Oprah to launch two reality shows

‘Oprah Winfrey's The Big Give’ and ‘Your Money or Your Life’ coming to ABC

Dima Gavrysh / AP	Oprah Winfrey's production company is working on two prime-time series for ABC, tentatively titled "Oprah Winfrey's The Big Give" and "Your Money or Your Life," ABC and Harpo Productions announced Friday, Dec. 15.

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updated 7:04 p.m. ET Dec. 15, 2006

LOS ANGELES - Oprah Winfrey is expanding her media reach into reality television.

Her production company is working on two prime-time series for ABC, tentatively titled “Oprah Winfrey’s The Big Give” and “Your Money or Your Life,” ABC and Harpo Productions announced Friday.

The deal, which marks Winfrey’s entrance into series TV, comes about three months after Harpo formed a new television development group for alternative shows, Tim Bennett, the company’s president, said in a statement.

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“The Big Give” provides money and other resources to 10 people and challenges them to help others in a way that tests the players’ ingenuity and passion, according to the companies. The winner gets to realize their “wildest” dream.

“Your Money or Your Life,” which is in development, features families who are confronted by a crisis and must change or risk being “consumed by disaster,” according to the joint ABC-Harpo release.

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Winfrey’s move into series TV is “monumental,” ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson said in the release. The show’s focus on “wish fulfillment and making lives better,” he said.

Besides daytime TV’s “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Harpo produces TV projects and operates the web site oprah.com. Harpo Print LLC co-publishes O, Winfrey’s monthly magazine, while Harpo Films produces feature films and TV movies.

Air dates for the eight-episode “The Big Give” and the show in development were not announced.

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.