Measuring the Oprah effect

Posted: Monday, November 26, 2007 6:42 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
Radio Iowa reported today that former Gov. Tom Vilsack scoffed at the idea that Oprah would sway Iowans or draw huge crowds in Iowa. "According to Vilsack, not many Iowa women get to watch daytime television because they're working. Winfrey made her support of Obama public earlier this year and hosted a fundraiser at her home in California, bringing in $3 million for Obama's campaign."

So just how popular is the queen of daytime talk in the Hawkeye State? According to KCCI, the station that airs Oprah in the Des Moines/Ames region which covers central Iowa, about 40,000 people watch her show daily. The Oprah Winfrey Show is more popular than the prime time viewership of either the ABC (39,000) or NBC (38,000) affiliates in the same media market.

Also, more people watch Oprah than the morning, noon or 5 p.m. newscasts of the NBC affiliate in Des Moines, and more watch her than any of the any of the newscasts on the ABC affiliate.

Her program is ranked the 12th highest in the country out of the top 100 media markets.

“Hopefully, we can attract some people who might not otherwise be interested in politics, who aren't regular viewers of C-SPAN," Obama said today, per NBC's Abby Livingston, of Oprah's support. "But on the other hand, once they're there, I'm able to talk to them about critical issues like health care, home foreclosures and things that affect their lives on a day-to-day basis. So, I'm very grateful that she's taken the time to do this. I think it'll be fun.”

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Comments

gee gov tom...why do all of the fine women of Iowa have to work to meet ends meet? Your policies?

Rick, WS, NC (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 6:56 PM)

Oprah is a deadly weapon in Obama's arsenal. Unleashing her at this point in time is going to spell chaos for the opponents. The blessed one (barack)is very fortunate to have her.

Siam Erzuah, VA (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:04 PM)

Advice to Vilsack: Hit Obama all you want, but denigrate Oprah and her audience at your peril.

cms (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:05 PM)

By now you guys should know that Hillary Clinton is getting desperate. Her internal polls number is tanking and it is possible she will loose this race.

Tom Vilsak is attacking Oprah, yet, she wants women to vote for Hillary. What an irony?
Oprah alone embodies what is possible for American women if they are ready to work for it. Oprah is not Billary Clinton, nor does she have the name “Clinton”.

Oprah stumping for Obama is for real and I am sure those women sitting on the fence in IA and South Carolina will cross over.

Bee (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:05 PM)

It's weird how people are just completely discounting the effect Oprah can have on the campaign. She's a popular woman. She's proven to be able to sell a host of items to her demographic. She's appealing to working women, middle class woman, lower class woman, and this is Hillary's demographic that Obama is apparently running even with her in Iowa.

Obama is an appealing candidate. He has a message that is resonating right now with voters given this is apparently a change-driven election.

Oprah just doesn't give him crowds, she brings new people who might not cacus or think about cacusing to give a spiel about why she thinks they ought to take the time for him. He gets to make his pitch to people who might solely be there for Oprah.

It's a good deal all around for him - especially since the election seems at this mmmemt to be trending his way.

Rhoda (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:09 PM)

Gov. Vilsack always preferred Jerry Springer

Much more enlightening
and you might see one of Bill's 'friends'

Sierra, SF (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:22 PM)

I remember '04. The Boss was going to be a difference maker. Middle class, working class, 40 something white guy were going to listen to Springsteen and support Kerry because of it.

Unless Oprah is going to show up at the caucuses and give out her famous gift packages then she won't make a difference.

Dickie Flatts, Charlotte, NC (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:23 PM)

AMEN, ALLELUIA QUEEN BEE, WE WILL SEE ON JAN 3RD.

JESUS (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:38 PM)

2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll

http://www.votenic.com

The Only Poll That Matters.
Results Posted Every Tuesday Evening.

votenic (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:46 PM)

What a fat phony Vilsak is. I would expect a republican to imply that Oprah's viewers don't work (which has a hint of racism to it). I happen to watch Oprah everyday and I work fulltime. Its called tivo.

I am going to write a check to Obama, but send a copy to Hillary. On the memo line I will write "thank Vilsak."

Paul Real Deal Cucumber Peal (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:50 PM)

vote barak.. he's not experienced or accomplished, but he believes he's special

Reason enough for me!

Barakomania (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:56 PM)

oprah is supporting obama because he is black. now, why should I as a white vote for a different race, if I have to follow oprah cue?

chris (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:56 PM)

Oprah Show is more than entertainment. It is more of self-help for empowerment of women who are facing various challenges in life. Oprah shares some common denominator with her hardcore followers because of her humble upbringing, coupled with sexual abuse and many other issues common to women. There is well-developed and nurtured trusting relationship over time between Oprah and her hardcore followers. Her followers see Oprah as mentor and hence they respond positively to most of her advice. Most of the entertainment celebrities or sports heroes do not have such relation with their followers and that is why Oprah is a celebrity with difference within the context of this discourse.

Gov. Tom Vilsack is making a huge mistake to think that many workingwomen who do not watch Oprah Show everyday do not admire and adore Oprah. Oprah Show has been in the air for nearly two decades now. Most women under the age of 50 have at various times watched Oprah Show. There are some women who are watching Oprah Show today due to entirely different circumstances; but it does not mean that they have withdrawn their admiration for Oprah and her values.

It is silly for Gov. Tom Vilsack to think that Oprah is not going to pull huge crowd in Iowa. There are many curious people who would like to know the reasons why Oprah endorsed Obama and she is also taking time off her busy schedule to campaign for him.
Again, Oprah can sway some people who are on the fence or conflicted on whom to support. What Oprah would do for Obama is to stand as character witness to his values and most especially when both of them worship at the same church on Sundays. Oprah is going to say what she knows about Obama on close quarters and based on firsthand experiences.

Edmonsky, Sacramento, CA (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 7:58 PM)

I don't think Oprah will convince anyone to vote Obama, but she may get a few to give him another look. Plus she's another chink in the Hillary "inevitable" armor. I agree with cms in the biggest Oprah effect could come from Hillary surrogates' desperate over-reaction to the talk show host.

Ellen (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:00 PM)

Steve (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:06 PM)

Why would some maid influence how we vote in Iowa?

Larry Echols, Ames Iowa (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:18 PM)

Well, we can put that Vilsack scoff and saying few women watch her in Iowa with his comment about Hillary being the face of foreign policy in the 90s.
Seems Vilsack has a little problem with the truth

diane (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:32 PM)

Since the Media has decided it is a race between Clinton,Edwards,And Obama,can you at least have the courage of Edward R.,and print SOMETHING abuot Biden or McCain that is not tongue in cheek,or downright abusive?Please?Pretty please?!?!?

docrock.tx (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:35 PM)

Hastert is quitting tonight!
Gee - these Repubs can't even leave during daylight hours.

Margaret, NYC (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:42 PM)

No need for Obama to worry about home foreclosures.
He got his home cheap - from that criminal Rezko!!

Lisa, Tifton, GA (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:44 PM)

No need for Obama to worry about home foreclosures.
He got his home cheap - from that criminal Rezko!!

Lisa, Tifton, GA (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 8:44 PM)

Rick. That would be Terry Branstad aka 'Twerpy Braindead', the dysfunctional GOP slug who ran Iowa into the good earth during and after the Zodiac Reagan Years. Vilsack got to clean up the mess.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 9:02 PM)

Why does Vilsack keep 'opening mouth and inserting foot'? This is about the 2nd or 3rd time he has said something ridiculous for her campaign.
Oprah's show appeals to alot of women across the board. Her shows help a lot of women deal with their everyday life. She will draw audiences to listen to Barack Obama's message. Of course, H Clinton's campaign wanted that endorsement, badly. Oprah is not just a Hollywood personality, she transcends that through her show and generosity(donated millions to others).

Marbw (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 10:02 PM)

Vilsack has got to pay the piper $400,000 (Hillary Clinton). He is going after Oprah.

dave memphis, tn (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 10:18 PM)

Damn Oprah sinks NBC and ABC, don't think i would be reporting this lmao

Hillary4prez (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 10:28 PM)

Vilsak comment shows the scare that HRC's compagne is in. This is just te beginning of something muc bigger that americans never since the Kennedy's brothers.
I am love it.
Obama 08

Abraham, SF, CA (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 11:38 PM)

Obama: "Campaigns are not just about issues and policy but about bringing people together and this creates excitement and an event and hopefully we can attract some people who might not otherwise be interested in politics."

Obama excels in bringing people together. These Obama/Oprah events will be spectacular and inspiring

Mary (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 11:48 PM)

Just from the ratings people obviously are watching Oprah and by Vilsack saying that nobody watches it would seem like it would offend those "jobless, worthless" (in other words) people who are watching her. It was actually a pretty rude thing for him to say.

Russ, California (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 1:52 AM)

Oprah stumping for Obama is not going to do a thing for him.

SMSanfran (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 4:46 AM)

I'm looking forward to a huge Clinton loss.

American Voter (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 5:24 AM)

Wow is Clinton getting desperate. Oprah is a great american women who belives in Obama. I belive in Obama and Oprah and I am glad to see her helping him draw attention to his campaign. Obama is the best candidate out there!!! Oprah is a great example of a proud hard working american women. Go Obama!!!! Go Oprah!!

ted (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:51 AM)

Oprahs On!!! Now that is a Great American Women!!!

ted (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:16 AM)

This is pathetic, really. Okay, I have a question for all of you lovely Hillary haters: who did Oprah back in the last election? Oh, that would be Bush. Only Jerry, and the rest of Texas still supports the man Oprah backed. Man, Oprah endorsing Obama... wow, that couldn't be about race, could it? Hillary is like Bush, because you know... all her endorsers are Democrats. Oprah is a turncoat on the Democratic party, and her endorsement means nothing. Get used to it, Hillary has this locked up. I can't wait. Oh, and say goodbye to McConnell, he'll be saying byebye next year also.

Travis, Louisville, Ky (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:40 AM)

Despite all the "conventional wisdom" that the CLINTON machine is all powerful in our party,Barack Obama is going to finally put an end to the CLINTON EMBARASSMENT we have had to endure since the early '90s,and begin to move our great country and our great people forward.
We can, and will, accomplish great things.
Mr.& Mrs. Clinton can retire,play shuffleboard,but please,don't cheat on your scorecards.

Michael,Phoenix,AZ. (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 7:50 AM)

Who's Oprah?

David Taylor (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 8:42 AM)

I can't believe that people think that watchers of Oprah will become a groundswell of support for Obama, she is well known but will that noteriety push people to vote her way? I don't think so, celebrities don't have the power the media wants us to believe they have. Remember that Oprah is the face of media so the media will pimp her as a power, don't trust them don't listen to them, their agenda is to put themselves in a position to create the choice not just report our choices.

John Alexander, Edinboro, PA (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 8:50 AM)

I notice Hillary doesn't talk much about Oprah....
Her campaign better take that as an omen....

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:05 AM)

hill's got bill, barrack's got "O", but like the old ad said "where's the beef".each trots out their star to bask in but neither has the experience in foreign affairs [the actual area the president has majorimpact on ie bush] the joe has and they even said so in "joe's right" video. they're all reasonably close on domestic issues and any bill would be subject to compromise in congress and committee. so no candidate running will get their domestic agenda passed intact without compromise, civics 101. so the area we should be adressing is foreign affairs where these candidates are lightweights compared to biden. he has an iraq proposal that passed, saw pakistan problem comming when no one else did, and voted for war spending bill with ied safe vehicles while the CEO [hill.edwds,obam.] played politics with the troops lives to get poll points. give me joe cvause i'm tired of biden my time with 8 yrs. of bush and no demo with an international savy other the joe.

karlos (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:10 AM)

I'm torn here because I love Oprah and I support Hillary and want her to win. Oprah will more than likely tip the scale in Barack's favor. Is that fair? Should someone as influential as Oprah be persuading people to support Barack? Would I feel this way if she were supporting Hillary? Probably not.

Steve

I support neither Obama or Clinton, I will be caucusing for Biden. Depending on my schedule and availability of tickets I'll go see Oprah, but Oprah will not influence my (or many) Iowans on who to caucus for, or more importantly get people out to the caucus who have never been before. She'll be in Cedar Rapids just shy of a month before the caucus, she will be followed by Christmas, New Years, the Rose Bowl, etc. before the caucus. If this were a primary with early satellite voting at the event, her stumping for Obama could have a major impact.

With respect to Tom Vilsack, the poor guy is being used by Hillary and it's just sad.

Caroline CR, IA (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:43 AM)

Hey Larry Echols, your racism is showing...

JJ Jax, FL (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:50 AM)

First of all, people listen to the music of 'the Boss' but they LISTEN to Oprah.

Secondly, Oprah is not expected to create a groundswell of support for Obama, he already has that. If anything, she will turn out crowds. She will encourage people to listen to Obama and to listen to Obama is to love him.

I can tell you first hand, that without the use of demagoguery, without promoting hate or fear, without invoking God's name (as if he is God's appointed warrior), Barack inspires people to believe that we will be heard. He inspires people to feel that we can take back the government from the corporate interests, that we have the power to change American foreign policy. He inspires people to hope. He inspires a hope that hasn't been present on the American political scene for over fifty years.

Michael Beschloss talks about presidents who grew to the challenge of the job (reviewing 10 presidencies in his book 'Presidential Courage') and notes that each president had to develop the skills necessary to deal with the crises that were faced during the respective administrations. It's not experience (because there is none that prepares one for this job). It is bravery, integrity, judgment and intellectual curiosity. Barack Obama has these qualities and is the single candidate most equiped to lead this nation over the next eight years.
Obama '08

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 10:40 AM)

vilsack is only endorsing clinton because she is white . See how stupid you sound .

ki houston (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 10:53 AM)

Frankly, I don't give a damn what Oprah thinks. I can think for myself, thank you.

Amazed, Atlanta (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 11:22 AM)

Even if she can't afford a Tivo, the female Iowa voter probably has a VCR.

Carol Anne, Seattle (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 11:44 AM)

By James Q. Lynch
The Gazette
CEDAR RAPIDS — Popular TV talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey will pitch the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama — the man she calls “my favorite guy”— during a Dec. 8 visit to Cedar Rapids.
Although details of Winfrey’s two-city campaign tour of Iowa have yet to be released, people close to the campaign say she’ll appear at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Cedar Rapids after a campaign stop in Des Moines. * * *

Democratic rival Chris Dodd, campaigning in Cedar Rapids on Monday, wasn’t sure Iowans need more of that.
“I hear people say, ‘Turn up the heat, fire up the crowd,’” he said. “But how about toning down the rhetoric, turning down the heat? How about going to work and doing some thing for America and getting the job done?” Dodd, who was traveling with his sister Martha ***doubts Iowa caucus-goers are impressed by celebrity surrogates. ***
” He’s right — to a point, Vietor said, “but there’s a bigger picture.” Winfrey’s appearance will help the campaign begin a conversation with undecided voters it might not otherwise reach, Vietor said.
* * * Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Clinton’s state co-chair, sought to downplay Winfrey’s impact, saying that because Eastern Iowa has a high percentage of working women the talk show host doesn’t have much of an audience here.
TV ratings data suggests otherwise, Steve Lake of KCRG-TV9 told The Gazette. Both entities are owned by Gazette Communications.
Winfrey’s show is the station’s best-performing daytime program, attracting more than 18,000 adult women, he said.
Also, Lake said, when political campaigns make advertising buys with KCRG-TV9, they always place some spots during and around her show. "

11/27/07 Cedar Rapids Gazette

What the story also failed to mention was her show is replayed at night (at 8 or 9) and many "working women" catch it then.

Gina Hiawatha Iowa (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 12:32 PM)

Even if she can't afford a Tivo, the female Iowa voter probably has a VCR.

Carol Anne, Seattle

Or they can watch the rebroadcast every night on cable.

Gina Hiawatha Iowa (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 12:33 PM)

Obama is smart and nice, but he cannot make quick decision to protect US and make our great country better. Hillary is much better.

John Du, Chicago, IL (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 3:47 PM)

Biden is the best choice and as Hillary and Obama are fighting the celebrity war, Joe is winning over the hearts and minds of Iowans. He is the only candidate who gives detailed answers to complicated questions and doesn't have to stick to a stump speech.

Lori Mordini, West Des Moines, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 5:33 PM)

Wow.Oprah is great.I simply admire her.Great guts.

Jammy Rocks,Sydney (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:51 AM)

How sad that we select our candidates for president based on the support of a TV talk show host. I'm quite sure Oprah could endorse a comic book to the New York Times Best Seller List. This is truly the "dumbing down" of America.

Joe Cirbus, Midlothian, Virginia (Sent Friday, December 14, 2007 1:58 PM)

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