What seems like a very long time ago, Oprah launched her new network and came out with “Your OWN Show,” noted as “Oprah’s search for the Next TV Star.”  The winner would be awarded with their own show on OWN that we had thought would air this summer on the network.  With all of the hype of finding the next “Oprah” as the Oprah Winfrey Show was coming to an end, this program seemed like her new network’s spin on “The Next Food Network Star” meets “The Apprentice” meets “Project Runway.”   Name your reality show competition and it had a little flavor of all of it.  It was fun, light and entertaining.  So what happened?

Now, months later…it’s almost like it was never there.  There are no re-runs on OWN and really, no signs that it ever existed except for the link on Oprah.com that has kinda fallen to the bottom of the pile.  With no word of the winners…or the non-winners…or any plans to move development forward, it leaves me with asking the question of where are these new shows?…and why weren’t they out months ago?  It just seems like the opportunity was missed and that someone dropped the ball…or didn’t plan…or did both. 

Everybody has an opinion of the network these days and of Oprah’s continued influence after the end of her long run syndicated talk show.  I have no doubt that OWN will make it…and that Oprah will continue to change the world.  But these mis-steps early on in OWN’s launch are mistakes that I hope that they learn from.  We are savy viewers.  Don’t think that we are not.  I’m still hoping that at some point we will get to be part of Kristina’s Fearless Kitchen and Rollin’ Around the World with Zach Anner…but I’m skeptical.  Without signs of life from OWN or Oprah herself…I’m thinking Oprah’s search for the next star ended way back in February.