Oprah (Harpo Studios)
Acquired
The Evolution of Daytime TV
This chapter explores the rise of daytime television shows in the 70s and 80s, focusing on game shows and talk shows like 'Donahue' that captivated suburban housewives. It examines the cultural impact of these programs and the journey of a young host trying to replicate their success with a local show, ultimately facing challenges in achieving national syndication.
We close out Season 6 with the story of perhaps the single most successful media entrepreneur of all-time: Oprah Winfrey, and her juggernaut conglomerate Harpo Studios. Born to a poor single mother in the segregated 1950's deep south, Oprah's rise from terrible adversity to wealthiest Black woman in the world ranks among the very greatest American success stories. And oh yeah — along the way she single-handedly created the entire influencer economy, rewrote the blueprint of a modern power broker, and set the world record for most cars given away at one time (276). Sit back, listen and get ready to live your best life.
Sponsors:
WorkOS: https://bit.ly/workos25
Sentry: https://bit.ly/acquiredsentry
ServiceNow: https://bit.ly/acquiredsn
More Acquired!:
- Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodes
- Join the Slack
- Subscribe to ACQ2
- Merch Store!
© Copyright 2015-2025 ACQ, LLC
Survey link!: http://acquired.fm/survey
Carveouts:
- David: The Dark Tower series by Stephen King https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07959YG1R?
- Ben: Reply All "Long Distance" https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/6nh3wk
Sources:
- http://blackeconomics.co.uk/wp/oprahs-empire/
- http://www.oprah.com/entertainment/the-oprah-winfrey-show-by-the-numbers-oprah-show-statistics/all
- http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Oprah-Shows-Most-Shocking-Moments_1
- https://diverseeducation.com/article/1205/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey_Network
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WW_International
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-oprah-regrets-famous-wagon-233648610.html
- https://freakonomics.com/2008/08/06/so-much-for-one-person-one-vote/
- https://hbr.org/podcast/2018/01/black-business-leaders-series-oprahs-path-to-authentic-leadership
- https://stmuhistorymedia.org/from-rags-to-riches-the-story-of-oprah-winfrey/
- https://www.amazon.com/Oprah-Biography-Kitty-Kelley/dp/0307394875
- https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Lifetime-Lessons-Learned-Company/dp/0399592091
- https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-09-25-9809260006-story.html
- https://www.cnn.com/ampstories/entertainment/how-oprah-winfrey-built-her-business-empire
- https://www.forbes.com/profile/oprah-winfrey/#c52ce3e5745f
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifereum/2014/09/29/how-oprah-went-from-talk-show-host-to-first-african-american-woman-billionaire/#7f21cfb76163
- https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/oprah-gives-away-nearly-300-new-cars
- https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/you-get-a-car-oprah-winfrey-giveaway-studio-audience-gift-tax-members-guests-pay-show-a8208051.html
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/an-anxious-america-gets-set-for-life-after-oprah-2285528.html
- https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-feb-21-ca-27886-story.html
- https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500692140/making-beyonc
- https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/12/news/jackson-interview-high-in-ratings.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/business/media/23carr.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/business/media/end-of-oprahs-show-tightens-races-for-tv-ratings.html
- https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/the-oprah-phenomenon-by-the-numbers
- https://www.robertfeder.com/2016/06/15/legendary-tv-exec-dennis-swanson-retires/
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/05/13/oprah-winfrey-untold-story/
- https://www.thebalancesmb.com/oprah-winfrey-entrepreneur-1200951
- https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/jan/12/oprah-winfrey-unlikely-to-run-for-us-president-but-could-win-if-she-did
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/oprahs-last-show-averaged-8957-million-fewer-viewers-than-mash-finale/2011/06/08/AGD5AUMH_story.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cooRceBiE8E
The AI-powered Podcast Player
