Oprah Winfrey Fires Network CEO

BY BRICE SANDER
ANCHOR ALEX ROZIER

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You’re fired! Wait a second- isn’t that Donald Trump’s catchphrase? Then why is Oprah Winfrey using it? Chicago’s WMAQ catches us up on what’s going down.

“Oprah Winfrey’s Network looks for a new CEO, only five months after hitting the airwaves. Discovery and Winfrey say they replaced Christina Norman due to low network ratings. The Oprah Winfrey Network debuted New Year’s Day. The ‘Queen of Talk’ says she intends to be more hands-on with the network after her show comes to an end.”

Obviously Norman wasn’t one of Oprah’s favorite things about her new network. As a writer for Deadline hints, that’s really not a surprise.

“[Oprah and Discovery] were tired of making excuses for OWN’s ratings, which nosedived after the channel made its debut in January. They also lacked faith in the development slate Norman had put together.”

Under Norman, the network failed to produce hit series or strong ratings. A blogger for Showbiz 411 applauds Winfrey’s decision to dump the “dud.”

“It’s never a nice story when someone loses their job. But Christina Norman … probably had it coming … Winfrey can bring more important, enlightened, and hip material to a whole cable network.”

But an LA Times writer argues, it wasn’t Norman’s fault- it’s Winfrey’s. Her “vision” for the network just can’t compete.

“To get the numbers Discovery and Winfrey want, they are going to have to get dirty. It worked for Bravo. A channel that was once about high art and culture now gets rich off of pathetic housewives. History Network long abandoned history in favor of ice road truckers, whatever they are.”

So what’s next for the net? Winfrey brought in former Fox Broadcasting exec Peter Ligouri- who green lit shows like American Idol and Glee- to captain the ship until a new CEO can be named. A blogger for BET suggests he’s set-up for success.

“...Liguori's appointment reflects a transition from a launch phase to a more long-term focus on business and creative strategy, development and execution … Liguori will oversee the network's new content, including the October debut of Rosie O'Donnell's new talk show and the launch of Oprah's Next Chapter in 2012.”

Finally- MSNBC’s Powerwall has some parting words for Norman, from Oprah herself.

“...in the meantime, Norman can comfort herself with the advice from this 2008 O Magazine story, ‘Getting Fired: It Could Be A Good Thing.’”

With her talk show finale schedule for May 25, Winfrey says she will soon shift her full focus to OWN.

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4. Added :09-May-11
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