Oprah, Rachael Ray plan a daytime blitz

“Oprah” and “Dr. Phil” are still at the top of the pack. For the current season through Jan. 1, “Oprah” is averaging a 7.3 household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, while “Dr. Phil” stands at a 5.2. By comparison, the No. 3 talker, Disney’s “Live With Regis & Kelly,” is averaging a 3.5, while Warner Bros.’ “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which has been seeing year-to-year growth, is posting a 2.3 average.

But the Winfrey involvement is certainly building some buzz around “Ray.” Consulting firm Katz Television Group recently named the show -- which already has been cleared in more than 85% of the country for its fall launch -- as one of its recommended buys for broadcast stations based on Winfrey’s participation.

“Our choice is not driven by a clear and concise execution of a version of the daily hour but rather is based on the program’s pedigree, Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement and the involvement of the ’Dr. Phil’ creators, under the direction of Terry Wood,” says Bill Carroll, vp and director of programming at Katz.

Wood, president of creative affairs and development at King World and CBS Paramount Domestic Television, also sees the benefits of having a Winfrey-backed show but believes that “Ray” stands on its own merits -- with or without the involvement of Winfrey or her Harpo Prods. -- simply because of the host herself. (King World is producing “Ray” in association with Harpo, Scripps Networks and Watch Entertainment.)

Ray already has a fan base built up through her hosting duties on the Food Network shows “30-Minute Meals,” “$40 a Day,” “Inside Dish” and “Tasty Travels.” She also is the best-selling author of several cookbooks, and her monthly magazine, “Every Day With Rachael Ray,” debuted in November.

Homespun approach
Ray got her own start at Macy’s Marketplace in New York and would go on to manage pubs and restaurants at the Sagamore Resort in upstate New York and work as a food buyer for the gourmet market Cowan & Lobal. Looking to increase sales during the holidays, she began a series of cooking classes that drew the attention of WRGB-TV in Albany, N.Y., which recruited Ray to do a weekly segment, “30-Minute Meals,” for the evening news. In late 2001, Food Network picked up “30-Minute Meals” as a series.

King World/CBS’ Wood expects viewers to learn a great deal from Ray -- not just about food but about practical solutions to everyday problems, calling the daytime show a “can-do show the Rachael Ray way.” While topics related to food will be part of the show, “the categories covered will be wide open,” Wood says.

“We’ll touch on every aspect of life,” Wood adds. “I expect her to go out there and share information, and there will be a great takeaway (for viewers). It will be all about problem solving and learning things through Rachael’s eyes.”

As examples of those everyday problems, Ray rattles off such dilemmas as changing tires or hiding clutter when receiving visitors into one’s home. Celebrity guests also will stop by from time to time -- “not to plug something,” Ray says, but to offer their own tips to some everyday problems and as a result “show us that they are more like us.” The New York-based show also will be topical at times, Ray adds, but in a “fun, lighthearted way.”

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