Oprah Winfrey is not treating the end of daytime television as the end of her conversations with audiences. More than a decade after leaving her daily talk show, the media icon says she has found another format that feels familiar.
This time, the setting is smaller and more flexible. However, Winfrey says the purpose behind those conversations has stayed much the same.
Oprah Winfrey said her podcast is an extension of what she did on television
In an interview with LinkedIn Editor-in-Chief Dan Roth, Winfrey reflected on what retirement once looked like in her mind. She said she imagined going “behind the gates,” picking roses and taking walks in the park.
Instead, The Oprah Podcast has given her another way to continue the work she values. “One of the things I know for sure is I know how to talk,” Winfrey joked. She also described the podcast as an extension of what she spent years doing on television.
Meanwhile, Winfrey has expanded the show’s schedule. An official LinkedIn post from The Oprah Podcast says the project now releases two episodes each week. The account also plans to share clips from new conversations.
In addition, Amazon and Harpo Entertainment announced a major podcast deal earlier this year. Wondery now distributes the audio and video show across Amazon platforms. However, the podcast remains available on YouTube and other services.
Earlier this month, Winfrey marked the 40th anniversary of The Oprah Winfrey Show with former colleagues in Chicago. Still, talk of Oprah Winfrey’s retirement has never meant that she disappeared from the media. She has continued working across television, publishing and other projects.
For Winfrey, the new format offers something familiar without recreating her old schedule. The Oprah Podcast allows her to continue having meaningful conversations while shaping the work around her life today.
For now, The Oprah Podcast looks less like a return from retirement and more like a continuation of work she never fully left behind.
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