ABC News: CHICAGO -- Eyewitness News has learned that Oprah will announce on Friday that she has decided to end her talk show.

Oprah told her staff of her decision during a company meeting on Thursday afternoon. The president of Harpo Studios notified media partners later Thursday.

She is expected to make a public announcement on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Friday.

The sun will set on the Oprah show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011.

Back in January of 2008, Oprah announced she was launching OWN -- The Oprah Winfrey Network.

It was widely expected that the TV talk queen would stop doing her syndicated program in September 2011 to focus on the cable network.

Winfrey started her broadcasting career in Nashville, Tenn., and Baltimore, Md., before relocating to Chicago to host WLS-TV's morning talk show "A.M. Chicago."

That show was renamed "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and launched on September 8, 1986.

A year later, Winfrey established Harpo and her talk show went into syndication. In 1990, Winfrey opened Harpo Studios in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.

The president of Harpo, Inc. issued a statement to stations that carry the Oprah show about her announcement.

"As we all know, Oprah's personal comments about this on tomorrow's live show will mark an historic television moment that we will all be talking about for years to come," wrote Tim Bennett.

Oprah is seen every weekday at 4:00 on Channel 7.

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