Oprah Winfrey may have been bumped to No. 2 on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, but in media, she reigns supreme. (AP Photo) Thirty of the biggest names in television, print and the Internet--with a few surprises. Oprah Winfrey may have been bumped to No. 2 on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, but in media, she reigns supreme. Thanks to her loyal talk show audience, social media followers and, most of all, her remarkable earning power, Winfrey tops ForbesWoman's first Most Influential Women in Media list. While ratings have slipped over the years, Winfrey's syndicated chat fest is still considered the most important show to promote a person, book, product or idea. The "Oprah effect," could even be said to have helped Barack Obama get to the White House; it certainly didn't hurt. The list of others who owe their careers to Winfrey--Dr. Mehmet Oz, Rachael Ray, Dr. Phil, Marianne Williamson, Gayle King and Nate Berkus to name a few--is a long and impressive one. Winfrey also helms a Sirius XM satellite radio show, a successful magazine and a cable network. Winfrey pocketed $275 million last year, far more than any other woman on the list. Ellen DeGeneres comes in a distant second in earnings with $35 million; Tyra Banks third with $30 million. But earning power alone does not determine who's on the list or her position. The Most Influential Women in Media were ranked in four categories determining their influence: audience, press mentions, earnings and social media outreach (followers on Twitter and friends on Facebook). After Winfrey, the top five is rounded out by Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Ellen DeGeneres and Tyra Banks. Sawyer, after almost four decades in front of the camera, is more influential than ever. Sawyer reaches a daily audience with her gig as co-host of Good Morning, America, but her prime-time specials are what routinely attract over 10 million viewers and keep her at the seat of power: On ABC's Primetime she interviewed President Obama extensively on his health care plan, from the White House. Sources: Forbes
