Next on "Oprah": The Long Goodbye

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Oprah Winfrey, as most of the known world is aware of by now, is saying goodbye to her syndicated daytime talk show as of September 2011.  She's starting her own cable network (to be called OWN--the Oprah Winfrey Network) in association with the folks that brought you the Discovery Channel.

Winfrey's built quite an empire for herself, being worth $2.7 billion, according to Forbes magazine.  She has her fingers in just about everything:  a production company, a magazine (with her picture on every cover), a satellite radio channel, a website, etc.  She acted in and produced movies and TV shows, such as the current feature "Precious", which she's co-producing with Tyler Perry.

But it was a Chicago-based talk show that began as a local program in 1986 that brought Winfrey all this fame and fortune, and she's walking away when the show hits the 25-year mark.  Here's what she leaves behind in her wake:

• Broadcast TV  "The Oprah Winfrey Show" is syndicated by CBS to more than 200 stations across the United States, including the ones in some major markets that are owned by ABC.   It is usually number one in its time period, which is why most of those stations use "Oprah" as a lead-in to the late-afternoon local news.  Now they'll either have to find someone else, or they could just tack on an extra hour of local news.
• Celebrities in need of a boost.  You've probably noticed that guests on talk shows aren't just there to sit and chat with the host.  No, they are there to talk up their latest project, whether it's a new movie or TV show.  Most of them also come to Oprah because they've been in the news for the wrong reasons, and they feel the need to come clean about their personal lives in her presence.  The latest example was Sarah Palin, whose sitdown with Oprah resulted in the show's best ratings in years.
• Authors.  Get your book selected by Oprah for her book club, then watch your sales soar.  On the other hand, since her audience is primarily female, it might be the kiss of death if you want guys to read it, too.  But cross Oprah, and your career suffers.  Just ask Jonathan Franzen and James Frey.
• Tabloids.  Since Oprah made herself such an open book about her life, the tabloids have been having a field day documenting her weight problems and her ongoing relationships with longtime companion Stedman Graham and best friend Gayle King.  That will likely continue whether Oprah is on TV or not.
• Her Disciples.  Dr. Phil McGraw, Rachael Ray and Dr. Mehmet Oz all owe their TV careers to Oprah, and all have their own shows now.  You'll also notice that, due to contractual obligations, none of them can air at the same time Oprah does.
• Her Fans.  Oprah has six million of them, which is half as many viewers as she had at her peak in 1992.  They love her straightforwardness, her positivity in finding the "Best LIfe",  and in her generosity (such as when she gave away cars to an audience of school teachers).  However, her ratings drop can also be traced to viewers being turned off by her self-absobed holier-than-thou attitude, and for her endorsement of Barack Obama for President in 2008.

Oprah Winfrey is not going away any time soon.  Her talk show will continue for another year and a half, in which she's promised that the best is yet to come.  But it will be entering a lame duck phase, as America tries to figure out what it will do without Oprah.