Oprah Winfrey
Early life
Having being born on 29th January 1954 in Kosciusko in Mississippi, Oprah Winfrey has managed to achieve greatness in life. She grew up with a single mother. In her childhood, she experienced challenges growing up, including poverty, as well as usually experienced mockery while in school due to her dressing code (Biography.com, n.d). Oprah was also sexually abused at an early age; She gave birth at the age of 14 to a boy who died shortly after. She used this experience to inspire people to step forward and share their own stories of abuse because sharing is a way to promote awareness and combat abuse. After growing up, Oprah openly disclosed the information regarding her sexual abuse and the suffering she experiences in the relative’s hand as well as from the friends of her mother on her shows that focused on sexual violence.
Education
Oprah Winfrey attended Nashville East High School, whereby she participated actively in student council, debate, and drama. This eventually won her a scholarship at the Tennessee State University in 1971 (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d). In the university, she participated in speaking contests at the Elks Club, where there was an invitation to the White House Conference to address the youth, and she became hired at WVOL (local station in Nashville). Oprah is globally recognized for her most successful show talks host, producer and entrepreneur we have in the world, her ascend to power and wealth serves as an inspiration to individuals within the globe, especially when a person gets to learn of her humble background and the challenges she experienced as a child as well as the little means her family used in supporting her dreams to become true.
Career
Oprah began her career in 1976 after moving to Baltimore and joining WJZ-TV news station as a co-anchor. After discovering her talent, she, later on, became a WJZ-TV’s co-host in the show “People are talking,” while still serving as a news reporter and anchor. In 1984 January, Oprah moved to Chicago and started hosting “AM Chicago,” which become one of the best shows within the state. Later on the 1985 September, the show started expanding and decided to rename it to be “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Statistics conducted on the city indicate that the show was leading just after a half year. In 1987 June, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in its eligibility first year received three Emmy awards within the category of outstanding direction, outstanding service/talk program, and an exceptional host. In 1988 June “The Oprah Winfrey Show” received the “broadcaster of the year” award. Oprah became the youngest woman to ever been awarded the IRTS’s honor within 25-year history. She also hosts many of her channel’s shows. And thus, she became the famous media queen of America.
Contribution to Communication
Oprah’s contribution to media communication could be seen. After Oprah Winfrey took over, various programs were eliminated that were focused on chat shows and later on led to developing her show “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The purpose of Oprah coming up with the show was to break most of the cultural and social barriers such as lesbians and gay issues as well as the discrimination of people due to their sexual orientation. Additionally, Oprah has managed to become a role model for women, especially the ones of African-American nature. She was credited for the promotion of intimate confessional media communication form, which most people within the globe have imitated the same. Oprah is known to be a genuine modern media master as she promotes such aspects through the use of television shows as well as social media sites. Her impact will be studied throughout vast dimensions of human influence that people are just beginning to understand. She embodies moral compasses that most individuals can relate with, encompassing desire of shining as well as making a positive impact that all is possible through effort and determination.
Current Status
Currently, at the age of 65, Oprah lives with her partner Stedman Graham who they met in 1986 at a charity event. However, they do not have children even after contemplating having since the long-time talk show host is more demanding, claiming that “the depth of responsibility and sacrifice” (Winfrey, 14). She considers her pets as well as Graham, with whom she is comfortable with. As of recent, she decided to make $10m donation towards the relief efforts of coronavirus and warned people, especially black Americans, to take precautionary measures against the ongoing pandemic.
Personal information
Oprah Winfrey managed to transform her life adversities and struggles into success springboard professionally in the conscious enterprise business in the “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as well as personally. She is recognized globally and acts as a role model for heart-centered leadership, social entrepreneur, and change maker in communication and media for women in all parts of the world and of different colors (Winfrey, 15). Oprah became a significant force for heart-centered education via the mass media through the promotion of healing conflicts, expression, as well as emotional honesty. Through her address of large scale problems that were unspoken in the society and the culture that has been neglected by the traditional news as well as entertainment media, she sets an example of a woman who is successful in her business and feminine leadership.
Works Cited
Biography.Com, 2018, https://www.biography.com/media-figure/oprah-winfrey.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Oprah Winfrey | Biography, Talk Show, Movies, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Oprah-Winfrey.
Winfrey, Oprah. Oprah Winfrey. AV2 by Weigl, 2016.