Oprah Winfrey Network Creates Digital Series With YouTube Space LA

The younger audience within the online video masses isn’t likely to follow the developments coming out of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), but maybe they should. OWN, in partnership with YouTube Space LA in Playa Vista, California, is launching their second web series, Who Am I.

The show debuts today, August 28th, and features celebrity guests talking about the qualities that define them. Nicole Richie, Michelle Phan, and Brandy are currently scheduled to appear, and more will be added down the line. The first two episodes of Who Am I will be released today, with future 2-3 minute episodes being released each week afterwards.

This is not OWN’s first attempt at working with digital content and online creators. In March of this year, the company relaunched its website Oprah.com all while introducing the #OWNSHOW, a daily series covering stories from the Oprah community.

“This is just the beginning of a strategy that we’re embarking upon

to extend our offering and expand the mission of what we’re trying to accomplish,” said Glenn Kaino, OWN’s Senior VP of Digital, to The Hollywood Reporter. “It began with the relaunch of the website and the launch of the #OWNSHOW. As these projects mature, we’ll have a lot more planned.”

Kaino also said Who Am I and #OWNSHOW are part of a larger digital effort by the cable network. While it’s not unheard of for traditional media to delve into new media strategies, OWN is one of the only networks using YouTube Spaces LA to create their digital series. “It’s important for us to make an effort and connect with our viewers where they’re at,” Kaino told The Hollywood Reporter. “As we were developing our original content strategies, connecting with YouTube was a big part of that.”

It seems like OWN’s digital efforts are paying off, so online audiences should definitely to see more programming come out of the network in the future. In the meantime, you can watch the first two episodes of Who Am I on Oprah.com.