Media Mogul Oprah Winfrey’s cable network has just gotten a nice boost. OWN will see an increase in the number of homes in which it can be seen thanks to a new distribution deal with Comcast, according to a new report.
The agreement will mean an extra 3 million viewers for the Oprah Winfrey Network, which will now be available in 83 million homes, and Comcast will begin paying subscriber fees for the network next year, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Recent news has been mostly bad for Winfrey’s network. SNL Kagan estimated it could lose more than $140 million this year and hinted that co-owner Discovery might be tempted to pull the plug.
Comedianne/Actress Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show failed to generate sizeable ratings and was canceled recently, and 30 employees were laid off in an effort to cut costs.
However, Discovery spokesman David Leavy told TheWrap that SNL Kagan’s report was “riddled with inaccuracies and bad information.”
“The venture is on more solid ground with more business momentum than ever before,” Leavy said. “We remain confident in the future of OWN, and the long-term value we are building.”
