Oprah's on the Outs

Despite her notoriously frank discussions of lady parts and outraging audience gift-giving, Oprah Winfrey has reached a new ratings low. Though she still reigns supreme among her competitors, Oprah may not be the unsinkable ship it was previously believed to be. The show’s average viewership fell below 7 million last season, down 7 percent from the year earlier. What’s worse: When the program was airing reruns in July, it earned its lowest ratings since debuting in 1985. Though other daytime talk-show ratings are also on the decline, Age of Oprah author Janice Peck chalks up Winfrey’s troubles to her outpouring of support for President Barack Obama, which might have alienated conservative audience members. Plus, Winfrey’s also having a difficult time attracting younger viewers, who “see Oprah as kind of like who their mom likes,” Peck explained. “This is not a good sign for her.”