In the latest sign that Cupertino is serious about video, Apple signed media superstar Oprah Winfrey to a multi-year deal. Cupertino’s growing original content team will work with the “Queen of All Media” to whip up original shows.
Winfrey, best known for her ratings smash The Oprah Winfrey Show, is a highly regarded entrepreneur, actress and author.
Landing her creative prowess is a big get for Apple, as its Worldwide Video Programming division scrambles to a assemble a top-notch slate of TV shows for its as-yet-unnamed video service.
Just take a look at the talent assembled so far on this list: Every single TV series Apple is currently making. From sci-fi and fantasy to drama and comedy, Apple is pulling out all the stops in its $1 billion push into original content.
Apple signs deal with Oprah Winfrey
The Hollywood Reporter, quoting unnamed sources, said Apple’s deal with Winfrey “includes everything from film, TV, applications, books and other content that could easily be distributed on Apple’s all-encompassing platform. (The deal does not include podcasts, as Winfrey has her own platform for that.)”
The entertainment industry publication also said Apple fought off competition from “other tech giants, likely including Netflix and Amazon, all pursuing similar deals. Apple is said to have aggressively pursued Winfrey as part of a larger push to reach a broad audience.”
Here’s the full press release about Apple’s deal with Winfrey:
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.
As Apple assembles its network of stars and creatives to crank out original content, the company reportedly wants to develop squeaky clean shows without all the nudity and violent of hits like Game of Thrones. Hiring Winfrey, a positive force in the entertainment industry and the world at large if ever there was one, seems like a brilliant move that’s perfectly aligned with Apple’s objectives.
Now if we could just figure out exactly where all those Apple shows are going to air …
