Oprah Winfrey is set to make her debut as a “60 Minutes” correspondent on Sunday with a story about America’s political divisions.
Winfrey’s first outing coincides with the show’s 50th season premiere and the launch of CBS’ yearlong retrospective tribute to the venerable newsmagazine. Winfrey spoke with “CBS This Morning” on Thursday about her new role and her long admiration for the work done by the “60 Minutes” team over many decades.
“As someone whose grown up watching ’60 Minutes; since I was a young girl, not even knowing the power, the impact, the value of the reporting, and then becoming a young reporter myself in my 20s, in Baltimore, ’60 Minutes’ was I would say for the first 20 years of my career like a religion,” Winfrey said. “Your Sunday was complete after Andy Rooney had finished his piece and you heard that clock. So to be a part of this esteemed group of story tellers is one of the great honors of my career, I would have to say.”
Winfrey was first featured on “60 Minutes” in 1986, just as her star took off with her syndicated talk show that ran through 2011. She considers that interview her breakout moment on the national stage.
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“I think if ’60 Minutes’ comes a calling, and you haven’t committed a crime, and they’re just doing a story about you, you don’t get more break out than that,” Winfrey said.
