The only thing Oprah Winfrey's struggling cable network OWN needed was Winfrey herself, it seemed apparent on Tuesday as ratings for the second episode of her new series Oprah's Next Chapter attracted 1.6 million viewers. That was flat with the show's premiere a week earlier, according to Nielsen. Last Sunday's show -- in which Winfrey interviews guests in their homes -- featured Houston preacher Joel Osteen. But ratings could rise over the next several weeks as she visits more provocative figures, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie -- who remains a potential Republican presidential candidate because of his avid supporters, despite his frequent declarations that he's not interested in running. The following week, Winfrey will receive a tour of Skywalker Ranch in California from George Lucas. And the week after that she'll visit Haiti with Sean Penn to inspect the aftermath of the earthquake that virtually destroyed much of the island nation two years ago.

11/01/2012