As technology has developed over the years, society has become extremely dependent and addicted to media. According to AC Nielsen Co., a global information and measurement company, the average young American watches television twenty-eight hours a week. Over a period of sixty-five years, an individual will have spent a total of nine years watching television (Herr). These two sects create millions of jobs providing individuals with ample opportunities, a gateway to success. It certainly allowed an African American woman to achieve a status she could only dream of as a child growing up in an unstable, emotionally debilitating, and unpromising environment. Oprah Winfrey is arguably one of the most influential women of modern times. She came from nowhere and became a media mogul, named the most influential and richest woman several years in a row by Forbes and The Time. Oprah rose to fame on her critically acclaimed talk show, which quickly took her from rags to riches and, over the years, led to her being crowned "Queen of Talk." Oprah Gail Winfrey, named the first African-American female billionaire, earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in The Color Purple and, through hard work and perseverance, worked her way to the position of CEO of her own television channel and its production company. His eponymous talk show, which would become the highest rated of its genre, served as a pioneer for many television shows that emerged in the late 1980s after his show premiered on daytime television. “My name is Oprah Winfrey and welcome to the first ever national Oprah Winfrey Show!” she exclaimed as the studio audience enthusiastically applauded (Brown). However, what...... middle of paper ......n Oprah for Time 100, the most influential person of the century. Her article highlights Oprah's achievements throughout her career and explains how Oprah was able to steal the spotlight from other talk show hosts by reinventing the "talk report" in a language based on exchanges and discussions about daily problems and friendship. She states that Oprah's legacy is that she evokes a feeling of caring because she herself cares about her audience. Tannen appeared frequently on Oprah Winfrey's show and had the opportunity to appear on the show when she published her book, "You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation," which Oprah praised and to which she bonded. Angel Network". Harpo Productions. http://www.oprah.com/entity/angelnetwork. Retrieved April 14, 2011. Kelley, Kitty. Oprah: A Biography. New York: Crown Publishers, 2010. Print.