Oprah Winfrey teams up with Apple to 'create original programs' in massive deal


Oprah Winfrey has reportedly inked a massive deal with Apple to "create original programs" in a move intended to directly compete with Netflix and Amazon, CNN reports. People familiar with the deal told The Hollywood Reporter that in addition to films, the deal includes "TV, applications, books, and other content that could easily be distributed on Apple's all-encompassing platform."
Winfrey will continue to head her cable network, OWN. Discovery Communications holds a more than 70 percent stake in OWN, but Winfrey is allowed to have limited on-camera roles on other platforms, giving her some wiggle room with Apple.
While Apple still lags behind Netflix and Amazon, it has also locked down shows with Steven Spielberg, Octavia Spencer, and Reese Witherspoon, among others, in recent months.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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