Oprah Winfrey Network Will Break Even in 2013: Discovery CEO David Zaslav

UPDATE: Oprah gave Zaslav a shout-out on Twitter on Tuesday, writing, "I'd like to thank David Zaslav, my partner at Discovery who keeps speaking up for me with his unwavering support of @OWNtv." She also thanked best friend Gayle King for her support. "She knows all the ways she's stood in the gap, been supportive, spoken up for me," Oprah wrote. "Thanks Gayle friend."

ORIGINAL STORY: Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav said that he expects the Oprah Winfrey Network to break even in 2013.

He announced the calculation during the company's earnings call on Tuesday, according to Broadcasting & Cable. Discovery co-owns OWN with Oprah.

Zaslav said that "we expect to achieve cash-flow breakeven in the second half of 2013," and that the company anticipates that funding for OWN in 2012 will be less than in 2011.

His assessment comes after recent reports of OWN's whooping financial losses. Bloomberg Businessweek reported that the network may have lost $330 million since its inception in 2008.

However, OWN has gotten good news recently. Oprah's Next Chapter, which features the daytime queen interviewing newsmakers outside of the studio, delivered record ratings for the network after debuting in January. The show has also landed major exclusive interviews, including Oprah's sit-down with Whitney Houston's daughter.

Indeed, Zaslav touted the network's recent uptick in ratings on Tuesday. He cited Oprah's growing appearances on the channel, the cancellation of poorly performing shows and new cable distribution agreements as reasons "we remain confident in the growth potential of this network."