Lolo Faces Backlash
Dedrick Muhammad: Are Auto Lenders Gouging Minorities?
Apparently the "Oprah effect" doesn't transcend U.S. lines. Winfrey's audience went into typical pandemonium when she announced that she'd be footing the bill for a trip to Australia last December, but the resulting TV series, titled Ultimate Australian Adventure, underwhelmed viewers and failed to boost Australia's tourism efforts as planned.
As we reported previously, it was actually Australian taxpayers who shelled out money to fund Oprah's adventure, some $3 million to be exact, including expenses for 300 of her fans. Updated estimates put the cost closer to $5 million. The return, which was valued at over $300 million in global publicity according to Tourism Australia, didn't quite hit the mark. But just how far off it is has yet to be determined as Tourism Australia chief, Andrew McEvoy told the Sydney Morning Herald, "the full impact will be seen over many years to come."
Experts have relied on visits by Americans (as well as those by Canadian and British residents) to gauge Oprah's influence, numbers which showed that U.S. visits fell 0.8 percent in the first five months of 2011, compared with the first half of last year. The dip was even more pronounced in Britain and Canada, where Oprah's special also aired.
Australia's rising dollar is partially to blame, but critics also say that the TV series' narrow focus-showcasing only two "stereotypical" parts of the country-was also a factor.
Comments: (108)
Add a comment
By: Tom Clougher on 7/20/2011 12:33PM
My cousin lives in Australia, and I'd love to go there. But it is so far. We e-mail. My family name is there: three siblings who were transported from Ireland in 1835 and 1837 for burglary and sheep-stealing. Pommies. POHMs. My cousin and I are from a different Irish family. In 1919, the British Empire (Commonwealth) had to back the Australian "Whites Only" policy against a Japanese resolution at the Versailles Peace Conference for open immigration world-wide. The Japanese military went nationalist ("They don't like us.") and many a boy got to see the South Pacific 1941-1945. I'd much prefer young people got to see Australia and the Pacific peacefully. By the way, one of the participants in the Rose of Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, contest was Rosa Chen of Australia, whose grandfather was Irish. Blacks, Chinese, Japanese, Thais, Americans are all welcome. How liberal!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: sumvette on 8/06/2011 11:35AM
So many haters! I'm always amused by people who have so much angst against someone, yet have the time and energy to read more and vent online. Yes, she has billions and could have afforded the trip on her own, but the Australian government sought to make an investment in their tourism by sponsoring the most famous TV talk show host in the history ... duh! They'd do it again in a heartbeat for the exposure. Who's to say their tourism wouldn't be down 20% without the show? And, yes, she could have gone somewhere in the U.S., but the small-minded tend to forget that she has brought her show around the US often. Give it a rest, nitpickers. Go find some joy in the world.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: sumvette on 7/20/2011 12:44PM
Does Oprah only do charitable things for the TV cameras or are the TV cameras always on Oprah and the networks know that Oprah-news will bring eyeballs to their broadcasts? Everyone views the same situation through the filter of their predisposition.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Clinesha18 on 7/20/2011 3:27PM
And the point is??? That Oprah's name has no power? Bullspit. It has power, just not ALL power. That is reserved for God, which she isn't. So get off of Oprah's back.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Pink on 7/20/2011 9:50PM
It's the economy stupid!! The average person isn't trying to go to Australia or any place else that costs thousands of dollars.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Keith on 7/21/2011 6:43AM
Its funny, it is always advertised that Oprah was using her own money and assets to give away these fabulous prizes, like the cars, this trip. In reality, she was a typical liberal, she twisted the arms of the car companies to give her show 30 cars that she would give away. A truly nice person would have dipped into her own multi-hundreds of millions and given the people cash to cover the taxes on their gifts from Oprah, but oh not our liberal friend. She merely took credit for the gifts from someone else and acted like they were from her. Like President Obama when he lavishes his gifts on his buddies, and the people in the US who feel that they were passed by when the hard working people made money from their hard work and from the investment risks they took. She is no different than Obama stealing GM from the Bond Holders and giving the company to the unions... I for one and glad that she is off the air and that her new network is tanking. Good riddance.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Pink on 7/21/2011 10:26PM
@Keith: It's obvious you don't know jack about business and finances. And if you're wondering what I'm talking about....you really don't get it. You sound as though u r an unhappy miserable camper. And if u didn't watch her show; then it didn't affect you so why r u glad she's off the air, and hoping her new show tanks. Again bc ur an unhappy miserable person.
Report This
By: DRuss on 7/26/2011 3:24AM
I can't even afford to take a vacation across the U.S., how in the hell could I afford to go overseas? Money is tight here, gas prices are high, along with everything else that goes with having a vacation. I'm afraid the good times of seeing the U.S.A in our Chevrolets are numbered.
Reply to this Comment | Report This