How to Contact & Write a Letter to Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring businesspeople and philanthropists in the U.S. today. She’s a world-renowned talk show host, and her brand has become an almost peerless media powerhouse. Oprah has her own TV network called OWN and a magazine called O, the Oprah Magazine. She’s also the founder of the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Organization.
If you want to get in touch with her, there are several ways to go about doing so, and the one you choose will largely depend on the specific goal you have in mind for contacting her. Here we’ll take you through some of the most efficient ways to get your message to Oprah through the proper channel.
How to Write a Letter to Oprah Winfrey
There are several different ways to contact Oprah, and the one you choose will depend on exactly why you’re interested in reaching out to her. Be aware that, due to her popularity, it may be hard to get a direct message to Oprah herself, as most of the mail that actually reaches her is forwarded to her by her various teams after someone else has reviewed it. During the review process, and because she’s a busy person with a lot on her plate, much of the mail addressed to Oprah doesn’t make it to her desk.
If you’re interested in sending her a personal letter or some fan mail, consider going through her talent agency. She’s currently signed with William Morris Endeavor’s (WME) Entertainment’s Ari Emanuel, Rick Rosen and a team of other agents. The agency has several addresses in Beverly Hills, so you might attempt sending copies of your letter to these locations. Address your letter to Oprah Winfrey c/o WME Entertainment. When her agency receives your note, they’ll be able to deliver it to her if possible.
How to Submit to O Magazine
If you’re more interested in pitching a story idea or submission to Oprah’s O Magazine, then you’re better off contacting the magazine directly. The magazine welcomes all ideas, and it’s open to hearing from potential contributors. O Magazine provides the following email address for submissions and questions: OprahMagStoryIdeas@hearst.com.
If you prefer to use snail mail, then you can also send your idea or proposal directly to the magazine’s New York office at:
300 West 57th Street
11th Floor
New York, NY 10019
The magazine also has a strong social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flipboard. For further guidance, you might try direct messaging one of these brand accounts, and a representative can let you know the best course of action for submitting your idea.
How to Submit to Oprah’s OWN Network
If you have an idea for a show on the OWN Network, the way to go about sending it in will depend on whether or not you’re a professional producer or work for a production company. If you are or have access to someone who is, you can submit your concept through the Producer Panel on the Discovery website, as Discovery is currently the majority owner of the OWN Network.
If you’re not an industry professional, try reaching out to the press or network contacts listed on the OWN Network section on the Discovery website. Discovery also regularly puts out casting calls for shows on a variety of the networks it owns, so finding one for a show on the OWN Network is largely a matter of checking back periodically to see if the company is currently casting.
If you’re interested in a career with the OWN Network, there’s a separate website for that too. Visit the OWN job board, which lists current job openings and available internships, along with instructions for applying.
Oprah’s Charitable Foundation
The Oprah Winfrey Foundation supports a wide array of charitable causes and nonprofits. As far as applying for help from Oprah, however, it’s important to know a few things. Oprah’s foundation doesn’t actually give out grants to individuals or accept applications from nonprofits or charities.
Instead, Oprah herself picks out charities she wants to help and donates directly to them. The charities then take the money and disburse it to those in need who fit the charities’ missions and visions. One likely method for success, with this in mind, is to focus on a charity that Oprah supports that matches your particular needs and then contact it directly.
For instance, if you’re interested in the U.S. Dream Academy, which Oprah is a well-known supporter of, you can email the organization directly at info@usdreamacademy.org or by mail at:
8807 Colesville Road,
5th Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Oprah regularly donates to a large number of charities, which you can find out more about on her foundation’s website.
Contact Oprah on Social Media
These days, one of the easier ways to get a message to Oprah Winfrey is through her social media accounts. Like many celebrities, Oprah has a variety of social media accounts so that she can interact with her fans. And while many celebrities hire social media managers to run and manage their profiles and content, Oprah does occasionally use her own profiles on various social media platforms.
Try following her on these sites and apps:
- Instagram: instagram.com/oprah
- Facebook: facebook.com/oprahwinfrey
- Twitter: twitter.com/Oprah
Oprah has been known to surprise fans with uplifting comments on social media in the past, so following her is a great way to increase your odds of getting in touch. Just be sure to use caution when sharing your stories or messages, unless you’re using private messaging, and make sure you never include too much personal information, such as your contact details, in a post that everyone can see.
What to Write to Oprah
Now that you know how to get in touch with Oprah, it can help to prepare a letter that’ll capture her attention. Again, much of what you’ll choose to do here depends on what you’re reaching out to her about. Things can be a bit easier if you’re writing a personal or fan letter because the contents will be unique to you.
To write a meaningful personal letter, start off with a friendly greeting or thank you to let her know that your intentions in writing to her are sincere. You can then share your story or message with her, much like you would with a friend.
If you’re more interested in submitting an article or idea to O Magazine, you can provide a pitch that includes:
- Your hook. This is a brief explanation of why the topic you want to write about is a good idea for the magazine’s audience.
- The type of content you’re interested in writing. Do you want to write an opinion piece, an essay, an interview or something else?
- A summary. Briefly explain what the article will be about, what its angle will be and what type of information it’ll include.
- Sources. If you have them, talk about the sources you plan to use for your content.
- Writing samples. If you’re an established writer, it’s never a bad idea to include your C/V or a link to your online portfolio if you’re pitching by email.
- Your contact information. Provide details about where the magazine can follow up with you if the publisher is interested in your content.
If you’re making any other sort of inquiry, such as applying to one of the charities that Oprah supports or submitting to a casting call for the OWN Network, it’s likely that you’ll be given a form to fill out. Follow all the instructions as closely as possible, and try to follow up with your main point of contact if you don’t hear back within a few weeks.
