http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6189938/Oprah-Winfreys-reign-as-chat-show-queen-may-be-coming-to-an-end.htmlAfter a year in which she angered Republicans and Hillary Clinton fans by backing Barack Obama, and infuriated Christian ones by promoting a New Age religion book, Winfrey has been punished by declining ratings which fell to a record low.
The average audience for The Oprah Winfrey Show fell under seven million last season – a seven per cent slip on the previous year and its fourth straight year of decline.
One week during July, the daytime show had its lowest ratings since it first went on air in 1985.
Broadcasting experts also believe that the multi-millionaire Winfrey's relentlessly upbeat, anything-is-possible philosophy may be jarring with viewers struggling to cope with a recession.
Falling audiences are almost a fact of life in US television but Winfrey was believed to be almost invincible. She was previously thought to be blessed with an unfailing ability to tap into the hopes and fears of her predominantly white, female and middle class viewers.
Winfrey's show has fallen steadily from a peak of nearly nine million viewers in 2005. But observers say that she has accelerated her show's woes by alienating its more conservative viewers over the past year.
Janice Peck, a University of Colorado media professor and author of the book Age Of Oprah, said Winfrey compromised her non-partisan reputation by endorsing Mr Obama with gushing enthusiasm.
As her website was inundated with furious denunciations, critics noted at the time that many of her core viewers would have voted for Mrs Clinton.
On Sunday, she was forced to defend her vociferous support for Obama and insisted she had since stepped back from politics.
"My job was to make people, or allow people, to be introduced to Obama, who might not have been, at the time," she said. "I wanted him elected, and I think I did that.
"I have not said one thing about this political situation and don't intend to. Everybody knows that I was a big campaigner for Obama and I still am. I think he's doing a great job. I think that it's the toughest job in the world with the economy and health care and all of that."
She also selected Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, a celebration of Buddhist and Taoist-style spiritualism, for her book club, so annoying some of her Christian fans, said Prof Peck.
Winfrey's age – 55 – may also be weighing against her. Prof Peck said few of her students talk about Winfrey but are more interested in younger rivals such as Ellen DeGeneres and Tyra Banks.
"They see Oprah as kind of like who their mom likes. This is not a good sign," she said.
Sheri Salata, the show's executive producer, said they were trying to attract younger viewers – now using digital social networks such as Twitter and Facebook – without alienating older fans. Winfrey has nearly 2.2 million followers on Twitter.
"You can't be oblivious to the decline in ratings," said Mr Salata. "Even if it is the dominant show, you have to look at what the value is. I am sure that the people around her are aware of the trends or the perception of trends."
Senior executives involved in the show, which is syndicated across America, have traditionally argued that what matters is that it continues to be the country's most popular talk show.
That remains the case, although Winfrey has promised to say by the end of the year whether she will renew her contract to continue with the show after September 2001.
Topic: Oprah Winfrey's reign as chat show queen may be coming to an end (Read 825 times)