Despite a launch that the AP calls “rather quiet” Oprah‘s new OWN cable network launched this weekend with an average of one million viewers on its first two nights, the New York Post reports. While that’s a much smaller audience than the one Oprah normally enjoys during her daytime talk show, it may be part of the plan.

“The strategy seemed that of a soft opening, aimed at whetting viewers’ appetites so they regularly come back and sample the network’s expanding menu of new shows as they roll out,” says an AP story.

Among all of Oprah Winfrey’s triumphs, those with a long memory will recall a few flops, such as her ABC program The Big Give. After the jump, an MSNBC segment analyzes the power of the Oprah brand and what she stands to lose if the network doesn’t live up to the high standard that has been set for it. The clip says she’s “one of the most influential tastemakers in the world” while also quoting analysts who say her “entire brand is on the line.”

Still, the safe bet is on OWN’s success.

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When Oprah speaks, people listen. They even think of buying things. So when she runs the annual segment (she took a break last year because of the economy) on worthwhile products, audience members aren’t the only ones likely to get gifts out of the situation.

USA Today pointed to her list of “Favorite Things” as “a marketer’s equivalent of heaven,” noting the “manic frenzy” she created by giving audience members VW Beetles last week.

Similarly, a recent Insider Monkey article ranked public companies whose products were endorsed. The article suggests the stocks as “ready to surge” because their items appeared on the show.

Here’s their countdown:

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If you like Mark Zuckerberg, tomorrow should be a great day to watch Oprah. He’s reportedly going to formally announce a $100 million donation to the Newark public school system on the show.

But given the upcoming October 1 release of the much-anticipated film The Social Network, the noise around the move seems to be less about goodwill and more about the donation as an image-enhancing play.

Technorati, which sees Facebook as having “kicked its public relations into high gear,” writes:

While the contribution is no doubt generous and badly needed, it’s timing is clearly suspect as little more than an expensive public relations stunt. It’s just enough to dominate headlines throughout the weekend, and maybe ensure that people at least enter the theater next week with one or two positive thoughts about the controversial young CEO.