Oprah to host two-night special on racism

US talkshow icon Oprah Winfrey will present a two-night conversation with black thought leaders, activists and artists on cablenet OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week.

Oprah Winfrey

OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here? will examine racism in the US in response to Floyd’s killing. Featured guests will include politician Stacey Abrams, journalist Charles M Blow, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, actor David Oyelowo and many others.

The two-night special will simulcast on the Discovery- and Harpo Studios-owned network and all of Discovery’s 18 other US networks next Tuesday and Wednesday. It will also be available on Discovery’s global platforms in more than 200 countries.

OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here? is produced by OWN, with Winfrey and Tara Montgomery exec producing.

“I’ve been having private conversations with friends and thought leaders about what’s next and where we go from here,” said Winfrey. “I thought it would be both of interest and service to bring their ideas, concerns and comments into a national spotlight.”

Tina Perry, president of OWN, added: “As a network dedicated to supporting and uplifting Black lives, OWN is committed to providing our community with important dialogue and helpful resources in this challenging time as we mourn the murder of George Floyd and ask ourselves how can we come together to create meaningful change.”

US networks have been tearing up their schedules to make room for special programming following Floyd’s death and subsequent protests and riots across the country over the past week.

Pubcaster PBS and cablenet BET have commissioned special programming, while ViacomCBS networks went dark for nine minutes as a mark of respect.

Director JJ Abrams and The Walt Disney Company are among those to have pledged substantial funds to social justice campaigns.