When plans for O, The Oprah Magazine were first announced, most assumed it would be a typically empty licensing agreement.
    However, Winfrey has since foiled expectations by insisting on having things done her way at every stage of the process.
    The magazine, due out next week, is hotly anticipated, especially in the advertising community, which expects it to be one of the biggest launches in years.
    The first issue will have 166 pages of ads in all categories, with more than $20 million worth of space already sold in upcoming issues of O. 
    O, a "personal growth guide for women 25-49," is very much structured around Winfrey's persona, with inspirationally-titled columns like "Use Your Life" and "Dream Big." The theme of the first issue will be "paths to courage."
    Winfrey herself, in addition to appearing on at least the first few covers, will write two columns in each issue, one entitled "What I Know for Sure," and contribute a celebrity interview now and then.
    She'll use her considerable pull to bring in guest writers. Featured in the first issue will be contributions from singer Jewel and Tina Turner.
   What's more, reports have her generating headaches for the O staff by dictating writers and cover lines, demanding rewrites, and even altering the placement of the table of contents.
    Winfrey's high level of involvement may be what gave Hearst the confidence to raise the initial press run to 1 million copies from the 850,000 it announced last fall.
    For the time being, copies will only be available only at newsstands. Subscriptions begin in September when the magazine goes to a monthly frequency.
    Though Hearst is doing its best to hawk O, promotional efforts are hamstrung by Winfrey's insistence on protecting her other media interests.
    To be sure, Winfrey has been talking up O on the air to her 22 million viewers, and Hearst is plugging it in magazines such as Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan.
    The publicity blitz, however, does not extend to cable and only barely to the internet.
    Hearst owns half of Lifetime, the cable women’s network, but it can’t promote O there because Winfrey is a major investor in the competing Oxygen network.
     Likewise, there’s nothing about O on Women.com, a network of women’s sites in which Hearst owns 48 percent interest, because Winfrey’s own site, Oprah.com, is part of Oxygen’s online constellation of sites.
    O will be promoted on Oprah.com, with selected editorial content from the magazine appearing on the site, but Hearst will not benefit from the relationship apart from a link allowing visitors to buy subscriptions.
    In addition to provoking grumbles from the staff, Winfrey's insistence on having the final say in editorial decisions has had the effect of further confusing the already muddled leadership hierarchy at the magazine.
    That hierarchy includes Hearst president Black, O editor in chief Ellen Kunes and Good Housekeeping editor Ellen Levine.
    In fact, so many toes got stepped on in the process of putting together the premiere issue, Winfrey reportedly flew the whole staff to her private resort after the close for a cooling-off session.
    Media Life will review O, The Oprah Magazine next week.

-Jeff Bercovici is a staff writer for Media Life.

              
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