Tim Bennett, presi- Oprah's commitment media is reason enough for the dent of Harpo Productions, said, to the Oxygen network "I think we can expect it to have a is financial but National Association of Broad- '41111 not only L also philosophical. casters to bestow its Distin- longer life." guished Service Award on Oprah 1 Kate Forte, president of Harpo Films, is beginning pro- Winfrey during the opening din- Photos courtesy of Harpo ner of its convention April 19. duction on "Their Eyes Were T 1, Productions Inc. But for Ms. Winfrey's vast net- Watching God," the next "Oprah Harpo Productions Inc. work of champions, the reasons Winfrey Presents" special for All rights reserved for the NAB to honor her are ABC, which is based on the Zora much greater than that. Neale Hurston novel and stars SUCCESS STORIEA is given to an indi- Halle Berry. As with all projects The award Ms. Winfrey and \ from Harpo, Ms. Forte said, "It's vidual who has made "a signifi- her friend Phil Tel visionWeek important for Oprah to show the cant and lasting contribution to McGraw have a humanity of people." Special Report the American system of broad- winning formula. OPRAH WINFREY TRIBUTE casting," NAB guidelines state. As for "Oprah" the talk show, President & Editor In Chief Ms. Winfrey's reach is a wide gramming for Paramount ference in the lives of others the past season's highlights Rance Crain TV, in globe. ranged from the star's 50th birth- one, extending far past the talk Domestic Harpo's partner around the Publisher & Editorial Director show that is seen by 23 million producing "Dr. Phil." "The Oprah Winfrey Show," day celebration to "Oprah goes to Chuck Ross people in 107 countries. Her "I tell them that the woman her TV talk show, is an institution Costco." As for next season, the Editor corporate banner, Harpo, is an you have grown to love, the that began exactly 20 years ago in show's executive producer Ellen Alex Ben Block empire worth more than $1 bil- woman you see on television Chicago, when Ms. Winfrey was Rakieten said, "We don't think Managing Editor every day, who gets excited about hired by ABC station WLS-TV to that far in advance, but Oprah Tom Gilbert life, who loves to discover and host "AM Chicago." King World will just instinctively know what News Editor Melissa Grego óShe changed share-that's the same woman I began distributing the show, the audience will want. She is the day in the hall- which was renamed after its host, viewer, and they know it." Design Director what we would see every Jennifer Clminillo way I for at when worked her Graphic Designer believed was Harpo, and it's the same woman I Chad Rooney partner with on 'Dr. Phil.' Success Special Issues Editor possible. N has not changed her." Eric Estrin Winfrey is a woman Copy Terrie Williams, author and Ms. y Chief motivational speaker unabashedly on a mission, a tal- : Jenny Butler a producer who only Copy Editors ent and .,,, . ` ,. in a if it Lillian A. Jackson lion. Companies under its aus- involves herself project Dennis R. Liff pices produce films and TV pro- expands the understanding of grams such as "Dr. Phil," publish the human condition. Her National Ad Sales Director 7,?ésl Elizabeth Cherry O, the Oprah Magazine, run the Oprah's Book Club has created Marketing Manager online service Oprah.com and best sellers out of wonderful Kurt Gardner books, which were pre- own a studio in Chicago. some of Published by Crain "People ask me all the time, viously obscure; her Oprah's Communications Inc. 'What's she really like?" said Angel Network supports non- Copyright 2004 Terry Wood, executive VP of pro - profits that seek to make a dif- GO-GETTERS Ms. Winfrey appears with scholarship recipients at the Harlem YMCA Black Achievers In Industry dinner In March 2003. YOUR WORK ENRICHES OUR f -ORLD St, ¡...:'.! ,, ,T! ! ! , ' , 1 II r - KING WORLD CONGRATULATES OPRAH WINFREY NAB 2004 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT z S4 SPECIAL REPORT MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2004 Televislorrllleek Oprab Witrey i: est Tribute Honor Goes to era. 401 NAB's Distinguished Service Award Is [7-- Reserved for Broadcasting's Greats HUMANITARIAN Oprah Winfrey was the recipient of the first Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, presented by By Lee Alan Hill and the greatest of newscasting the Academy of Tebv'sion Arts & Sciences at the 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2002. Special to Television Week giants (Walter Cronkite, Edward Oprah Winfrey's being hon- R. Murrow, Chet Huntley and who is," Mr. Wharton said. "She's ored by the National Association David Brinkley). had as enormous an impact on of Broadcasters with the organi- Bob Hope was the first per- the public as anyone in broad- zation's Distinguished Service son primarily known as a per- casting history." Award will place her in the com- former to be honored (1963). Ms. Winfrey's resume boasts an array of recognition for pany of past winners who Since that time, few leaders out- -v include the very side of the broad- extraordinary achievement, founders of broad- cast corporate including the first Bob Hope casting, leading offices, the Federal Humanitarian Award, presented newscasters and sta- Communications in 2002 at the 54th Annual or vari- Primetime Emmy Awards. Ms. tion owners as well as '- - 1 Commission other media person- ous news depart- Winfrey also received a Lifetime alities. While she is ments have been Achievement Award from the not the first woman named, another National Academy of Television so honored, nor the exception being TV Arts and Sciences at the 1998 first African Ameri- personality and pro- Daytime Emmys. can, she is the first EDWARD FRITTS ducer Dick Clark in person recognized 1993. Roots in News for service primarily in daytime Catherine Liggins Hughes, While Ms. Winfrey has spent Dr. Phil television. founder of the Radio One Net- more than 20 years hosting day- McGraw "Oprah has revolutionized work, became the first African TOPS IN TALK Ms. W nfrey won time talk programs, first locally daytime television," said American honored by NAB far best talk show at the in Baltimore and Chicago and I'd been doing litigation Edward Fritts, the NAB's presi- when she was recognized in Daytime En-mys in 995. then on her national program, consulting for years and I dent and CEO. "And [she[ has 2001. Other women who have which premiered in 1986, she was called on to help brought a higher level of com- received the Distinguished Ser- obvious to us," said Dennis has roots in radio and news. Oprah get ready for trial. passion and activism to the vice Award are Barbara Walters Wharton, NAB senior VP of com- After a short period on a She had dealt with the genre. Her contributions not (1997) and last year's recipient, munications. Nashville radio station, she topic of mad cow disease only to broadcasting but to soci- Cokie Roberts.