Oprah Winfrey gets own TV channel

Winfrey and Discovery Communications announced that they would jointly create the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Daytime television queen Oprah Winfrey is getting her very own TV channel.

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Winfrey and Discovery Communications announced Tuesday they would jointly create OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, a cable television channel that will debut in the US in 2009 in place of the Discovery Health Channel, which is available in more than 70 million American homes.

Winfrey said that she hoped to move her top-rated talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show to the new channel when her current commitment expires in 2010 or 2011.

The venture will be half owned by Discovery and by Winfrey's production company Harpo. Winfrey also has a radio show, magazine, a popular website and other ventures.

Winfrey will serve as chairwoman of the network, will have full editorial control over the joint venture and will be responsible for its "programming, branding and creative vision", the companies said in a press release.