Oprah?s network to air Fairfield footage

Oprah Winfrey?s visit to the Maharishi University of Management campus last month will be included in the original series ?Oprah?s Next Chapter,? which begins New Year?s Day on Oprah Winfrey Network television.

An airdate for the episode about Oprah?s visit to Fairfield has not been released yet.

The series premiere is two hours, from 8-10 a.m. Jan. 1. The series will air weekly on OWN as an hour-long program, 8-9 a.m. Sundays, starting Jan. 8.

A publicity release about the series says, ?During the first season ... Oprah travels to a small town in Iowa devoted to the practice of Transcendental Meditation.?

Oprah and a production crew flew into Fairfield Oct. 19, visiting Maharishi School, Maharishi Vedic City and a private residence. She ended her day meditating in the Bagambhrini Dome for women at the regular evening program with hundreds of women meditators on the campus of Maharishi University of Management.

Between her scheduled visits and meditating, Oprah stopped at Fairfield?s downtown square, encountering and visiting with residents, students, waitresses and cafe patrons.

?I?m really looking forward to seeing Oprah?s program about her visit to Fairfield,? said Jim Karpen, M.U.M. campus newsletter editor. ?She apparently really enjoyed being here. Everyone who met her was so impressed with her friendliness and warmth and sincerity. I?m hoping she comes back.?

The OWN news release about the series? premiere continues:

?After 25 years, I got myself out of the studio chairs,? said Winfrey. ?I moved into the next chapter, and I am having more fun than ever ? moving around the country and the world talking to people I?m really interested in getting to know and I think viewers will be, too. It is so energizing to be out and about in the world exploring new people, new places and new ideas.

?I sat at the dinner table with a Hasidic Jewish family and tried to explain to the children who have never seen a television what TV is ... can you imagine?  I fire-walked with Tony Robbins ? never pictured myself doing that!  I celebrated the power of God and community with Joel Osteen and I?m planning a trip with Deepak Chopra to India where I?ve never been,? she added.

The first season includes episodes of Oprah on journeys to Haiti with Sean Penn nearly two years after the devastating earthquake that took the lives of more than 300,000 people. She tours Skywalker Ranch with George Lucas as her personal guide, and has a slumber party at Southern chef Paula Deen?s Georgia estate.

Visit the website www.oprah.com/own/Sneak-Peek-Oprahs-Next-Chapter for more information and photos.