Winfrey and Discovery need to learn a little patience with OWN

Just 10 days before the Jan. 1 launch of OWN, the cable network co-owned by Discovery Communications and Oprah Winfrey, Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav told the Los Angeles Times he knew the network would not be a hit from Day One.

"We recognize it's going to take awhile to find a voice," Zaslav said, stressing the need for patience with the cable network.

Apparently "take awhile" meant five months.

On Friday, Discovery and Winfrey announced that Christina Norman was out as chief executive of OWN. The former president of MTV, Norman was brought in by Winfrey and Zaslav to OWN in 2009 to figure out just what the Winfrey voice was. She replaced Robin Schwartz, the first head of OWN, who was shown the door when she too apparently couldn't find Winfrey's voice.

To be sure, the ratings for OWN are pretty dismal. The network's first day drew lots of curious people, but they soon went back to their old viewing habits. The only show to really click at all with viewers is a behind-the-scenes look at Winfrey's last season as a daytime talk show host. Overall, the network is averaging about 300,000 viewers in prime time and 150,000 in total day.

That was to be expected. A channel is not going to be a huge success out of the gate no matter whose name is on it. Winfrey of all people should know this given how long it took Oxygen, another cable network she was involved in, to find its footing.

The challenge for Winfrey and Discovery is they want to provide inspiration to a cable television audience that thrives on desperation. For example, this Saturday OWN is launching "Extraordinary Moms," which the channel's website said, "explores the power of mothers, featuring courageous, brilliant and awe-inspiring women who share a powerful connection: the love they have for their children combined with a fierce desire to protect the future of all children."

It sounds nice, but there is probably a lot more action in an episode of "Jersey Shore." Also premiering soon is "Becoming Chaz," a documentary about Chaz Bono, the offspring of Sonny and Cher who had a sex change operation and is now a man. Again, uplifting and politically correct, but unlikely to bring in millions of viewers.

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.

If that is not what Winfrey and Discovery want, then OWN should stick to the high road of feel-good programming with a liberal bent and recognize it will take more than a few months to build a loyal following.

The rub though is that Discovery and Winfrey want the channel to be a huge financial success. Discovery has pumped north of $200 million into OWN and it is charging many distributors north of 20 cents per subscriber, per month to carry the network. Those distributors are not going to be happy paying that much for a channel struggling to outperform C-SPAN.

Christina Norman is taking the fall for OWN's early stumbles. If she was not the right person for the job, Discovery and Winfrey had almost two years before the channel's launch to come to that realization.If they believed in her lineup, then they should have stuck with her and figured out how the channel can bring in more viewers who are tired of the reality sleaze that fills most cable networks. There must be a few million folks out there somewhere who would like that.

Now in the OWN hot seat is Peter Liguori, Discovery's chief operating officer. He will serve as interim chief executive during the search for a permanent replacement. Liguori has a strong track record of success. He played a key role in overhauling News Corp.'s FX, which now has a reputation for cutting-edge programs. From there he went to Fox Broadcasting, where he also delivered until he was squeezed out in a power shift at the company.

A charmer, Liguori knows how to schmooze talent. He managed to keep Paula Abdul happy and functioning on "American Idol" for years, which is no small task. He'll need those skills to balance the needs of Winfrey with those of his bosses at Discovery.

It won't be pretty.

-- Joe Flint

Related Post: Norman out as president at OWN

Photos: Top: Oprah Winfrey. Credit: Kiichiro Sato/AP. Right: Christina Norman. Credit: Bob Chamberlin/Los Angeles Times. Left: Peter Liguori. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images.

Comments

[Joe B.]

Person reading over my shoulder: "Peter Ligouri? Wasn't he an Olympic athlete?"

Me: Shaking my head. "Marty Liquori."

[Susan]

u go gl

[Kaleshia]

I understand that Producers know what they are doing and how to do it but they are so busy looking at things from their angles. Have you ever thought of asking the public?
Why wouldn't you get a group of men and women together and ask what they think they would watch on the OWN network?
I know personally when I watch t.v about empowerment or real people, I like to see people overcoming the impossible. That way I too know I can do it! Shows and topics people can actually relate to, and take something from. Shows that inspire.
Just my thoughts... good luck!

[Zaidi Ademeit]

Alas, there has been a 'dumming down' of America. As laudable as the idea of doing shows that educate and inform, the public, most of whom read at an 8th grade level, are unaccustomed to sitting in a lecture hall. They want pizzazz and sizzle, like all the mindless trollop found in reality t.v. Either give them lions and gladiators and make millions, or meaningful shows that explore the human condition and go broke! It's a sad choice, but that's the state of America, today.

[Jay C.]

I'm someone who works in the trenches (TV Editor). Every editor and producer I know that has worked on a OWN show has told me the same thing, Amateur Hour. I don't know if Norman is to blame but without a stable of experienced nut-and-bolts producers and executives OWN doesn't have a chance. I don't know what Liguori has planned but he might want to start by replacing all the people at OWN who's only qualification is being a fan of the Oprah Winfrey Show with people who actually know how to put together an hour of television.

[SG]

The problem with OWN is that so many of her viewers can't watch it because they either can't afford cable or don't want cable. They need to offer it on the internet too.

[Guy Wyse]

Who cares? TV is more of a wasteland now than ever before. It is not now, nor has it ever been an information nor entertainment medium. It's all about selling more garbage to more suckers. It always has been but in the last couple of decades it has gotten to the point of of being ludicrous. Turn off your TV and go read a book...that is, if you have any mind left after watching endlessly repetitive auto insurance, products "As Seen on TV", and ads for pharmaceuticals that can (and often do) kill you, to name but a few.

[DryerBuzz]

Why does the channel have a premium cost? No one wants to upgrade their services in this economy.

[Sheljin]

Interesting to read from Jay C. that it is Amateur Hour over on OWN - certainly I have found it frustrating trying to find the shows I want to watch. Like many people these days, I DVR shows and often look for different days or times to record a show when I have a DVR conflict. OWN shows are never on in consistent time-slots. I think people complained at the beginning about too many repeats and perhaps in an effort to "fix" that, they have gone too far in the other direction. I tried to watch one particular episode of the kids kidnapping their parents show and, like other shows/episodes before it, it "disappeared" from the line-up prior to the DVR date that had been scheduled. This was not the first time I have experienced that with this network...it happens way too often to be just a random glitch. For a new network with understandably not that many new shows yet, I don't understand why I keep having trouble catching up with them if I don't happen to be able to watch them on their first airing.

Oprah may also need to come to the realization that her fans want HER. And they want at least some light-hearted choices. I love the behind-the-scenes show - it is the only one I consistently watch now. The producers featured on it are very entertaining. What's going to replace it when the last season is over and done with?

[Gary]

my question is how much money do they pump into this failed experiment before they say enough.

Oprah would do better to travel the world and manage her billions and be a consultant and spend the rest of her life giving away her money to good causes.

I absolutely agree that people are titilated by bad behaviour. The more crass the show the higher the ratings. Feel good television works for a while but it seems a lot are attracted to the train wrecks.

[Jones]

I watched OWN a few times over the first couple of days and was terribly disappointed. There were no surprising or creative shows, there weren't even very many different shows. Knowing that they would probably start rather slowly and increase the amount of original programming I anticipated the new programming but not that much has been forthcoming. Many shows are repeated throughout the week so many times that viewers can always catch anything missed or not recorded. The thing is? I expected more from Oprah and whomever works for her. I expected some good television shows and frankly some I would have no interest in but that's the same with any network. I hope OWN improves greatly over the next months, years.

[SmartAssProducts.com]

Too bad they didn't just leave Discovery Health Channel alone. It had a great lineup of shows--that people actually watched! But, no, Oprah came along, with her ultra-inflated ego, turned it into OWN, and look what we've got now.

[Ron]

Oprah= Highly overrated, highly overweight entertainer for those who don't have much of a life & watch tv all day.

[TAM]

I have not watch 5 hours of OWN because it has nothing to offer. OWN needs to hire people that know they are doing, and Jay c is correct.

[jim evanhoe]

Knowing how to move generations for 4 decades, through
comedy to sport, that's real entertainment, take a look at
what I have sent in to HarpoCreativeWorks
Will provide the production and the advertisers with 10
other programs in mind....moving Baby Boomers to
American Youth...entertainment for all generations.
Positive Entertainment for the OWN Network, Oprah and
Discovery... JP jim evanhoe jimevanhoe@gmail.com

[Bev White]

OWN should consider picking up AMC & OLTL. There are too many reruns on OWN and it could bring a whole new audience to the network.

[HEJ]

Does anyone think a show like 16 and pregnant would work on OWN??? That show tells a TRUTH and a reality about the lives of these young women and isn't that what this network supposed to be about? Gotta think outside the box if this is going to work!!!

[Rich Wiggins]

This is not a mystery. OWN is a paid channel. No one will pay to join OWN until it achieves critical mass. No one can know if it's got great content until they see the content. So know one will pay, and the channel fails. Bravo and AMC are basic cable. No buzz suggests OWN offers HBO level content. It's a failed business model and a failed venture.

[Robert]

Alas, invariably it's the people who comment about the 'dumming down of America' who don't know that it's spelled 'dumbing'.

Set your Irony Meters on 'stun'.

[Tony Almonte]

Oprah needs to learn its not all about her.....Zaslav is way to smart to have ever bought into All About Oprah and the channel should not be a slave to her, her vision and the amount of time she will soon be able to devote to it.
Its blocking and tackling for them right now....Channel positions stink. No programming to build a block around, to launch other shows.
Re: Christina Norman....not the nicest exec in the biz...maybe Karma played its part as well.
As far as available talent....Susanne Daniels and many of the team who launched and then nurtured The WB out of adolesence...who were all involved in the early days of FOX as well......are all out there looking for a new challenge. Reach out to them David, Tom and Oprah. Then keep a light hand on the tiller and let them do their thing. Starting networks is an art and these folks know the drill really really well.

[Vickie]

I agree with SG, I have been an avid watcher and fan of the Oprah show and would love to view the OWN Network. I would watch this network if it were accessible on line. They need to put the shows on line and figure out to how to make the network successful doing just that.

[steve from nyc]

Jay C, the correct word is 'whose'.
Anyway, you are probably correct in that any show is going to need experienced people to build it.
I won't be watching it since I don't watch her stuff. But then I don't watch reality tv or talk shows. I also don't have any cable or satellite package

[jim evanhoe]

Oprah..................
Contact HarpoCreativeWorks I sent to them a Program that
I would like to produce for the OWN Network, programs likes
these will make your Network Successful. JPE
jimevanhoe@gmail.com

[Cynthia]

Just want to say to Steve from NYC...In your attempt to correct Jay C you used the wrong word. It's "who's" not "whose." I'm not into doing the "grammar police" crap on message boards but I couldn't pass that one up since you were obviously trying.

[glenn grab]

have you ever seen "The Gayle King Show"?...what an ego-driven mess!!