Biography of Oprah Gail Winfrey

Oprah Gail Winfrey (popularly known as Oprah Winfrey) is an American media mogul and philanthropist. She is best known for her multi-award-winning, self-titled show, "The Oprah Winfrey Program." From 1986 to 2011, the show was nationally syndicated and became the most-watched program in history. She is the richest African American, the greatest black philanthropist and the only black billionaire in the United States. She is a regular on the top lists of opinion makers around the world and has been called "the most powerful woman in the world".

  The 57-year-old pioneered confessional television by promoting discussion on taboo topics such as pornography and sexual harassment through her talk show. Winfrey was not a child of privilege. She suffered a lot in her childhood.

Winfrey is the daughter of a rural poor teenage mother and an unmarried young man. She was born on January 29, 1954. When her mother was away at work, Winfrey spent her early years on her grandmother's farm near Kosciusko, Mississippi. Winfrey was a gifted child, despite the difficulties in her environment. She is supported by her grandmother and her church community. She was three years old when she started reading Bible verses and verses in local churches.

At the age of six, her world turned upside down. She became a victim of child abuse that lasted from nine to thirteen. She was emotionally broken and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to live with her father. Vernon Winfrey is a hard-working disciplinarian who wants his daughter to have a secure future.

Winfrey, an only child, found comfort in books. A seventh-grade teacher offered Winfrey a scholarship to a more prestigious school. Winfrey thrived in this environment and won prizes for dramatic reading and oratory. Winfrey's natural talent for public speaking and her spontaneity in answering questions helped her win beauty pageants and gain public attention as her first hobby.

She won the Miss Black Tennessee title at age 17 and was offered an on-air position at WVOL. WVOL is a Nashville radio station serving the African American community. Winfrey worked at WVOL during her first two years of college. However, her broadcasting career opened up new opportunities. She dropped out of school to become a reporter and anchor at a local TV station. She found her medium.

She was A.M. Chicago in 1984. Later it became 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'. It was soon syndicated and quickly surpassed Donahue's as America's most-watched talk show. When Winfrey started the show, she was only 32. The show was placed on 120 channels and reached 10 million viewers. It grossed USD125 million in its first year. Winfrey earns USD 30 million. With this she became a millionaire.

Soon, she was able to gain control of the ABC program and draw under her new production company, Harpo Productions (Oprah spelled backwards). This gave her an opportunity to earn more money through syndication. Harpo today is a powerful force in television and film production as well as magazine publishing and the Internet.

The show won three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Host in 1987, its first year of eligibility. Winfrey was the youngest recipient of the International Radio and Television Society's "Broadcaster of the Year" award the following year.

It has become a popular platform for politicians and celebrities to endorse new ventures and publicly apologize for their mistakes. America instantly fell in love with her poignant portrayal of Sophia Winfrey in Steven Spielberg's 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple. Her outstanding performance earned her Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Her support for Barack Obama from 2006 to 2008, by one estimate, was more than a million votes in the 2008 Democratic primary race. Her interview with controversial entertainer Michael Jackson was watched by over 100 million people. It is the most watched interview on television in history. Also, she was praised for her skillful handling of Katherine Jackson, who revealed many secrets about her late son, Michael Jackson.

Another venture, "Oprah's Book Club", was launched 15 years ago. It has nearly 2 million members and has won 65 titles. Winfrey gave away a brand new car to an audience of 276 in an unforgettable performance. She is also known as one of the world's most generous philanthropists. Oprah's Angel Network began offering a USD 100,000 "Use Your Life Award" in 2000 to those who lead the way in improving the lives of others.

In 2009, she announced that she was ending her talk show after 25 years of success. In the coming years, she will focus on her cable channel, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). It was launched in January 2011.

Time magazine named her one of the "100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century" and in 1998 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Her wealth can be measured in many superlatives, including being the highest paid television actress, the most self-made woman in America, as well as the richest African American of all time.

The University of Illinois developed the course "History 298 - Oprah Winfrey the Tycoon" because of her historical status. Forbes reported that Winfrey was the richest woman in America in 2010, worth more than USD 2.7 billion. She also surpassed former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. She built her main residence on a 42-acre estate with ocean views in Montecito, California, south of Santa Barbara. She also has homes in six other states and Antigua.

Few would have predicted Winfrey's rapid rise up the talk show charts. She is a strong black woman in a field largely dominated by white men. She did not create a talk-show format but a space for people to share their compassion and intimacy.

On May 25, 2011, she called the curtains with simplicity and no frills. She filmed the broadcast in front of an audience of 400 and kept it casual, celebrity-free and focused on her audience. The final broadcast included a brief recap of Winfrey's core values. She bid farewell to her viewers, urging them to follow their passions and make the world a better country.

America's best friend, famous for her final words on the show. "It's no coincidence that a lonely little boy feels so loved, even though my grandparents and parents did the best they could, it's no coincidence that I feel genuine kindness and affection from you, millions around the world. .

Winfrey, 57, is still media and entertainment, but a shining beacon of public discourse.

Oprah Winfrey is admired for her simplicity, outspokenness and wit. We salute the following quote: "My highest aspirations are to stay away from the sun." They may not be my goals, but I can see the beauty and believe in them. I try to follow their path wherever they lead.