Sending a clear message that Chicago-based Harpo Productions will continue after The Oprah Winfrey Show signs off in 2011, the company on Monday named two new presidents: Sheri Salata, executive producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Erik Logan, Harpo executive vice president.
Salata and Logan will report to Harpo Chairman Oprah Winfrey and remain in Chicago. Tim Bennett, Harpo’s current president, will retire at the end of May 2010.
“Harpo Productions is a world-class production company in Chicago and will continue on after The Oprah Winfrey Show sunsets,” said Winfrey in a statement. “Under Sheri and Erik’s leadership, I am confident in Harpo’s future and know that we will continue to create quality programming with compelling content for all platforms. Not even the sky is the limit for this company.”
Salata and Logan will lead Harpo Productions’ efforts as the company develops new programming beyond Oprah for syndication, primetime, cable, radio, digital, and emerging platforms. They will oversee the company’s original programming slate both on air and in development. Salata also will continue her role as Oprah EP through the show’s 25th season, ending on Sept. 9, 2011.
Besides Oprah, Harpo Productions is the creative force behind three other top daytime talk shows: Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz. Harpo also creates and produces original primetime specials such as Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Ball in 2006, and the Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special and Building A Dream: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in 2007. In addition, the company is producing Christmas at the White House: An Oprah Primetime Special airing Sunday, Dec. 13 on ABC.
