Oprah Winfrey
...roadcasting career. In 1976 Oprah graduated with a degree in speech communications and theater from Tennessee State University. Years later Oprah was not happy with her job, so she took a job with another television station in Chicago. She hosted the Morning Chicago Show, which under her leadership and her down to earth, down-home personality, and comfortable style captivated audiences. The station managers decided to run against Phil Donahue’s talk show which was first in the nation. Donahue’s talk show had been on top of the charts for ten years. Oprah’s morning Chicago show had been over taken by Phil Donahue’s show in less than a month of Oprah’s new show. By September 1985, The A.M. Chicago Show had been renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show and Oprah has been hosting it ever since. The Oprah show was the number one talk show, ten million people watched it daily in one hundred ninety two cities. The Oprah Winfrey Show won several Emmys for Best Talk Show, and Oprah was awarded as Best Talk Show Host. In addition to her many daytime Emmys, Oprah has received many other awards as well. In 1993 she won the ‘Horatio Alger Award’ “given to those who overcome adversity to become leaders in their fields,” she received the IRTS Gold Medal Award, and was named one of American’s 25 Most Influential People of 1996. And in 1998 Entertainment Weekly named Winfrey the most powerful person is show business. (Galenet) Throughout her television career, Oprah has encouraged more and more Americans to read. She has her own Book Club which was created in 1996. Oprah said, “I want books to become part of my audience's lifestyle, for reading to become a natural phenomenon with them, so that it is no longer a big deal." Oprah also has written many books herself such as, “Journey to Beloved” and “Ten Steps to a Better Body--And a Better Life.” Oprah also has a Angel Network which was created in 1997, the Angel Network is a non-profit organization that has raised millions of dollars to help make a difference in the lives of those in need. Oprah’s Angel Network has raised over $3.5 million to help fund collage scholarships for students with financial needs. Oprah has also entered a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Oprah’s most recent and most successful literary project, O: The Oprah Magazine, which has the most successful launch of any magazine in history, by its seventh issue, it had a circulation of two million. Also an accomplished actress, Oprah chooses television and movie roles with expectation of empowering and inspiring viewers, her movie role was called The Color Purple, as well has her TV series Me Women of Brewster Place and There Are No Children Here. All have an impact to inspire women. Winfrey is also politically active. Oprah has used her popularity to influence political causes as well. In 1991, the tragic story of a four-year-old Chicago girl's molestation and murder encouraged her as a former abuse victim "to take a stand for the children of this country," she explained in People. With the help...