I read today that the CBC is planning to take Mr. Dressup off the air on September 3rd. This news is totally distressing to me.
The reason behind the CBC's decision is as follows:
"The gentle pace of the show is falling out of favour with Canadian children and ratings have been in decline" Jeff Keay, CBC's head of media relations.
Ratings have been in decline! Are you kidding me? Since when has the CBC given a shit about ratings? And god forbid we keep a gentle paced show on television. What will happen to our Canadian youth if we keep an alternative to Spongebob fucking Squarepants on the air? Apparently, Mr. Dressup isn't loud enough, not enough conflict maybe? Too many fucking crafts? I don't get it.
Oh and another fabulous quote from the article...
"The thinking is that 11 years of reruns is enough. We have to think about other things to do with our children's programming,"
It sounds to me like the CBC feels 11 years of reruns was charitable and 25 minutes of a Mr. Dressup episode is holding up their fabulous children's programming schedule. We wouldn't want it to get in the way of real broadcasting genius just waiting to be unleashed.
In my opinion, as long as there is a CBC and I'm paying for it, there should be a Mr. Dressup. I don't care if there are only 5 kids watching, that's five kids not watching Power Rangers!
Come on... name one person who didn't like him. You can't and neither can I. How hard would it be to keep the show on just once a week even just as a tribute?
Do we really want the next generation growing up not even knowing what the Tickle Trunk is?
I didn't think so.
Email the CBC. Do it for the future of our Nation.
7 comments:
I'm so disgusted by this move. CBC has no problem taking the show off the air but I suspect they want to cash in on DVD sales.
Like anyone watches any of the other shows on CBC! Most of them are rubbish. Mr. Dressup is a part of so many of our childhoods and it's yards better than the other crappy children's programming out there.
I'll definitely send an email.
I still haven't recovered from losing The Friendly Giant!
I met Ernie Coombs and he was a lovely man. What you saw was what you got. Also knew his neighbour who held him in high esteem.
oh, honey, you just made me cry and there's gotta be a way to build on your passionate post and start a full-on Protest. "falling out of favour with Canadian children" pah! I spit on this - for obvious reasons. I say letters are the way to go, many many letters, enough to make decision-makers at CBC extremely uncomfortable.
Thanks you all for your comments. I know I'm not alone in my appreciation for this great show.
I will definitely be putting together some sort of letter writing/email/fax campaign this summer.
MJ: You are one lucky girl!
Now I have the theme music in my head.
I am upset because I always wanted my future children to watch it.
I have such fond memories of Mr. Dress Up! Thanks for posting that pic of Casey & Finnegan, too...that brought back good memories. I cannot believe they're going to cancel this show. It's a classic!
I have been searching the net trying to find a viewing schedule for Mr. Dressup, for my three year old grandson, and MUCH to my dismay discovered NOTHING!
I and my children grew up with Mr. Coombs. Was counting on the same for my grandchildren. Doesn't history and tradition count for anything? Am totally heartbroken and disgusted with CBC. Have emailed them.
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