急求：关于Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is a success story that the everyday person can relate to. She has worked hard to gain success. Oprah?s achievements came after a lot of hard work, determination, and education.

Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, Oprah lived with her grandmother until, at age six she moved to Milwaukee to love with her mother, Vernita Lee. At the age of nine years old, she was sexually abused by a teenage cousin. Over the next five years, she was molested several times by a family friend and once by her uncle. Without a doubt, she became a rebellious child and was reportedly headed towards a juvenile-detention center. Instead, at the age of fourteen, she went to live with her father, Vernon Winfrey, a strict, disciplinarian. This, she said, was the turning point in her life. (et.com/infot...on/623/833/6690575/43!xrn_5&bkm_43).

Oprah emerged as a business woman in September of 1986. She began producing her own talk-show. Her love of acting and her desire to bring quality entertainment projects into production are what prompted Oprah to form her own production company, HARPO Productions, Inc., in 1986. Today, HARPO is well on its way to becoming a formidable force in film and television production.

In October, 1988, television history was made when HARPO Productions, Inc., announced it had assumed ownership and all productions responsibilities for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" from Capitol Cities/ABC, making Oprah Winfrey the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show. (pany, Oprah will not discuss revenues, profits or business strategies. Oprah is considered to be one of the riches woman in America, she finds it hard to let all of her success get to her head. This year alone Oprah?s revenues from the show and her television-film studio will total about thirty-nine million(Working Woman, Fred Goodman, December 1991, v16, n12, pg. 52-55).

Oprah plays a large role in defining her business style. Oprah, confident and personable, is considered a sister of many of her key employees. She is considered to be a brilliant marketer, who has created a public personality and then built vehicles need to exploit her image. Impressive and tightly controlled companies, which gives her more say in, and more profit from her earnings.(Working Woman, p52)

In industry where stars traditionally turn business matters over to others. Oprah is notable for her independence. She charts her own course and keeps her hands firmly on her corporation, putting in long hours managing her possessions, investments, and public image. Oprah is considered to be a control freak, she relates this to "fear". She feels that if she is fully involved with the daily transactions of HARPO Productions, Inc., she will continue to be successful.

Oprah, forty-one, owns her show and production facility and runs her company like a corporate CEO. She manages a full-time staff of eighty-six and works primarily from her home base in Chicago. The top decision-making team at Oprah?s company HARPO Productions, Inc., is even smaller, despite her eight-six person payroll. Instead of assembling a group of part-time managers, agents and lawyers, Oprah relies on one full-timer, Jeff Jacobs to help oversee her business. Oprah as chairman and CEO, and Jacobs, as president and chief operating officer, personally oversee all of Harpo?s business transactions, with Jacobs also acting as manager. Your could say that her management style is , "If you are good, you will be treated well". (Working Woman, pg. 53)

The larger portion of Oprah?s revenues comes from King World Productions, which sells advertising as well as distributes her show to two-hundred televisions stations in the U.S. and in 34 foreign countries. This very successful show is expected to generate about $180 million in revenues a year. As I stated earlier, Harpo?s earnings are somewhere around forty million a year(Working Woman, pg. 54).

Oprah?s personal worth is estimated to be somewhere between $350 million. In 1996, Harpo received about 57% of the show?s $180 million annual gross, or $103 million(Working Woman, May 1994, v19, n5, pg. 52-55).

The reason I chose Oprah, was because I feel that she has contributed to the world of business tremendously. She donates over a million dollars a year to charities. I feel that the business world needs more people like Oprah Winfrey, she gives back to the community, what the community gives her. She deserves the success that that she is currently enjoying.