Well, as usual, I'm just about out of the loop as to what's going down in TV land. Marilyn Dennis said on the radio (CHUM FM 104.5) this morning that Friday is her last day. Whaaaa???
It's not that I'm surprised, it's just that I didn't expect it to actually happen, if that makes any sense. Marilyn Dennis made CityLine the popular and well-loved show that it is today. Dini Petty, who started it, was never to my mind the kind of host that can stick around long enough to make a show a must-watch part of one's day, a show like Oprah's for example. Under Marilyn's guidance and in the creative incubator of Citytv, CityLine became the only truly successful Canadian daytime show. Other hosts have come and gone on other shows, other channels have tried to replicate CityLine's success, but none have succeeded.
I bet when the CRTC OK'd the merger of CTV and all those radio stations, it didn't anticipate it would kill off one of the few Canadian television success stories. Do considerations like that even come into their minds when they're considering big corporations' greedy requests? I had wondered if Marilyn could work for two different companies, now that each company had a finger in each other's territorial pie. It's OK to work for two different companies of each company doesn't work in the other's medium, but now we know it doesn't work when both are in both mediums.
There's talk of Marilyn having her own CTV show. But CTV has never done well in the Canadian daytime department. They've had transient success -- especially with Dini Petty -- but unless they break out of that boring CTV look and inability to commit to a Canadian for the long term, they're not going to succeed with Marilyn, no matter how natural a fit she is for daytime shows.
It's not that I'm surprised, it's just that I didn't expect it to actually happen, if that makes any sense. Marilyn Dennis made CityLine the popular and well-loved show that it is today. Dini Petty, who started it, was never to my mind the kind of host that can stick around long enough to make a show a must-watch part of one's day, a show like Oprah's for example. Under Marilyn's guidance and in the creative incubator of Citytv, CityLine became the only truly successful Canadian daytime show. Other hosts have come and gone on other shows, other channels have tried to replicate CityLine's success, but none have succeeded.
I bet when the CRTC OK'd the merger of CTV and all those radio stations, it didn't anticipate it would kill off one of the few Canadian television success stories. Do considerations like that even come into their minds when they're considering big corporations' greedy requests? I had wondered if Marilyn could work for two different companies, now that each company had a finger in each other's territorial pie. It's OK to work for two different companies of each company doesn't work in the other's medium, but now we know it doesn't work when both are in both mediums.
There's talk of Marilyn having her own CTV show. But CTV has never done well in the Canadian daytime department. They've had transient success -- especially with Dini Petty -- but unless they break out of that boring CTV look and inability to commit to a Canadian for the long term, they're not going to succeed with Marilyn, no matter how natural a fit she is for daytime shows.
Comments
where'd she go .... doesn't ctv has hundreds of hours of useful info to somebody
morning / afternoon shows . doesn't matter who the host is ... they got 5 years till the network dumps them.
us network hosts have a few more years
The Verdict with Paula Todd also disappeared off the airwaves just as it was getting into its groove. I don't know if that was Todd's idea to move to W5 or CTV's.
They seem to create programming to meet the CRTC rules, then promptly abandon it, even fantastic primetime dramas. Do they not like being Canadian?! Do they have a thing against their own culture? Weird.
Paula probably made 100 hours of programming on CTVnews ..is anybody going to use that ?
i don't see 100 hours of it on youtube .
the most screwed up network is life network .. now slice network . all reality shows. they used to have useful info on there
Good question. All those eps are pretty date-sensitive, but still would be good to watch. I'd like to even be able to watch shows on the Net that are still on but where I've missed an ep or two and the network has stopped showing them in reruns. Really sucks when trying to keep up with the storylines.
a couple of hours of radio wouldn't hurt either.
just way too many reality shows on every network im sick of it
I hope "they" don't go chopping anymore City shows or people...I find CityTV the most natural, relaxed and informative station...will it stay that way?
I'm hoping its move to its new building (not sure when that will be) will revitalize it.
neko, I agree! I may not always have watched it, but just knowing it was there when and if I wanted to gave a certain comfort factor in a world full of change.
Good Luck to you Marilyn, and I'll be looking for you soon I hope.
Thx!
anon, yeah, I could see Marilyn easily rising above conflict of interest. But the execs couldn't. Says something about the people who run these companies.
Anon, I agree. But they are cycling through some pretty funny hosts. The best was Kathryn Humphries, sports journalist on CityNews. They did do Marilyn repeats during the holiday week, so they may do it again for the August holiday.
I don't envy Citytv's task in finding a new host.
I really find it odd that CityLine wouldn't have had Dennis going to the end of summer and then having a new host to start the new season in September. They would've had a better chance of hanging onto viewers that way, assuming they don't want to can CityLine. Seems a very half-assed, trying-to-get-it-to-go-under way of continuing the show. Either that or stupidity born out of corporate territoriality.
I live in Vancouver and really enjoyed watching the she.
Shame!
I absolutely adore Marilyn, and there's no way one of those plucky upstarts relate to me, and vs.
Good luck to Marilyn - she deserves it.
That's why CTV offered her a television show, as a replacement for CityLine. I think they understood her appeal, but they're really bad at sticking with good people and good shows. So we'll see how it turns out.
CBC is finally coming up with good shows again. I rather like Steven and Chris, and they probably have a better chance now of getting lots of eyeballs after the CityLine/Marilyn debacle.
CTV best be getting busy with plans for a new "Marilyn" show fast.
I also suggest that Cityline fans tune in to CBC's new "Steven & Chris" show. It is a good one!
I miss you already Marilyn. What a loss.
Meanwhile, CityLine will be starting its new season this Monday, September 15, with their new permanent host I would assume. They're talking about taking it on the road to visit audiences in other Citytv cities; and with the move to Citytv's new building at Yonge-Dundas Square, they'll have a new studio too next year. I don't know if I'll be a convert to the new CityLine or not, but I'm going to try to catch it at 9 am Monday.
I tuned into CityLine this past week while on holidays and there was a new host...I hoped Marilyn was just on holidays too. But it is permamnent?
Nothing personal, but the new host is horrible and has no personality! She must have been willing to settle for less pay, but they took the heart out of the show!
I'm not watching anymore! It is not the same show! Bring back Marilyn!
I thought CityLine was getting a new replacement host this week, but we're still into guest hosts. The one today said it looks like she'll be on for the next couple of days.
According to one viewer, as of the 15th, CityLine has not chosen a new permanent host yet, and they changed the time slot to 9 am so that it would follow BT, to keep the Canadian content continuous.
I assumed marilyn was just on summer holiday! how naive! i was in complete denial...i hope by some miracle she comes back?! i've been wanting to take my mom to see her on cityline but now that will never happen. I want to cry..she was the ONLY talk show host worth being on air
The one on now talks too much, interupts guests too much, annoying actually.
Just my two cents.
Marilyn will definitely be returning in the new year on CTV. Whatever I find out about Marilyn's new show, I'll let you all know about it as soon as I do.
Angel1955
I thought that she might be on extended leave or maybe off due to illness I missed her last show so
I didn't know what happened
The show is just not the same without her I kept expecting to see her come back
With the new hosts they seem to be appealing to a younger audience
but that audience is NOT at Home in the daytime to watch
Bring Marilyn back please
Canadians are writing some great books. So good suggestion!
His claim to fame was that his daddy was the head of McDonalds Canada (he's Ronald McDonald Jr, I guess) - what a surprise, an American Empire.
Word was that he wanted the money (short-term vision) and to "thank" TSN for their past coverage. Nobody knows why EXCLUSIVITY had to be included? TSN can't even deliver the same audience as the Free Networks can. Meanwhile, that huge monopoly called Bell-Globe-CTV just keeps buying up everything in sight, with out ANY interest in producing real CANADIAN content. For them, it's all about the almighty buck. I don't think it's wrong, but it's criminal to think that we are allowing them to do so, simply by "re-playing" American content. If we really wanted a Canadian tv station to do that, I wouldn't need CTV, we'd just watch ABC, NBC, CBS. I know so many people who refuse to support the CFL anymore, and I'm sadly one of them.
On a different note: That Tracy [Look At ME, I have an Attitude but don't have good reason] Moore is TERRIBLE. How do the producers at CityTV expect viewers to warm up to someone like that??? What were the Producers thinking. I think Cityline will be history in a few months, if not weeks. I can't stand the host interrupting the Guests all the time and her harsh voice. Marilyn was awesome that way.
His claim to fame was that his daddy was the head of McDonalds Canada (he's Ronald McDonald Jr, I guess) - what a surprise, an American Empire.
Word was that he wanted the money (short-term vision) and to "thank" TSN for their past coverage. Nobody knows why EXCLUSIVITY had to be included? TSN can't even deliver the same audience as the Free Networks can. Meanwhile, that huge monopoly called Bell-Globe-CTV just keeps buying up everything in sight, with out ANY interest in producing real CANADIAN content. For them, it's all about the almighty buck. I don't think it's wrong, but it's criminal to think that we are allowing them to do so, simply by "re-playing" American content. If we really wanted a Canadian tv station to do that, I wouldn't need CTV, we'd just watch ABC, NBC, CBS. I know so many people who refuse to support the CFL anymore, and I'm sadly one of them.
On a different note: That Tracy [Look At ME, I have an Attitude but don't have good reason] Moore is TERRIBLE. How do the producers at CityTV expect viewers to warm up to someone like that??? What were the Producers thinking. I think Cityline will be history in a few months, if not weeks. I can't stand the host interrupting the Guests all the time and her harsh voice. Marilyn was awesome that way.
a London Marilyn
Down with Tracy!! Up with Marilyn (or someone other than Tracy :)).
Anybody know when Marily is going to be on the air with the CTV show?
Eva
I have watched Marilyn right from the beginning, and always looked forward to the shows and taped them while at work. Marilyn and her shows were the topic of many discussions amongst my friends. Sadly, I never did make to one of her tapings.She was great!
I have occasionaly watched tracy, but just can't get used to her. I feel really bad for the guests ( mostly from Marilyn's time )They really don't deserve to be on a sinking ship!!
What is Marilyn up to now -besides CHUM- FM ??????
Very sad, I've loved City for a long time and will be hard pressed to find something to tune into in the mornings.
Very sad in barrie, on.
i have even noticed that a lot of the guests that marilyn used to have dont come back to the show as often and even some of them not at all
PLEASE COME BACK MARILYN, WE NEED YOU AS WOMEN, THANKS
Blame CTV for this stupidity.
i give up, no more cityline for me thanks
Shireen: People are leaving all of these negative comments because they actually give a crap about this show. So yes, it would be loyalty. How many shows like this with Canadian content do you see out there? The people who are complaining right now are most
likely the people who gave Tracy a fair chance to improve over the past year. The people who felt anger over losing Marilyn and perhaps, like you are suggesting, had a personal vendetta against Tracy are, in all probability, long gone.
Any empoyee/company out there with a brain (and a maturity level beyond a thirteen yr old) would actually appreciate getting honest feedback and a fair chance to redeem themselves, as opposed to
getting the axe out of nowhere all because of some warped sense of politeness and tact. Apparently Cityline isn't one of those organizations.
i remember you from the cityline forums website, i think you are erica spinky, right? it is so upsetting that we can no longer voice our opinion about the show. there are a lot of people upset over the show. i guess it is hard to understand how we feel if you have never watched cityline in the past...we are not prejudiced against anyone but just feel that they need a proper host who is not rude and obnoxious to people and a person who does not think that she is all that and better than anyone else, basically full of herself.
sorry for going on and on, but we just want a BETTER host for cityline, thats all we are asking, thanks for listening.
we dont know of any other way to voice our opinion, shireen, if you have any ideas let us know, otherwise we feel the show will come to an end and it has been on the air for soooo many years, thanks
I haven't seen CityLine for a couple of months now so can't comment on specifics, other than it's obvious to me that people really, really miss Marilyn.
Like all of you, I'd watch Marilyn in a heartbeat, but CTV doesn't want to give us that opportunity. The only solution really is to inundate CTV brass with letters telling them to stop spending money on local TV ads and actually make local TV by putting Marilyn back on the air. Of course, even if viewers could persuade CTV to fulfill their commitment to Marilyn, CTV will probably can the program in 3 years since they have an aversion to keeping any Canadian show on too long, like oh 6 or 7 years. Marilyn could never have the longevity on CTV that she had on Citytv.
As for CityLine, I'm amazed that my blog is the only place you can voice your feelings over it. I don't know any other ways for you to voice your opinions, and it's not the best way I know, my blog not being a public forum, but feel free to voice your comments or discuss here. All comments are moderated due to spam, and I do try to publish them in a reasonable time. Also since this is my blog, not a public forum, I do get to choose not to publish any comments that I find offensive. Otherwise, discuss!
Don't think I'll stick around to see if she gets her day-time legs or not.
Bring back Marilyn!
Cityline's attitude and lack of professionalism ("You don't like our show? Well then we'll pretend you don't exist!") have turned me off of the show completely. I didn't expect Cityline/Rogers media to drop everything and get Marilyn back and I didn't expect Tracy to try to become another "Marilyn"; all I and most of the viewers speaking up on the forum expected was some change from Tracy and failing that, a change to a more capable and perhaps more importantly, a more likeable host.
After getting what amounts to a slap in the face from Cityline, it actually makes me mad when I try to watch the show now.
To those who still care about the show, here are other blogs where you can voice your opinion:
http://www.throng.ca/cityline/save-cityline
http://www.styleathome.com/blogs/stylesleuth/2009/03/26/whatever-happened-to-sweet-marilyn-denis/comment-page-1/
I am deeply disappointed with Cityline and will now try to forget this show ever existed.
Alas, I give up. I hope she is on a yearly contract and next year they look for a new host!
BTW, I too have an MA from the UWO School of Journalism. Tracy is not a credit to the institution.
Tracy Moore is so annoying.I thought I had it figured out--how to watch my beloved Cityline and not want to throw my coffee at the screen!First I 'fast-forward'her speaking-didn't work.Then I 'mute' her speaking-didn't work.It seems
the guests are learning 'coping skills'Did you see Lisa Rogers? She talked right over Tracy--she had no choice!Hope the rst of them do the same thing or I'm afraid I won't be watching much longer either.They should have hired Jennifer Valentine she was head and shoulders above Tracy!
I preferred Jennifer Valentine as well. Why management persists in supporting a decision that is so clearly a tragic error is a mystery. I keep wondering if they are waiting for Tracy to go on a maternity leave so they can transition without embarrasement.
BTW, I also noticed Sandra Pittana has started talking over Tracy now. I wonder when, or if, Tracy will ever get the hint?
literally, the show has been screwed up for a while, lol, you know what i mean. now it is actual reality and yay she is pregnant.
hope they do a much better job at finding the right host, as most of you all know she was not the right one. no one can stand her constant natter over the guests talking plus her stupid needless comments and you just get sick and tired of listening to her rudeness.
no tracy will never get the hint because she is sooooo into herself like ya like ya i know everything and i know even more than my guests know, thats the whole trouble with her
looks like thats what the producers were waiting for since they probably knew they made the wrong decision in hiring her but didnt want to fire her.
yessssssssss, good riddens, on with a new and improved cityline, maybe all the viewers that have stopped watching will now come back...
PLEASE DO NOT COME BACK...CITYLINE IS FAR BETTER WITHOUT YOU
All the hosts are more polite, considerate and do not interrupt people and think that they are better or more knowledgable than the guests.
DO NOT COME BACK TO CITYLINE TRACY MOORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOODBYE TO TRACY FROM CITYLINE, ALL VIEWERS SHOULD WATCH MARILYN DENIS NEW SHOW ON CTV STARTING IN JANUARY 2011...
AM SO HAPPY, THE END OF CITYLINE IS NEAR, WHO WOULD WANT TO WATCH TRACY MOORE WHEN MARILYN DENIS IS COMING BACK...HELLO MARILYN AND THE PROPER WAY OF WOMEN TELEVISION IS BACK, GOODBYE TRACEY FOREVER, THE WORST MISTAKE CITY TV EVER MADE
CHECK OUT MARILYN NEW WEBSITE ON CTV ABOUT HER NEW SHOW,,,,,HOOOOORRRRRAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad to learn Marilyn's got a comeback on the books.
Side note: what HAPPENED to Steven S? I caught his show, and Chris the former sidekick has turned into a tyrant. Occasionally, Chris - whose braying queenery is no longer cute, or not at his age - will let the more talented Steven out of his cage to tinsel a picture frame. Someone set that man free!
Tracey Moore has not bettered herself through experience on CITYLINE., She is more confident and has slowed down a bit but her annoying and often inconsiderate habits persist: cutting off very compertent and accomplished guests, giving away information that a quest was saving for his/her presentation, saying "good stuff" and other sayings ad nauseum.
I read her CV somewhere and on paper at least she is highly educated through Canadian Universities (in Political Science and Journalism). That tells me that she is "dumbing down" herself; certainly she can't be as inept in most things as she presents herself on CITYLINE.
I wish to post these comments to CITYLINE producers but can't find a place for that!
What i did not realize was just how much i had missed her! When i watched her new show, wow! That was when i thought ' i am so glad she is back'!
I had missed her without even knowing it!
Marilyn it is so GREAT to have you back, you are one in a million and you just make me smile. You are the one who expresses so much of we think AND you're fast, always on the ball!
I know i am not alone many family memebers and friends have expressed exactly what i just stated.
Good luck and SO glad you're back.
Carole
P.S. To the person complaining about Steven and Chris, I think they are fantastic. After a few seasons, their show has figured out what it is. It has some depth. Chris may be a flaming queen but his flames are hot and his outrageous antics genuine.