Who'll Be The Next Oprah?

When the queen of talk moves to her own network next year, who's in line for her crown?

By Jenna Goudreau

http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/12/the-next-oprah-winfrey-personality-brand-forbes-woman-time-ellen-degeneres.ht …Oprah, the media mogul who's one of the most influential women in the world and also one of the richest, has reached a level of success that's not easily replicated. But now that the queen of talk is pursuing a more behind-the-scenes role with The Oprah Winfrey Network, there may finally be room for a successor.

But it won't be easy to fill her shoes. The key to Oprah's vast wealth--Forbes estimates her net worth at $2.4 billion--has been in owning her brand. Her unique mix of drive, popular appeal and business savvy sets her apart from most mere talking heads.

"Twenty years ago Oprah built an audience and kept it," says Nick Ragone, a partner at public relations agency Ketchum who regularly works with producers of The Oprah Winfrey Show. "She pioneered the personality brand and personal media empire."

See the Top 10 Candidates To Be The Next Oprah

In order to achieve even a fraction of this tycoon's success, contenders will need similar levels of influence, brand extension, pluck and luck. ForbesWoman has put together a list of possible contenders.

Oprah is her brand, and resonates with millions across the globe. She embodies the American dream: She was a poor, black, Southern girl who overcame obstacles of race, gender and abuse to become one of the world's wealthiest and most powerful people. She is an everywoman who struggles with weight issues and man troubles. She isn't perfect, and she openly admits this, further endearing her to viewers. "She's very optimistic, and that energy feeds to her audience. In this world of cynicism people are attracted to her because they view her as uplifting and authentic," says Ragone.

Ellen DeGeneres tops our list of likely successors. Much like Oprah, DeGeneres is a likable do-gooder who exudes positive energy and a girl-next-door friendliness. And like Oprah's, Ellen's fans refer to her by her first name, as if she were a friend and not a media mogul.

Her hour-long daytime talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show has been on the air since 2003, has earned 29 Emmy and now averages 3.2 million viewers per episode, according to Nielsen. This year she expanded her reach into prime time by joining American Idol as a judge. The wildly popular show puts DeGeneres in front of a biweekly audience of 25 million viewers, while she also reaches a huge online audience via her website, Twitter and Facebook.

"If there was a contender to the throne," Ragone says, "it's Ellen."

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See the full list of the Top 10 Candidates To Be The Next Oprah:

No. 2: Rachael Ray

Qualifications: Ray has built a strong, diversified foundation for her brand. She reaches over 2 million daytime viewers with her syndicated talk show, continues to host cooking shows for The Food Network and publishes a magazine, Every Day With Rachael Ray. She's also written more than 20 cookbooks, has successful product lines and founded a nonprofit organization, Yum-o. Like Oprah, she appeals to the everywoman.

What She Lacks: Since she doesn't own her shows, it's unlikely Ray will amass a fortune anywhere near the size of Oprah's. (Forbes estimates Ray made $15 million in 2009, a far cry from Oprah's $275 million income that year.)

No. 3: Tyra Banks

Qualifications: Banks has regularly reached millions in both daytime and primetime, with her eponymous talk show and America's Next Top Model. In 2007 she formed Bankable Enterprises to run her brand, along with Bankable Productions to produce new television shows and movies. So far she has produced Stylista for the CW network and True Beauty for ABC. Banks also has a strong online presence and founded a nonprofit organization to empower girls.

What She Lacks: A huge stumbling block is the recent cancellation of The Tyra Banks Show after just five seasons. Banks says she will expand via digital media and continue growing her company.


No. 4: Kelly Ripa

Qualifications: As the co-host of morning show Live With Regis And Kelly, Ripa regularly reaches an average of 3.4 million viewers per show. She also has Oprah's business sense. She created production company Milojo Productions with her husband, Mark Consuelos, to develop and create TV shows, including upcoming reality show Homemade Millionaire, which Ripa will host.

What She Lacks: While she's tried to position herself as a relatable working mom, she doesn't seem to have the magic to move audiences in the same fashion as Oprah. She'll also need to diversify across platforms if she hopes to reach mogul status.

No. 5: Wendy Williams

Qualifications: Williams draws in about 1.6 million viewers every day on her daytime show The Wendy Williams Show, which went into national syndication in July. She's had a long running top-rated radio show in New York, appeared in Wendy Williams Is On Fire on VH1 and has written two bestsellers. She and Oprah have similar bare-it-all personalities and share an infectious sense of joy.

What She Lacks: She lacks the gravitas that enables Oprah to tackle more hard-hitting issues and the ability to be seen by audiences as an educator. Plus, she doesn't own her show, so may not be able to build wealth or control her brand the way Oprah has managed to do.

Keep reading the Top 10 Candidates To Be The Next Oprah.

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See also:

Living Oprah For A Year

The Most Influential Women In Media

Reality TV Stars Turned Entrepreneurs