Winfrey gets her own TV network

Oprah Winfrey settled a defamation lawsuit filed by a headmistress she accused of performing poorly at her South African girls school, where some students claimed they were abused, lawyers said. (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Oprah Winfrey is getting her own television network. OWN – Oprah Winfrey Network – will debut next year in nearly 70 million homes with cable and satellite, as part of a deal with Discovery Communications. It will replace the Discovery Health network.

Winfrey's media empire already includes the TV talk show, a magazine, satellite radio network, website and TV movies made under her banner. "This is an evolution of what I've been able to do every day," Winfrey said. "I will now have the opportunity to do this 24 hours a day on a platform that goes on forever."

She will be chairwoman of the network, owned 50-50 by Discovery and her company, Harpo Productions Inc. In return for taking over a network already operated by Discovery, Winfrey gives half ownership of Oprah.com.