‘Oprah’ finale scores biggest audience in 17 years
Preliminary figures show Wednesday’s finale of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” scored its highest audience in 17 years.
The Nielsen Co. said Thursday that the final episode delivered a 13.3 household rating in the nation’s metered markets.
It was the highest number since February 1994. That’s when an “Oprah” episode called “People Shed Their Disguises” got a 13.4 rating.
Metered market ratings measure roughly half the nation and can’t be translated into audience figures. A viewer count for the “Oprah” finale won’t be available from Nielsen for two weeks.
The metered market rating for Monday’s surprise farewell episode of “Oprah” logged a 10.2. Nielsen said Tuesday’s episode got a 10.7.
sHE signed off yesterday after 25 years as TV’s reigning daytime queen — sounding more like an evangelist than a talk-show host.
Coming out to a standing ovation from her rapturous, squealing studio audience, Winfrey held court on stage, alone, for the show’s full hour, striding back and forth and spewing fluffy, New Age-y aphorisms offset by occasional clips from past episodes.
“You have to know what sparks the light in you, so you, in your own way, can illuminate the world,” she said.
“Nobody but you is responsible for your life. What is all life? Energy . . . and you’re responsible for the energy you create for yourself and the energy you bring to others.”