CNN reported that Winfrey's best friend, Gayle King, announced the news Tuesday on "CBS This Morning," on which she is as a co-host.
"I've been a big admirer of '60 Minutes' since my days as a young reporter. I'm so excited and proud to join forces with this historic news program, which for me represents the bastion of journalistic storytelling," Winfrey said in a news release from CBS News. "At a time when people are so divided, my intention is to bring relevant insight and perspective, to look at what separates us and help facilitate real conversations between people from different backgrounds."
The news comes as "60 Minutes" enters its 50th season. The length of Winfrey's position and the topics she may cover are unclear.
The Los Angeles Times reported that it is not customary for correspondents and anchors at serious news organizations to have outside endorsements. Winfrey endorses Weight Watchers and has appeared in multiple commercials for the weight loss program, in addition to serving on the board of directors.
"There is only one Oprah Winfrey. She has achieved excellence in everything she has touched," "60 Minutes" executive producer Jeff Fager said. "Her body of work is extraordinary, including thousands of interviews with people from all walks of life. She is a remarkable and talented woman with a level of integrity that sets her apart and makes her a perfect fit."
Winfrey is still best-known for her daytime show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which ran from 1986 to 2011 and was the highest-rated talk show in the country. While running that show, she founded Harpo Productions, which produced daytime talk shows like "Dr. Phil," "The Dr. Oz Show" and "Rachael Ray" and films such as "The Great Debaters" and "Selma."
She is currently the chairman and CEO of OWN, a network she founded through a partnership with Discovery Communications.
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