OPRAH’S CABLE NETWORK MAKES GAINS IN FIRST QUARTER

Just when some analysts were shaking their heads over the dismal ratings for Oprah Winfrey’s cable network OWN, with some predicting that it could go down and cost Discovery Networks dearly — as much as $145 million — the network on Wednesday released a statement boasting of huge audience increases in the first quarter. In particular, it said, its primetime audience of women 25-54 — the channel’s principal target — was up 50 percent. Among total adults, it was up 35 percent. Ratings for the total day was up 42 percent among women 25-54 and up 37 percent among total adults versus the same period a year ago. In a statement, OWN President Erik Logan said that “viewers are responding and connecting with our programming.”