- 693 days ago by Christine Estima
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Now that Oprah‘s show is drawing to a close, I can’t help but reflect on the many ways that she changed the face of daytime television, and people’s lives. When The Oprah Winfrey Show hit the airwaves 25 years ago, it followed the same formats as Phil Donahue and Sally Jessie Raphael, in that, it portrayed sensationalist every-man stories about family gossip, medical wonders, and relationship blunders. Then in the mid-90s, Oprah switched gears and decided her show was going to help people’s self-esteem, self-worth, and self-confidence. Segments like “Remembering Your Spirit,” “Oprah’s Book Club,” “Live Your Best Life,” and “Favorite Things” popped up, cataloging different items people could purchase to enhance their self-worth. Treat yourself, was the idea behind it. Unfortunately, I find that by promoting self-help through consumerism, her quest to make Americans happier is a message diluted by crass methods.
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