OWN gets record ratings with Whitney Houston family interview

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OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network has not had much to brag about in its first year of programming, with a stream of management upheavals and lackluster ratings.

But the network scored a major victory Sunday, attracting its highest-rated telecast ever with Winfrey’s interview of the late Whitney Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina and her family on ‘Oprah’s Next Chapter.’

The episode was watched by 3.5 million total viewers. The previous high for the network was the Jan. 8 installment of ‘Oprah’s Next Chapter’ that featured an interview with pastor Joel Osteen.

In the interview, Bobbi Kristina told Oprah that she’s still dealing with the grief while living at her mother’s home near Atlanta, Georgia. ‘Sometimes, it’s so surreal. I still walk into the house like, ‘Mom?’’ she said. ‘But I’ve accepted it.’’

The teenager also revealed that she slept over with her mother the night before she died. ‘I slept in her arms all day, all night long,’ Brown said.

In addition to Brown, Oprah also interviewed Houston family members Pat, the singer’s sister-in-law and manager and Gary Houston, the singer’s brother.

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-- Greg Braxton