Thursday, March 3, 2011

Oprah Winfrey Network

Well, well, well...so it has happened. Oprah has figured out her exit strategy! Good for her. I saw for the first time yesterday, an advertisement for OWN. I have to say, in true Oprah style, it was flawless.

I am looking forward to seeing what type of programming they come up with. I hope that it is used as an opportunity to educate people at least some of the time. There is so much trash on television, it would be a real shame if she did not use the opportunity to get some important messages out there.

Not that I am looking for it to be preachy, but I think, for example, that people in North America cannot identify with true poverty as experienced in places like Haiti and around the world. Oprah is well positioned to reach out to people and to educate them without making them just feel ashamed like when you see a commercial with starving children. I actually believe that those commercials desensitize the public over time. You feel sad and want to help the first time you see it, but if you have already chosen another charity to give to, or if you disagree with the religious underpinnings of the organization - it only pushes you away from those suffering children, instead of making you understand how badly they need help and in what small way you could contribute.

I think that Oprah understands this and I am hoping that she uses this opportunity to find ways to convey messages without disenfranchising the viewer - but what am I saying? It's Oprah! She gets it.

Oh, and I'm always interested in some healthy and tasty recipes - for the love of my waistline, keep that Paula Deen woman off television - isn't North America fat enough???

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