Is there trouble in Oprah's TV kingdom?

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: From the Associated Press, as published in the Chicago Sun-Times yesterday, with some comments by Lewis Lazare inserted: : : .............. : Is there trouble in Oprah's TV kingdom? : September 14, 2009 : ASSOCIATED PRESS : Oprah Winfrey is opening her talk show's 24th season with a flourish. She had a Chicago block party with the Black Eyed Peas to warm up the season last week, and opened with an exclusive Whitney Houston interview, her first Dr. Phil visit in seven years and a trip to New York. : It's hard to remember when it seemed more important. : Winfrey is still the queen of daytime TV, but the aura of invincibility is gone. The average viewership for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" slipped under 7 million last season, down 7 percent from the year before, according to Nielsen Media Research. One week during the July rerun season, the show had its lowest ratings since its 1985 debut. : There are many possible explanations for the fade, including some over which Winfrey has no control. Ratings declines are common with so many choices and demands on time, particularly during the day. It's even rarer for programs that have been on the air as long as Winfrey's to grow. : And it's not just her. "Live with Regis and Kelly" had the same 7 percent decline last season. Shows with Jerry Springer, Maury Povich and Martha Stewart all had double-digit declines. : Even if Winfrey is showing some audience erosion, few believe it will negatively affect her popularity among advertisers anytime soon. : "Nobody has come along in the talk show world that has really been able to replace her," said Doug Schabelman of the Evanston-based Burns Agency. "Oprah's reach and power are still unparalleled in television today." : Yet Winfrey has alienated some of her audience, particularly in more conservative parts of the country, said Janice Peck, author of the book Age of Oprah and a University of Colorado professor. : By endorsing Barack Obama and campaigning for him, she shucked her apolitical image. Winfrey's book club selection of Eckhart Tolle's New Age religion book A New Earth angered some conservative Christians -- even though Winfrey's producer said Winfrey was careful not to push Tolle's views on viewers through the television show. : And her audience isn't getting any younger. College-age woman "see Oprah as kind of like who their mom likes," she said. "This is not a good sign for her." : Sheri Salata, executive producer, acknowledges "The Oprah Winfrey Show" is trying to deal with the delicate issue of attracting young viewers while not alienating longtime fans. Notice how the block party carefully followed a performance by the Black Eyed Peas with one by James Taylor. : "You can't be oblivious to the decline in ratings," said Bill Carroll, expert in the syndication market for Katz Television. : "I am sure that the people around her are aware of the trends or the perception of trends." : AP, with Media & Marketing columnist Lewis Lazare contibuting

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