Every so often there comes an individual whose unique impact on our cultural psyche is profound and lasting and Oprah Winfrey is one such person.
Her ability to influence the beliefs and behaviours of her followers, usually female, is such they will strongly defend their heroine’s stance on an issue and actively share their new learning with others so they can also reap the benefit or avoid the risks. In turn these views are shared via other mainstream and social media networks, exponentially spreading the information.
For those in the know, the goal of producing a daily s-shaped stool is one such example. Thanks to Oprah many millions, possibly even billions of people now know that producing an s-shaped stool is an indication of good digestive health. To be fair it is not her words exactly. But the power of her seal of approval on the experts on her show or magazine means they may as well be her words.
The Oprah Effect is a term we ourselves use when beliefs that have been firmly established by popular media sources are contradictory to recognised expert opinion. Being specialist communicators in the health and nutrition space it is something we experience with increasing frequency.
More recently another Oprah Effect has been felt, this time by the media themselves. With the release of a new unauthorised biography (by infamous biographer Kitty Kelley) few, if any, of the mainstream talk shows are said to be willing to interview the author. As one wag said, “It’s one book guaranteed to not make Oprah’s Book Club.” This Oprah Effect has created a fear amongst media of losing privileged access or experiencing a withdrawal of her (powerful) approval. One Oprah story now is not worth banishment forever.
Oprah is potentially the most powerful media person of our time. She’s credited with helping put Obama in the Whitehouse. I must confess to being in awe of her. I am not necessarily a fan but I am fascinated by her effect.
Oprah Winfrey is the classic case of the right person at the right time having established her global dominance at a pace similar to the globalisation of media itself. Twenty years earlier and she might have languished in Chicago, which might now be known as the city of super-healthy digestive systems.
It now remains to be seen how the Oprah Effect will manifest itself in the future.
The end of Sunrise highlights the challenges media will always face when they enter an established market and aim to grab a slice of the national media pie.
In Ypres, 1914 a Christmas Eve ceasefire became the stuff of yuletide legend.