Oprah, Rachael Ray plan a daytime blitz

LOS ANGELES - With new hits few and far between in daytime TV during the past few years, those who aspire to be the next Oprah Winfrey face increasingly long odds, even if they are already well known to viewers.

In the fall, King World Prods. and Winfrey’s Harpo Prods. are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle for the second time in four years by launching a high-profile show with the assistance of what might be called the Oprah Seal of Approval.

Rachael Ray, the perky food maven who has in a short time built her own culinary-themed cottage industry thanks to her popular Food Network series and frequent appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” is the latest to get the Winfrey push that worked so well for another former “Oprah Winfrey” regular, Dr. Phil McGraw. The launch of McGraw’s “Dr. Phil” show in 2002 posted the highest ratings for a talk show debut since Winfrey herself went national in 1986 and has remained the No. 2 talker behind “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

In the same way McGraw’s appearances increased just ahead of his show’s launch, Ray also is boosting her visibility on “Oprah Winfrey” as Winfrey helps develop Ray as a personality poised to host her own daytime show, “Rachael Ray,” which is just one of many being shopped this week at the television business’ annual NATPE convention in Las Vegas.

So what advice has Winfrey offered Ray?

“She said the first rule is to be myself,” Ray says.

And that means having a good time and making sure the viewers do too, Ray says. She adds that she wants the show to be a reflection of herself, and that means no tears -- either happy or sad -- because she is not a crier.

“I want the show to be fun -- a lot of laughter,” she says. “I’m not interested in chit-chatting with experts or talking about anything serious, and I don’t want any crying because that’s not me. I want to stay true to myself.”

Tough timeslot
Since 1999, shows that tried for daytime glory and failed have included “Iyanla,” “The Ananda Lewis Show,” “The Jane Pauley Show,” “The Larry Elder Show,” “Pat Croce: Moving In” and “The Queen Latifah Show.”

Barry Wallach, president of “Jane Pauley” distributor NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, says it’s never been easy to get a new talk show off the ground.

“(If) you have the right host and executive producer, it’s a great business,” he says. “If you have the wrong talent, format and executive producer, it’s not a good thing. ... The statistics are one out of 10 -- it’s no different than primetime or cable. It’s a business of finding that one out of 10 that works. The odds aren’t any better.”

This year, NBC Universal is launching “The Megan Mullally Show,” hosted by the Emmy-winning “Will & Grace” star.

King World CEO Roger King says spinning off a talk show from the “Oprah” stable “takes some of the gamble” out of the process.

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