Oprah Winfrey's OWN network struggles in first year

Since the end of her long running and highly successful talk show, Oprah Winfrey has been trying to make a go of her television network OWN. With one year under her belt, Winfrey is reflecting on her introduction to the network world and her role behind the camera.

The Hollywood Reporter says OWN has shelled out $254 million in expenses and has suffered throughout the year as top executives have resigned or been asked to step down. Winfrey’s best friend and colleague Gayle King was one such person when she stepped away from her radio show on the OWN network to focus on her new venture with CBS where she’ll be co-host of a morning show. King remains the editor at large of Winfrey’s O Magazine.

Roadblocks aside and in classic Winfrey style, the TV maven isn’t letting naysayers get her down. She told the Associated Press, "I would absolutely say it is and was not where I want it to be for year one. My focus up until (last) May was doing what I do best, which is 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' and giving that my full attention" until its conclusion."

With a brand new year on the horizon Winfrey and her partners at Discovery Communications are excited about the possibilities and changes. David Leavy, spokesman for Discovery told the AP, “With more scheduling consistency, movies, original series with and without Winfrey, and "a lot more Oprah in general," Discovery is "a lot more confident that we're heading in the right direction."

We know Oprah certainly won’t give up without a fight. But if worse comes to worse, Winfrey reported she is 100% serious about getting into organic farming in Maui. A girl has to have options.