The Oprah Winfrey Show is the highest-rated television program of its kind in history
Oprah moved to Chicago in 1983 and began presenting the low-rated half-hour show AM Chicago on WLS-TV. Oprah's show debuted in January 1984 and quickly rose from the bottom of the ratings to become Chicago's most-watched and top-rated talk show in less than a year. Winfrey's open, warm-hearted personal style and ability to connect with people drew many more viewers than the "Phil Donahue Show," one of America's most popular shows, which aired concurrently with her show. Following a partnership with TV syndication provider King World Inc, the show was renamed "The Oprah Winfrey Show," enlarged to one hour, and shown in 138 cities and towns in 1986. The show grossed $125 million in its first season, with a loyal audience of 10 million viewers over 120 channels, making Oprah the highest-paid television host in show business ($30 million). Three Daytime Emmy Awards were given to the show in 1987 for Outstanding Host, Outstanding Talk/Service Program, and Outstanding Direction. In 1988, it was nominated for another "Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show," and Oprah was named "Broadcaster of the Year" by the International Radio and Television Society. Winfrey and "The Oprah Winfrey Show" won a total of 16 Daytime Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Talk Show Host" and "Outstanding Talk Show," prompting her to withdraw from the competition in 2000.
Over the next 25 years, the show went on to become the highest-rated television program of its sort in history, receiving every major award and appearing on every major list. During this time, Oprah interviewed and interacted with a wide range of guests, including average Americans, politicians, musicians, actors, writers, business leaders, and other celebrities. The performance was watched by 34 million American women and 15 million American men at the same time it was shown in 117 countries. Her audience was 55 percent larger than that of her nearest competitor.
In the early years, The Oprah Winfrey Show was classified as a tabloid talk show, but it later moved on to broader topics such as heart disease, geopolitics, spirituality, and meditation. Oprah interviewed celebrities on social issues they were directly involved with, such as cancer, charity work, or substance abuse. She also hosted televised giveaways. The Oprah Winfrey Show ran 4,562 episodes from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011. It is still one of the longest-running daytime TV talk shows in history, and it is also considered one of the major achievements of Oprah Winfrey.
