Oprah's Own Costs Rising

Executives at Discovery Communications invested the sum in a joint venture with Winfrey to premiere the talk show queen's new network in January (11).

In a newly released report on second quarter earnings, Discovery Communications boss Brad Singer admits the firm has so far "spent $75 million... on investment in the Oprah Winfrey Network", three quarters of the "maximum of $100 million that we're obligated to".

And costs look set to rise, in part because the launch has been delayed twice, after previously aiming for 2009 and mid-2010.

Singer adds, "We're in the process of revising that contract. (The budget) likely will go up... The cost to launch the network, it will be higher than we had originally contemplated."

Singer declined to specify what the new anticipated total cost will be.

OWN has signed deals for several new star-studded series, including Why Not? With Shania Twain, which will follow her life on the rebound after a messy public divorce, in addition to several documentaries produced by Winfrey's celebrity pals, such as Julia Roberts, Forest Whitaker and Goldie Hawn.