The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Oprah Winfrey Media Apple

Apple inks deal with Oprah to fuel $1bn original content push

Author

By Jennifer Faull, Deputy Editor

June 17, 2018 | 2 min read

Apple has struck a deal with Hollywood star Oprah Winfrey that will see her create, and star in, original programmes.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey strikes deal with Apple

In the battle for talent against Netflix and Amazon, Apple said the multiyear deal with Winfrey will see the two “create original programs that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world.”

It gave no other details on the kind of content that will be made, how it will be distributed or how much it has spent to secure the star on its roster.

However, Winfrey will continue as chief executive of cable channel OWN, which launched in 2011 under Discovery Inc.

It comes as part of a wider $1bn push into creating original content which it committed to last November, saying it wants to create as many as ten or more TV shows that would be “on par with HBO’s Game of Thrones.”

However, this budget is significantly less than Netflix, which has said it will spend up to $8bn on original content this year.

In May, Netflix inked a deal with former US president Barack and Michelle Obama to produce films, documentaries and other content.

Oprah Winfrey Media Apple

More from Oprah Winfrey

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +