Lisa Ling's new documentary series premieres to strong ratings on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
Lisa Ling says that the folks at OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network care less about ratings than content. Maybe that's so, but the numbers for Tuesday's premiere of Ling's new documentary series, "Our America," show how a recognizable name can still rope in viewers.
"Our America," which examines hot-button topics such as online bride services and sex offenses, averaged 574,000 total viewers durings its 10 p.m. time slot, according to the Nielsen Co. That's a modest total by broadcast standards, of course, but not bad at all for a cable network that's just 6 weeks old.
Ling, who developed a following years ago on "The View" and has more recently served as a field correspondent on Winfrey's syndicated show, delivered a better number than OWN did in prime time during its heavily promoted launch week last month (505,000 average). "Our America" also improved by 242% what Discovery Health — OWN's predecessor on cable systems — was doing a year ago.
The show was preceded at 9 p.m. by another premiere, a seven-episode documentary series about women in prison, "Breaking Down the Bars," which drew just 366,000 viewers.
Show Trackers, did you catch "Our America"? If so, what did you think?
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With OWN's new series, 'Our America,' Lisa Ling wants people to 'think differently.' Is that enough?
— Scott Collins
Photo: Lisa Ling in Pasadena last month. Credit: Matt Sayles/Associated Press.
Lisa Ling is amazing. She is articulate, concerned, engaging, and compassionate. I hope that the show does well because I was moved to tears while watching it.
Posted by: Bea | February 16, 2011 at 06:01 PM
i personally think they should do a show on METH-
Posted by: angel | February 16, 2011 at 10:30 PM
The topic was very interesting and somewhat engaging. I was rooting for those people to get healed. Keep it up Lisa !! Great job !!
Posted by: Phil | February 16, 2011 at 11:46 PM
Lisa did an awesome job. I can't wait to see more!
Posted by: Marie | February 17, 2011 at 12:41 AM
I knew Lisa would bring in quality television but I did not expect her to bring in ratings too. Very impressive start. Can't wait for OWN to come to Canada full time.
Posted by: mavera | February 17, 2011 at 03:17 AM
DON'T DO OPRAH TRASH...
Posted by: Anne | February 18, 2011 at 11:46 PM
Lisa was fantastic. The show was engaging, and the reporting was interesting, sincere and thorough, especially considering I am pretty closed-minded about faith healing. I will be sure to watch Lisa in the future.
Posted by: CD | February 20, 2011 at 09:17 AM
I love the show "Our America". The show on "Transgenders" helped me alot to see these people from were they are coming from and what they have to go though.
You are a great writer and reporter keep up the good work
A Fan of your work. I give "Our America" Five stars for information and presentation.
Posted by: Kristy Hammell | February 23, 2011 at 04:25 PM
I saw the first episode and was disappointed. I didn't appreciate how Lisa injected herself into the story and rationalized the conclusion at the end.
The show was about faith healers and whether or not it was a con. Rather than stay with that story, she made it about faith and completely over-sentimentalized the subject.
She makes no mention that the Christian Healer's church is the site of the former PTL. Instead, she calls it an old amusement park. She says the weekend participants paid $600 per person to be in the presence of the healer but doesn't say how many people were there, the running costs or the net.
You have lost 20 year olds who suffered child abuse, drug addiction and/or sexual abuse . They apparently have no connection to family and bottomed out in their teens. They are living in a textbook cult atmosphere. They are trained like any cult member to do the soldier grunt work of their messiah. They live, breath and defend the Word.
Thus, they feel like old souls and what world weary child doesn't? This isn't an issue of faith, it is issue of self-worth. They just want to be loved and belong somewhere. It is classic brainwashing and it doesn't make it okay if someone is hiding behind a bible.
During the hour, no one was healed. All were caught up in the psychological frenzy even Lisa. But in the world of OWN, let's not be cynical and parse facts. Of course, the program is directed to women and heavy on emotion bias.
This gives women zero credit, in my opinion, as if they are not discerning to sort out facts if provided. Sad to know that this is passing as journalism or is it simply info-tainment?
Posted by: Erwin Gonzalez | February 23, 2011 at 10:17 PM