The decline in Oprah Winfrey’s media empire continues, with reports emerging of a major dip in ad sales for her O Magazine.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, O, one of the nation’s most profitable publications, has lost 31.4 percent of its ad sales, dropping 81.4 ad pages in August.
“O’s ad page performance is pretty consistent with what’s going on in the women’s lifestyle category,” explained a spokesperson for the magazine. “There is softness, especially in the food category, which is systemic to their business, not ours.”
The spokesperson added: “The magazine is really the purest platform for Oprah’s message, and the best place for fans who miss the show to stay engaged with the brand.”
While this may be the case, loyalty to the Oprah message seems to be waning, both at her magazine and at her OWN network.
“I think that the Oprah brand has gotten slightly weaker,” said a former Hearst insider. “Ratings are down significantly for the new network, and there is a sense some of the magic is gone.”
