Oprah at 70: how she makes and spends her billions – from the media mogul’s private jet and property portfolio valued at over US$630 million, to her educational philanthropy in S Africa and the US
- Early on, Oprah took the shrewd step of opting to produce her talk show through her own company, Harpo – and would go on to launch and then sell most of her stake in the Oprah Winfrey Network
- The media mogul has owned homes in at least 8 US states, and gives back through her school for girls in South Africa, and via historically Black schools and universities in the US
From 80s talk show host to media mogul and one of the most iconic women in the world, Oprah Winfrey has blazed an incredible trail for herself and others over the last five decades.
And she celebrates her 70th birthday on January 29 – so what better time to reflect on her life and money? We break down her success over the years.
Oprah Winfrey made her start as a talk-show host
Oprah first rose to fame in the 70s as a host of the talk show People Are Talking, before transitioning in the mid-80s to hosting her own.
The Oprah Winfrey Show ran for 25 seasons, winning 47 Daytime Emmys and becoming the highest-rated talk show in American television history. By the end of the show’s run, Oprah was earning a reported US$315 million a year as its host.
Oprah had originally signed a US$1 million, four-year contract – but quickly founded her own company Harpo in 1986, and began producing her own shows. On her website, Oprah wrote that she decided to take ownership of her show so that “I could be my own boss and have my own space”.
The Harpo Studios building was demolished in 2016, but Oprah said the show’s legacy would live on: “It’s the work. It’s the people who gave diligently, from their hearts, every day. It’s every life that was touched by what we put out into the world. It’s the lessons learned, the joys we shared, the challenges we overcame.”