If you like The Oprah Winfrey Show (SABC3, weekdays, 17:30) you have to get your hands on the October issue of O The Oprah Magazine for a absolutely incredible Official Commemoratative Section any longtime viewer of the show will love.
(Programming note: And SABC3 just changed their line-up and will now be showing the Surprise Oprah A Farewell Spectacular Part II episode of Oprah today, Thursday, 29 September and the very final episode tomorrow, Friday 30 September at 17:30. It will be the first time these series capping episodes are going out in the regular 17:30 timeslot on SABC3 after the primetime broadcast in July. From next week The Oprah Winfrey Show also moves to 14:50).
The only magazine I absolutely buy religiously and have basically every single copy of is Men's Health, but earlier this week I also bought the October issue of O The Oprah Magazine that just went on sale. It said ''200 Pages Biggest Issue Ever!'' and media junkie me wanted to see how the content looked and changed because of more pages. I'll store this must-see issue next to my other selection of magazines that paid tribute to various TV shows in a perfect way in its pages.
Surprise, surprise in this October O Magazine was the jaw-dropping 26 pages Commemorative Section and beautifully done magazine content that enhances/supplements the TV show. If only more magazines were able to do things like this, this well. Two magazines tried similar exercises earlier this year, this O Magazine special section is better than both of those and an immersive read.
The special section in the October issue of O Magazine has intriguing diary excepts and photos of it, great photos, unforgettable moments with photos, the first producers looking back to the early years, biggest mistakes, best lessons, stories that moved the world, biggest revelations on the talk show over the years, the stars, the dream team of fellow talk show stars she assembled over the years and the other famous experts, make-overs, the Australia visit, the final season's big moments and more.
Quite amazing, and a brilliant tribute to a TV show in a magazine that's really, really well done. If you see and read and page through it, you'll see what I mean.
Having been a news editor at a magazine I know from arduous first-hand experience what it takes to put special pages and sections like this together and what it takes to do it right and make it look right, and these incredibly beautiful pages were done right.
