NEW YORK (AP) — The first round of the NFL draft averaged 13.2 million viewers across television and digital platforms, according to the league and Nielsen.
It was the third-most watched first round on record, behind 2020's audience of 15.5 million and last year's 13.6 million.
The draft was televised on ESPN, NFL Network, ABC and ESPN Deportes as well as streaming on the ESPN app, Disney+, Hulu, NFL+ and YouTube.
The league also said there was record attendance of 805,000 in Pittsburgh across the three days of the draft, including a record 320,000 for Thursday's first round.
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Fans watch at the draft theater during third day of the NFL football draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey's podcast is headed to Amazon.
Winfrey's production company, Harpo Entertainment, struck a multiyear deal to give Amazon-owned Wondery exclusive distributing and advertising rights to “The Oprah Podcast,” the companies announced Monday. Under the agreement, Winfrey's podcast will expand to two new episodes a week starting this summer — and Wondery will distribute the show's audio and video across Amazon platforms.
Under the deal, Amazon has also obtained rights to the library of the widely-watched “The Oprah Winfrey Show” — which ran from 1986 to 2011 — as well as the talk show host's book club and “Favorite Things” franchises.
No financial terms of the agreement were immediately shared. In recent years, Winfrey also has had partnerships with Apple and Starbucks. Her new agreement could anger independent booksellers who regard Amazon as their primary competitor. A spokesperson for the trade group the American Booksellers Association did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment.
A spokesperson for Harpo shared a statement with The Associated Press that “'Oprah’s Book Club' will continue to support books wherever they are sold.”
Winfrey's podcast joins a lineup of other celebrity-led shows now at Amazon. In 2024, for example, Wondery similarly reached an exclusive distribution and advertising deal for “New Heights” — a podcast from Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, former Eagles center Jason Kelce.
Winfrey launched “The Oprah Podcast” in December 2024. In a prepared statement Monday, Winfrey said that hosting the show “allows me to continue the work I feel called to do – opening the door for conversations that matter.” She added that expanding its reach “is an opportunity I embrace.”
Wondery will begin distributing “The Oprah Podcast” across Amazon services like Prime Video, Amazon Music, Fire TV Channels and Audible in July, according to Monday's announcement. Winfrey's podcast will also continue to be available on YouTube and other popular platforms.
FILE - Oprah Winfrey poses backstage before discussing the book "Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like To Be Free" at The 92nd Street Y, Jan. 13, 2026, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)
