Cable's a tough business, even Oprah's learning

CHICAGO - Cable is a tough industry to crack. Even the inestimable Oprah Winfrey has learned that, she admitted during a final day keynote talk at The Cable Show in her hometown of Chicago.

Oprah and Paula Zahn, The Cable Show

Oprah Winfrey with Investigation Discovery's Paula Zahn at the Thursday General Session. (Image courtesy The Cable Show 2011)

Oprah launched the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in a joint venture with Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA) with great fanfare in January as she wound down her own daily talker. The network started hot, then fizzled. Now it's Oprah to the rescue.

"The vacation that I thought that I was going to have is over. I need to be there. I need to be engaged and involved," she told Investigation Discovery's Paula Zahn during a one-on-one early morning chat.

One way she might juice the ratings is to realize her goal.

"I have a dream of O.J. Simpson confessing to me," she said. "And I am going to make it happen, people."

For more:
- the Los Angeles Times has this story

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