Oprah Winfrey, Apple TV+ end multiyear content deal
More than three years after signing a multiyear content agreement, African-American billionaire Oprah Winfrey and Apple TV+ are set to part ways after both parties decided not to renew their existing contract, which has resulted in a number of documentaries, the most recent being “Sidney,” about the life of iconic Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier.
The decision to cut off the multiyear agreement, which was first announced in 2018, comes after the streaming platform released the Reggie Hudlin-directed documentary “Sidney” on Sept. 23 in collaboration with Winfrey’s Harpo Productions banner.
Despite reaching the end of the contract, both parties have agreed to continue working together on a project-by-project basis, with Winfrey producing her book club, the discussion series, “The Oprah Conversation,” and her “The Me You Can’t See” mental health special made with Prince Harry.
Her other projects with Harpo Productions include “The Color of Care,” a Smithsonian Channel documentary, and the upcoming Hulu series “Black Cake” from Marissa Jo Cerar (Women of the Movement).
In recent years, Winfrey has focused on her media empire, which includes the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), a cable channel she co-founded with Discovery Communications in 2011. Her contract with Discovery was recently extended until 2025.
Aside from creating memorable moments and building an empire around them, the African-American talk show mogul has also demonstrated her ability to make sound investment decisions, particularly in the real estate and property markets.
The 68-year-old TV personality made a $6.6-million profit on the $17.1-million sale of her A-list Montecito estate in California, which included a Mediterranean-style main house and two small cottages, nearly two weeks ago.
The sale came more than a year after she paid $10.5 million for the 2.1-acre estate, as well as additional costs for renovation and separating the main house from the cottages.
Her decision to divide the estate in 2021 paid off quickly, as she sold the Mediterranean-style main house to American actress Jennifer Aniston for nearly $14.8 million, while the two cottages were purchased for $2.3 million by Winfrey’s longtime personal trainer and property manager, Bob Greene.