Oprah Winfrey is
getting her own TV network.
Discovery
Communications and Winfrey announced a deal Tuesday wherein
the Discovery Health network will be turned over to
Winfrey next year, becoming OWN -- the Oprah Winfrey
Network.
The cash-free
transaction involved Winfrey turning over her website to
Discovery, while the communications company makes her
chairman of the network, which is currently seen in 68
million homes, said David Zaslav, Discovery
communications chief.
''The focus of
the channel will be the focus of Oprah's brand, which is
to educate and inspire people to live the best life they
can,'' Zaslav said.
Some of Winfrey's
stable of regular contributors could be expected to be
part of the programming, he said. Winfrey's current talk
show, as well as rights to the use of reruns, is
spoken for until the end of the 2010-2011
season.
Besides hosting
syndication's top-rated talk show, Winfrey puts out her
own magazine. (AP)