Oprah Gives the Public a Chance to Star in Their Own Show

By now, everyone knows that Oprah Winfrey's daytime talk show will be ending this next year - 2011. So what will the Queen of daytime TV do? The news is out that she has bought and is developing her own network (called OWN). She has already promoted some of her own "discoveries" - Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and Nate Berkus, who will likely show up frequently on the OWN network. But what else will her new network bring to the public?

Well, in a word - the public. If you have ever wanted to have your own show on national television, this may be your best chance. Oprah Winfrey has announced that one of the new programs on her newly launched OWN network will come directly from pitches sent in by the public at large.

Through Oprah's new OWN TV Insider newsletter, it is being called a "Casting Call". Through the newsletter there are videotaped clips by Oprah, Producer Mark Burnett, Lisa Ling, will.i.am and Peter Walsh. Each advises the viewer about what Oprah and company are looking for in a new host and show, and how to make your "audition" the best it can be. They are serious about this.

All you need to do is send in a three-minute videotape example of who you are and what your show will be about.. The categories you can choose from are: Traditional Talk Show, Cooking, Health and Wellness, Interior Design or Fashion or Wild Card. After shooting your "audition" tape, you need to edit it and upload it to the website. Other hopefuls get to view your three-minute pitch and vote on the ones they like best.

If you want to participate, it is a good idea to read all the rules carefully, actually listen to the taped advice, and follow through as professionally as you can. Nearly everyone has a video camera these days. But if you don't, enlist the help of a friend who can shoot while you "perform".

In browsing through the entries already sent in - not a bad idea to scope out the competition - there are currently about 741 in the Traditional Talk Show category, 71 in the Cooking category, 40 in the Interior Design and Fashion category, 272 in the Health and Well-Being category, and 524 in the Wild Card category. Most look pretty good, but the best have great lighting and good sound quality, and involve more than just a "talking head" for 3 minutes.

You can use your own editing system if you have one, or use one provided by the company. Oprah tries to make it as easy as possible for a wide variety of people to participate. So if you are ready to commit to new career and think you have what it takes, send in your 3 minute audition. Or you can also audition live at selected Kohl's stores in the month of June.