Oprah's back in business: Her network is doing quite well

Finally the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) is in the black, taking a lot of stress and pressure off of the producers. Since the network aired two-and-a-half-years ago, OWN has picked up over 30 new advertisers and some serious sponsors. Companies like Procter & Gamble and General Electric are paying higher rates to OWN now that it has gotten itself on track. Tyler Perry’s “The Haves and Have Nots” is getting a lot of attention and bringing in viewership to the network along with other series on the channel. For the first time since the network began things are really starting to look up.

When Oprah started the network with Discovery Communications everyone was skeptical about her new venture. Putting together a whole network is a huge mission and many predicted that Oprah’s big dreams would end in  even bigger failure. Now Oprah describes her experiences as CEO and chairwoman of OWN as “rewarding.” With her hands in as many pots as she can find, “Oprah’s Next Chapter” and “Oprah’s Lifeclass,” are just some of that Oprah is proving to be a multi-dimensional business woman.

Now OWN viewership numbers are up 23% from the previous year. The network has brought in 60% more women between the ages of 25 and 54 are for their primetime series. Although Oprah brought in millions of viewers on her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, the 500,000+ viewers that OWN brought in during the month of August is remarkable for a new and growing cable channel.

Early in the growth of the network, OWN lost out on some big risks, like Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show. Now the network is drawing in viewers with shows like Crazy.Sexy.Life and soon they will air a docuseries on Lindsay Lohans’ life post-rehab. With support from interviews with top names like Lance Armstrong, Bobbi Christina Houston, Kelsey Grammar and Rihanna, OWN can continue to look towards a profitable and successful future.