Oprah Winfrey continues to lead the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) as CEO, with Tina Perry serving as president and Neal Kirsch as COO and CFO, fifteen years after the network’s launch on January 1, 2011. Originally replacing the Discovery Health Channel, OWN is a joint venture between Warner Bros. Discovery Global Linear Networks, holding a 95% stake, and Harpo Productions, with a 5% ownership share.
The network, inspired by Winfrey’s vision, focuses on lifestyle programming geared towards a female audience, with a particular emphasis on content appealing to African Americans. Initial programming themes centered on life improvement, relationships, and spirituality. OWN is available through a variety of platforms including traditional cable providers, as well as streaming services such as HBO Max, Discovery+, Philo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV Stream.
OWN’s origins trace back to a deal with Discovery Communications, which initially owned and operated the Discovery Health Channel. The transition saw Discovery Health Channel merge with FitTV to become Discovery Fit & Health, now known as Discovery Life, paving the way for the launch of OWN. The network is the first and only to be named for and inspired by a single individual, according to OWN’s official YouTube channel.
Harpo Productions retains the trademark for “Oprah,” and all rights are reserved for both Harpo Productions and OWN, as stated on Oprah.com. The network’s headquarters are located in Burbank, California.
