Celebrity Panel and 100 Black Women Discussing Key Issues to Premiere Summer 2019
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and OZY Media announced today the new series “OWN Spotlight: Black Women OWN the Conversation” to premiere exclusively on OWN. “OWN Spotlight: Black Women OWN the Conversation” features intimate conversations about important issues with honest opinions and surprising solutions that put people first. Emmy-winning presenter Carlos Watson hosts four one-hour episodes featuring a panel of celebrity guests and 100 Black women with a focus on key issues including love and relationships, motherhood, beauty, and mind, body and soul.
“This special presentation from OWN and OZY tackles issues and concerns relevant to Black women today with candid and in-depth discussions that create real dialogue and change,” said Tina Perry, President, OWN. “We are excited to be working in partnership to foster these important conversations and bring them to our audience.”
Carlos Watson, series host and OZY co-founder, said, “For a variety of reasons, no one is more on the cutting edge in American life today than Black women. At a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, this is a terrific opportunity to hear from them on everything from love to family, from politics to faith. “Black Women OWN the Conversation” will be no-holds-barred, can’t-miss and must-watch. We are incredibly excited to be developing this show with OWN.”
OZY’s unique primetime shows have included, “The Contenders: 16 for ‘16” a look inside the most dramatic 16 U.S. presidential campaigns in recent history, “Take On America,” a groundbreaking town hall series featuring 100 voices, celebrity panels, and one explosive conversation, “Third Rail,” the timely and provocative chat show where nothing is off-limits, and “Breaking Big” which explores how some of the world’s most influential leaders broke through. July 20-21 OZY will host its fourth OZY Fest, the country’s most interactive festival in New York City’s Central Park, featuring Trevor Noah, Stacey Abrams, John Legend, Malcolm Gladwell, Dulcé Sloan, Padma Lakshmi, Alex Rodriguez and more.
“OWN Spotlight: Black Women OWN the Conversation” is produced by OZY Media. Executive Producers are Carlos Watson, Fay Schlesinger, Samir Rao, Marion Cunningham, Michael Melamedoff, Rufus Lusk, and Jennifer Ryan. Jennifer Ryan also serves as showrunner.
About OZY Media:
With 50 million monthly unique users and 5 million subscribers, OZY brings readers and viewers “the new and the next,” offering original content with an eye toward the future via its digital and TV platforms, as well as events. Called “the new media magnet for the news-hungry” by Fortune magazine, OZY’s in-depth and high-quality journalism has attracted a number of high-profile media partners, including The New York Times, NPR, PBS News Hour, TED, The Financial Times, Huffington Post and many more. Guest editors have included Bill Gates, President Bill Clinton, Sen. John McCain, Condoleezza Rice, Kamala Harris and Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Founded in 2013 by Emmy Award–winning journalist Carlos Watson and co-founder Samir Rao, the OZY team is based in Mountain View, California, and backed by leading Silicon Valley investors such as Laurene Powell Jobs, Ron Conway, David Drummond, Larry Sonsini and Dan Rosensweig, and a significant investment from German publishing giant Axel Springer.