Why do you think Oprah announced now her decision to end her show in 2011 ?

Her ratings are DOWN. I think she's opposite Glenn Beck. Maybe people are getting smart about her. Her Obama backing was NOT a good idea.

not being a media person myself, at first I, too, wondered why she announced her departure 18 months ahead. However, after reading some news and thinking about it, I figured it out. Probably simple to other people. Ratings. Now that she has given you an ultimatum - "you will only have me for a certain number of months and then I'm gone" - she suddenly will become a hotter commodity. We only value what we have lost or about to lose, so goes human nature. If she had waited until a month or two before leaving, the effect on her ratings would be minimal. This way, with 18 months advance notice, she has a chance to go out, but go out with a bang, thus elevating her own worth and the worth of her future show and her own cable channel (OWN - Oprah Winfrey Network), enabling her to get even MORE money. You know, it's all about Mo Money. Judge Judy has beaten Oprah in ratings. Wow. So, to answer your poll question, she announces now in order to gain viewers and to up the ante on her future media ventures.

I used to watch but no more, she showed America her true colors and it was Black. I watch Beck faithfully. I'm a typical White person who doesn't like where we are going. I read her viewers are down over 6 million, use to be 12 million. She can buy a cable channel but still not going to watch. I hope she enjoys paying that big tax bill or will she be exempt since she backed him. I heard Michelle doesn't like her and MO is going to have her own show. Poor Oprah thought she would be a frequent guest at the WH and isn't.

Pat: I didn't realize Michelle doesn't like her. Sometimes I see Michelle's nails come out when other women are around the "great" one. Meeeoooowwww! Jealousyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?????????????? I didn't realize, either, that Judge Judy beat her. LOL! I think Oprah is rather arrogant. I've watched her several times and didn't notice much warmth, just a big head.

Many well-known, popular celebrities do some sort of "good bye tour" that they announce well in adavnce of the last show. Richard Petty and Tina Turner come to mind. So what.

I think she wants to be in a position to campaign for Obama and she can dedicate her cable channel to that, but I also agree with Reen that Oprah wouldn't move so far away from Obama without very good reason. (Didn't Obama have to move an aid to Jamaica or somewhere at Michelle's behest?) One thing for sure, Oprah will never turn down a chance to make a buck, so money has to be involved as well. There is one other little thing. She may want to be near the celebrities to promote her 'religious' venture. Her thoughts that you have it in your spirit to do whatever you set out to do, so she can be near the people who have already attained that. Preachin' to the choir stuff.....

I think it may have to do with something Obama has promised her. Maybe an ambassadorship? Oprah will not be leaving the limelight, I can assure you. That's not her MO.

Fay: Her religious venture? Of course I don't watch and usually don't pay much attention when they speak of her. This is interesting. What is it? Does it involve a circle or a swastaka.....??? Since she's so much for obama and he's pretty commie minded. Wonder if she hates whites deep down like obama..???

I really do not watch, so have no opinion.

Give some credit to Oprah where it is due, she only spent 2-3- yrs in Rev Wrights Church & Rev Wright really went after her publicaly. Barry aka Barack spent 20 yrs & didn't hear anything as seen on videos? Rev wright gave Barry his start re community organizer S. Side of Chicago, Grants, Housing, employment for low income minoritys. Rev Wright had a gov funded Day Care Center funded by Gov. Reply to REEN, Michelle Soetoro dosen't have to worry about women, care to know how many silenced Larry Sinclairs are out there? If Barry had been Vetted for Med Records, we might know why he has weight loss, looking tired, no appitite? It could be a big strain if the public or 1000. or more attny's get an Eligibility Requirement heard in court, do any of you think their will ever be an acconting to the citizens of our tax dollars paying the Wash DOJ's expenses to keep Protective Order on Long Form Birth Certificate, Barry Knows Time is of the Essence for him, like the last 10 months. Day one in the oval, pen in hand Amendments, Proclamations, any changes he could make without legislation, untill the czars were put in place un vetted making laws(legislation) for Banks, Wall Street, Auto Industry, Housing & Morgs laws. Lobbists writing our Healthcare, Schools taking away anthing patriotic, pledge of alliengence, American Flag,History is being transformed, not to mention small children singing praise to the messiah! Its possible Oprah knows 25 yrs or more about the Obama's just like Rev Wright! We can be sure Chicago Pay to Play Barry Style Tit for Tat between Whinfrey/Soetoro's. Oprah Bank Rolled Campaign, What favors will be extended to her, by the Soetoro's, time will tell. Possibly Barry will send her a Burka Barbie? Change of Subject, Rohm Emanuel serving as President over our Military. Fact CKs Rohm Emanuel was Investment Broker less than 3 yrs earned more than 18 million. Wall Sreet Days helped send him to Congress. Late 1998 R.Emanuel left the Clinton WH to work for Wasserstien Perelle now defunct Investment Bank run by Bruce Wasserstein=Dem Donor for R.E manuel Connections/Deals. Emanuel was in top 3 of 5 percent Investment Bankers at that time. For a seat in Congress Emanuel donated 450,000 to his own campaign. Buy his seat? YES! Financial Industry help finance as Securitys & Investment Industry donated 1.5 Mil 2002, 5.8 Mil Dem Congressional Campaign. ( Rohm Emanuel servered on FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE> HANDLES LEGISLATION INVOLVING FINANCIAL MARKETS & BANKS! Pay Back for Support? LOBBYING/REGULARTORY OVERHAUL, ECONOMIC ISSUES! Conflict of Interest? PAY BACKS! BARRY NEXT? ATTORNEY GEN FOR BARRY AKA BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA! Attorney Gen Houlder bringing terrorists to NYC is Front & Center Stage for Terrorists to perform under Miranda Rights as Citizens of the US. Facts: Judge Hand picked by Attny General, Cost, Billions, People have faith in court system, Millions more have faith in a Military Court Far away, not on US Soil! Quility Plea has been made by KSM for Military trail strongest form of proof, under Houlders consideration bringing the terrorists here,Houlder didn't ask the terrorists. Both Barry aka Obama & Houlder said they would get a death penalty! Against the law to give a verdict before a trial takes place, ammunition for the Judge for a fair trial, when sentence is decided before trial. Houlder was Attny Gen in Clinton Admin Cole Bombing ,were back to pre 911 & all the safeguards have been removed, replaced with Political Correct as in Maj Hasan, Soetoro aka Obama couldn't even say the words Domestic Terrorists to our Military while getting his photo opt. Muslim WH to Muslim Terrorists vacationing NYC, How do you feal about the Muslim Terrorists getting the same rights as American Citizens. Could use Radical Extremists, as in Barrys LONG LONG LIST OF Marxists,Socialists, unrependant terrorist friends(Neighbors) Black Panther, Terrific Resumes for all Barrys Associates & Personel Friends as in Rev Wright!

Its very simple: after showing to us that she is not so "color blinded" by supporting Obama, not for his political views - just because he is black (even tho he is not as black as he wants to be), she started to lose her majority white viewers. How many black women or man have been watching her show? maybe 9% or even less, while white people watched her regularly. I have to give her small credit: she quits on high note because other wise she would be canseled due to lack of her viewers. PLAIN SIMPLE FACT!

I didn't vote because I haven't thought much about it and I have NO IDEA why. I think the choice on your poll that says she wanted to give her staff time to find other jobs or make plans is a good point. A good boss, if she had made up her mind to leave her job at a future date, would let her staff know ahead of time so that they could find other jobs. But I don't know if that was her reason. Maybe her ratings were slip sliding away? I really don't know.

Judge Judy has beat Oprah in the ratings?? OMG, Oprah IS in trouble. JMO but Judge Judy is like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

I think she wants to be free and clear of her show in case the liberals can't put down Palin with all their whining and complaining. Then they would have another powerful woman to run for President against Sarah!

The terrorists are pleading NOT GUILTY now in the NY trial. Any evidence will be discounted and testimony thrown out because it was obtained under torture (a bug, lack of sleep, rock music and a little water in the face) Oh that just breaks my heart. Poor little terrorist had to suffer so at the hands of the mean American CIA just trying to do their job and protect us. This would be laughable if it wasn't so scary. Not to mention such a huge waste of more of our money.

Greta, Oprah is in the Obama circle. They hashed out the pros & cons of this decision while on the Copenhaugen trip for the Olympics. With Oprah being one of the richest women in the country, she doesn't have everything. Obama cannot shut down Fox, Rush, Glenn, Bill, You, Hannity, Bret, or the millions of us who are in the 9/12 group, TeaParty Express and just common sense folks. That said, Oprah owns her own TV station, has plenty of resources to support Obama for the 2012 election. She would not be able to promote Obama in her current position. However, owning her own TV station she can be the ultimate platform for Obama and a voice of support. By Oprah announcing her leaving her show early, gives her viewers something to look forward to. Of course she will have a complete new look and menu. What she won't be expecting, is she won't have the following she has now. Without her interview with Sarah Palin recently, her ratings are in the tank because the common sense people are waking up. Her association with Obama has sent a loud and clear message that she supports someone who cannot decide what direction the country should be going, leaving our military in limbo and in harms way every day Obama does not decide to send or not send more troops, our national debt is growing by the second and she is dinning on Lobster, Champagne, Caviar, Chocolates, and riding in style with the Michele Obama around the world. The trip to Copenhaugen sent the world a message of who Oprah really is. Afterall, unless you are just one of the cronnie friends of the Obama's, you are a major fund raising fool. JMO - Oprah thinks by having her own TV Cable Network that she will rise to the ratings that Fox gets and her dream is to surpass Fox because who she thinks she is and who she supports. Oh well, I will bring my lunch on watching this unfold.

President Obama, promised her a job too?

Her ratings are down and, if they continue to slide, she may not be able to negotiate the type of contract that could in the past. She openly supported Obama and snub Hillary as well as Sarah and now she has to live with losing a lot of women supporters. Everything has a price hopefully Obama is giving her everything she ever wanted.

Years ago didn't Oprah say she was going to call it quits but she never did? Sounds like she is trying to boost ratings. Maybe Obama will help her out like she did for him.

Oprah plans on moving in with the Obomas . Politics is her game now.

Don't care. Don't watch. Maybe "The One" will give her a job or she will try to get him re-elected from her station. Ratings are low? Don't care. She should try feeding and educating girls in this country or go to her beloved Africa and take BO with her.

She is going to try... to give Fox news a run for the money. She will try to get a liberal station going to again "try" to counter Fox news opinions.

Maybe she thinks about becomming the first black, female, president. Yuk!!!

will she be a czar????

Oprah doesn't take criticism, she has been the queen of daytime forever. Since her endorsement of Obama her ratings have been in decline. She doesn't know how to deal. I'm guessing that she is getting out when her current contract is up.

Oprah said she was going to leave in 2009 some years ago. Wish she would have. I never watched her "I worked" and when I did see a some portion of the show it was taking advantage of people that were having personal problems. I personally saw this as distastful. Guess it made her very wealthy. And don't care what she has to say because she is has racial problems and I personally find that shamful. I don't care for her. not now or ever.