Royal Coverage | Harry, Meghan and Oprah

Meanwhile, the continuing appalling plight of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and her husband's protest outside the Iranian Embassy goes by largley unreported.

Still, that's the media for you....

Keep in mind that she was a journalist for many years before becoming the host of a local talk show which morphed into a national then international programme. She prefaced the interview last night by stating off the top the questions werent reviewed and there were no topics off limits and they werent being paid. Its very unlikely that she would ruin her credibility and reputation she built over decades for anyone, including H&M. You dont grow up literately dirt poor in a shack and become a billionaire by being stupid. Especially when your entire brand is built on your personal reputation credibility.

Thanks, Mouseboy33. I didn’t intend that my remarks to be derogatory towards Oprah. Apologies if it seemed that way. I am hugely familiar with the lady and her work.

Sorry too Oprah. (She reads along here).

No worries. I know your response was sarcastic. Now bow at the feet of Queen Oprah. (Joke).
But i do have say she handled the interview very well. Especially how she gently probed and circled back to things that she wanted an answer to. Curious what the ratings will be.

This Morning really got their money's worth out of Camilla Tominey, she was there for two segments.

I could be wrong as I haven't seen it in full, but there doesn't seem to be pushback you might expect in the UK. Things like 'Did you not ask your husband for help? Harry, what did you do when a relative made that racist comment? Is it not true that by convention Archie doesn't get a title until Charles is King?

On a US production point of view..
Was this made by Harpo Productions off their own bat and then sold to the highest bidding US network (who then as part of the deal handle and sell on to the highest bidder in each overseas market that wants it) or was it always a CBS programme from the off?

Oprah said at the beginning of it that she'd been working with them on something else, so I suspect that it was something she negotiated and came up with them.

(I did manage to see it last night, not that I particular care about it, just nice to see a big TV event)

Uncomfortable.

I find it highly unlikely there was a "bidding process" as you say. CBS has a relationship with Oprah via CBS THis Morning and she worked briefly on venerable CBS news magazine, 60 Minutes during the election. (She was on the programme the morning following the interview presenting more clips and was debrief by the presenters, one being of course Gayle King her best friend) Harpo is a very big production company so its unlikely that she needed CBS to sell it. Though I would imagine that because it aired on CBS first any where in the world, they likely stipulated certain branding and presentation credits. Oprah has many outlets should could have chosen to air this. Her OWN network or also she has a new relationship with AppleTv+. Any arrangements would never be disclosed. So its unlikely we will ever hear any conditions for how this was done.

As far as production goes. Harpo has its own facilities and have no need of any outside support from CBS. Oprah is notoriously private in her inner circle and how things are produced and how they look. She has worked with the same director and producers for decades. Because this programme was very important its likely that the very trusted inner circle of Harpo (Apparently they all are under NDA's) had anything to do with the actual production. Thats why the interview had the same production quality and techniques that she uses for the last decade or so from the end of her daily talk show and then the creation of the OWN Network programmes. (The final year of her talk show she produced a behind the docu series for OWN network, it was fascinating to watch.)

Harpo/OWN HQ in LA after she moved the base completely from her Chicago Studio Complex.

The ratings are coming in. They are saying something like 17 million. Thats huge. (iin the context of what it is. thats massive.)

These are NFL numbers for the Meghan and Harry interview. https://t.co/2fqCuGg4QJ

— Alex Weprin (@alexweprin) March 8, 2021

17 Million Watch Oprah’s Interview With Prince Harry And Meghan Markle via @forbes https://t.co/UmmhO7lHY9

— Mark Joyella 🏳️‍🌈 (@standupkid) March 8, 2021

Big number for #oprahwithmeghanandharry https://t.co/H4JcPYFKOi @latimes

— Stephen Battaglio (@SteveBattaglio) March 8, 2021

What are we guessing for tonight’s rating? It’s in quite a long timeslot.