A Media Studies Case Study

HER TALK SHOW OPRAH’S BIO

 Messages and Values-- exploring the content of a media message.

After viewing the last clip consider:  What sociological or ideological messages are presented? (What is the worldview of the Oprah Winfrey Show?)  What kinds of behaviours are depicted?  What type of person is the viewer invited to identify with?

 Complete list of Oprah's Book Club Books Complete list of Oprah's Book Club Books

 Thinking about Oprah’s Book Club (an extension of her TV show):  What is the producer’s purpose?  Who is the target audience?  How do economic decisions influence the construction of this message?  What reasons might an individual have for being interested in this message?

 On a 1997 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah invited viewers to join her in using their lives to improve the lives of others. What began as a campaign to encourage viewers to collect spare change for 150 scholarships given through The Boys & Girls Clubs of America and to volunteer time to build 200 homes with Habitat for Humanity evolved into the charity known today as Oprah's Angel Network.

 Examples of Angel Network projects include: With Free The Children, Oprah's Angel Network has built over 55 schools in 12 countries, providing education for thousands of children in rural areas throughout the world.  In 2005, Oprah's Angel Network provided more than $1 million worth of school supplies, including school uniforms and shoes, to 18,000 impoverished South African children.  As part of the Hurricane Katrina and Rita recovery efforts, nearly 300 homes have been built or restored in eight communities across Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama with the Angel Network's support.  Inspired by O, The Oprah Magazine's "Rescuing the World's Girls" and "Live Your Best Life Tour" events, the Angel Network gives grants to organizations that provide life-changing assistance for women and girls.

Thinking about Oprah’s Angel Network (again, a segment of her TV show)  Why is this message being sent? (Core Concept : Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power.)  Who is served by, profits or benefits from the message? The public? Private interests? Individuals? Institutions?  Who wins? Who loses? Who decides?

 Criticism  Public criticisms have been made at Oprah's extravagance and luxury in creating a school that cost so much to build, over $40 million US dollars, but educated so few -- approximately 75 girls per class.  Critics pointed out the fireplaces in the buildings, high thread count sheets, yoga classes and a beauty salon, among others. Many suggested Oprah's money could have been used to educate more students if those luxuries were spared.  Defense  Winfrey might have known that news of her students' swank surroundings might not wash with American critics, who don't bat an eye at white hotel heiresses dancing on banquettes, or reality shows about sweet-16 parties at budgets that could build a home for a Katrina victim.But impoverished black girls sleeping on nice-ish sheets? That didn't go over so well. The affronted sense that these girls deserved only bare-minimum accommodations and that a private citizen's money should have been used to educate them in bulk rather than in gracious individual style reflects our own beliefs that the bare minimum is all poor (black) girls need.

Oprah has appeared on Time’s 100 Most Influential List every year since it began. Winfrey is currently believed to be the richest African American of the 20th century. Forbes' international rich list has listed Oprah Winfrey as the world's only black billionaire in 2004, 2005, and According to Reports as of December 2009, Oprah Winfrey is worth over $2.3 billion. She has her own magazine, radio show, Harpo studios and now a cable channel called OWN.

 Audiences play a role in interpreting media texts because each audience member brings to the media text a unique set of life experiences (age, gender, education, cultural upbringing, etc.) which, when applied to the text-- or combined with the text-- create unique interpretations.  How might different people understand this message differently?

 You and your partner will receive two articles: “10 Good Reasons You Should Hate Oprah Winfrey” and “Women We Love: Oprah Winfrey”

 What sociological or ideological messages are presented? (What is the worldview of the Oprah Winfrey Show?)  How do economic decisions influence the construction of Oprah’s Book Club?  As far as Oprah’s Angel Network: Who wins? Who loses? Who decides?

 Considering the opinions of you, your partner and the authors of the two articles, how do people experience the Oprah Winfrey TV show differently?  What are your experiences with the Oprah Winfrey show?  What did you learn from our Case Study on Oprah?  What did you learn from other people’s response (articles)—and their experience?  How many other interpretations could there be? How could we hear about them?  How can you explain the different responses?  Are other viewpoints just as valid as yours?