Apple Signs Deal With Oprah Winfrey To Make Original Shows

Apple Signs Deal With Oprah Winfrey To Make Original Shows

Apple has signed a multiyear deal with Oprah Winfrey as part of the tech giant’s push into original content, the company said Friday.

Winfrey will create “original programs that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world,” Apple said in a statement. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The actress and philanthropist has dominated daytime TV for decades, first with her long-running Oprah Winfrey Show — which aired its last episode in 2011 — and then the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

It’s a big win in the ever-changing media landscape, as Silicon Valley giants like Amazon, Facebook and Alphabet-owned YouTube build out studios and compete for viewers.

Apple has reportedly committed $1 billion to original content as the rise of streaming pioneer Netflix sends traditional media players into a frenzy and clears the way for direct-to-consumer streaming options.

Netflix and Amazon were also pursuing deals with Winfrey, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Winfrey’s Apple deal could include film, TV, mobile apps and books that would be distributed through the company’s multiplatform channels, the entertainment outlet reported, citing anonymous sources. She will continue to run OWN, the report said.

Here’s Apple’s announcement:

“Apple today announced a unique, multi-year content partnership with Oprah Winfrey, the esteemed producer, actress, talk show host, philanthropist and CEO of OWN.

Together, Winfrey and Apple will create original programs that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world.

Winfrey’s projects will be released as part of a lineup of original content from Apple.”