The launch of a brand new cable channel for women was announced today. The Oxygen Channel, formed by Oprah Winfrey, Geraldine Laybourne, and Marcy Carsey will offer women a variety of programming starting January 1, 2000.
Programming will differ depending on time of day. The morning block, called The Hive, will be talk-oriented, the mid-day block, called Working Lunch, will focus on issues of interest to working women, the afternoon block will appeal to teen-age girls, and the evening block will be comedy-oriented, showcasing programming from shows produced by Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Co. such as Roseanne, Cybill, or Grace Under Fire.
All three women involved in the launch of the new channel have had multiple successes in the television industry. Laybourne was instrumental in building the children’s network, Nickelodeon, into a giant success, and is a former president of Disney’s cable channels.
Carsey works for the prosperous production company known for creating television’s Third Rock From the Sun and The Cosby Show.
Winfrey is well-known for her daytime talk show which has dominated ratings for several years, and is the founder of the Harpo production company which will produce programming for the Oxygen channel.
