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Canada loses Martha TVHGTV, Food Network and Life Network do not renew Martha's TV contract
by Andrew Ritchie
(January 2, 2004) Canadians can no longer see Martha's television show now that the three stations that carried her programming in Canada have decided not to renew her contracts.
Alliance Atlantis, a Canadian media company that operates out of Toronto, has not renewed Martha's televsision contracts with HGTV, The Life Network and The Food Network. This means a complete absence of Martha's television shows ("Martha Stewart Living" and "From Martha's Kitchen") north of the border, leaving Canadian fans stranded.
In a vague statement posted on their site, HGTV.ca says their long-term contract with Martha Stewart Living Television "came to an end" at the end of December. They also say they have a productive and ongoing relationship with Martha Stewart Living Television and that "they look forward to the possibility of working with Martha Stewart Living Television in the future...potentially bringing new programming from Martha Stewart Living Television to Canadian viewers."
According to the HGTV.ca website, Martha Stewart Living will no longer be aired on HGTV, effective December 26, 2003. This includes the HGTV channel in the U.S. as well, which is owned by Scripps Networks, who also chose not to renew Martha's contract.
Beginning Jan. 1 2004, "From Martha's Kitchen" will no longer be available to Canadian viewers of the Food Network and the LIfe Network has now removed her programs from its roster of television shows.
Several readers of SaveMartha.com have already written to the stations and have received a form-letter response with no additional details.
According to the statement on the HGTV and Food Network sites, the station has no definite plans to bring back the program. It would appear that the stations have not renewed the contract because of Martha's ongoing legal battle but no definite reason has been issued.
Update: An Alliance Atlantis spokeswoman now says the decision to pull the program had nothing to do with Martha's ongoing legal battles and was strictly a business decision to give more air time to shows produced in Canada. However, they also said that Martha's ratings have not been negatively affected by the recent news coverage, so we wonder whether this was really the kind of "business" decision their viewers would want. As we saw when CBS moved Martha Stewart Living out of it's morning time slots in six markets, ratings have fallen by up to 50%.
POTENTIAL FALLOUT
With Martha's programs no longer airing in Canada, her ventures north of the border could suffer from the reduced visibility through television advertising.
Only last September her "Everyday" brand of merchandise moved from the Zellers discount chain in Canada to Sears, where it was projected to earn $300 million in annual sales.
Her company's flagship magazine, Martha Stewart Living, which is also circulated in Canada, may lose readership or see a decline in subscriptions in the absence of Martha's television promotion.
Americans can still see Martha on many CBS affilliate stations and independent channels but don't let Martha vanish from the landscape of the Great White North entirely!
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Canadians and Americans alike should write to HGTV to bring Martha back! Canadian HGTV, Food Network and Life Network viewers can write to Alliance Atlantis via their website to complain: http://www.allianceatlantis.com Read the complete HGTV statement: Canadian Reader Mail Hi John, Perhaps Andrew Ritchie would consider calling Allliance Atlantis about the issue and see if he can get a statement worthy of posting on Save Martha. John, you do a great job. I log on to your web site daily for updates on Martha. Keep up the good work!! Thanks Laurie, We are putting out an APB to all Canadian fans who want to see Martha Stewart programming back on the air. Many people are just finding out that this happened, and I'm sure they will feel the same way as us; this is not a good thing! Saving Martha, John
Dear Save Martha, I live in Ontario, Canada. As of December 31st, Martha Stewart Living is no longer being aired on HGTV Canada or Life Network. These were the only 2 stations that I was aware of where she could be seen by the average Canadian Cable Viewer. The viewers were told that they chose not to renew the contract. Although not said in so many words, I can only assume it is because of Martha's current problems I know she has been on HGTV for several years and was always advertised well and aired in prime time etc.. I have written both stations and received form letter responses with very little information. Dear Arlanda, You are one of the first to let us know about this ill-timed decision by these networks. Let your friends know we have posted the information and links to let them write to HGTV, Life and FoodTV to bring back Martha. Saving Martha, John
Meanwhile, south of the border... Hi John, I was just about to email you when I saw on your SaveMartha website that she is indeed no longer on HGTV. This has been driving me bonkers, as I was looking everywhere trying to find out why she wasn't on. The only time I EVER get to watch her is before work at 7 am, and now she is gone. I was SO upset the other morning. I need my Martha's Garden and Martha's Home every morning, or I simply CANNOT have a good day! I am so dissapointed. Do you know if HGTV has an email? I know I had emailed them a while back when they took off Rebecca's Garden, and I got some terrible response that made no sense. Frankly, I have been very dissapointed with their Garden lineup of shows. Thanks for listening John. Sincerely, Maureen ,
Hi Maureen, I initially thought this decision by HGTV would mainly effect Canadian viewers, but I see that for folks in the US who watch Martha Stewart on HGTV instead of CBS or independent channels, this will quickly become an issue. Please use the links above to e-mail the network and let them know this is definitely not a good decision, especially coming just a few weeks before the trial. What's amazing is that HGTV, Food Newwork, DIY, Shop At Home channel etc. are owned by Scripps Howard Scripps is a major news company which owns over 20 newspapers (Cincinnati Post, Denver Rocky Mountain News) United Media (Peanuts and Dilbert comic strips) and 10 local TV stations. It's almost as if the media is saying that Martha is guilty before she has even been put on trial. Even if that's not the case (and I'm sure they will say this was purely a business decision) it certainly shows the power of a media conglomerate to influence public perception and quite possibly the legal process, since many less informed people may see this move as a signal that they think Martha is guilty even before a jury has spoken. How is it that CBS will pay Michael Jackson $5 million for a special they had already cancelled, and give him an full hour on 60 Minutes to tell his side of the story, yet they won't even let Martha on the CBS Early show? John
Hey, Danny,
Just bring Martha back! We aren't a bunch of children, to have you decided what we can watch and can't. My God you keep other terrible programs on, without a thought. The programing this year is terrible, I hardly watch tv except for the learning channels and the odd CBC station.
Subj: HGTV&Martha Stewart Date: 1/7/2004 3:37:57 PM Eastern Standard Time To: jaryan@globeandmail.ca There are many Martha fans who have been loyal watchers of her TV show for many years. We feel disappointed that HGTV has decided not to renew its contract to carry Martha Stewart in the 9:00 pm .timeslot. Instead the network is mired with repeats of old shows and new shows that are weak-kneed youngsters playing at changing rooms, trading places and the hackneyed, cheery and bushytailed approach to design and home improvements. |
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