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''Speakers Corner'' is a brand owned by
Rogers Media Rogers Media Inc., operating as Rogers Sports & Media, is a Canadian subsidiary of Rogers Communications that owns the company's mass media and sports properties. Operations Current television brands owned by Rogers include two television sys ...
that is used for its television segments airing on
Citytv Citytv (sometimes shortened to City, which was the network's official branding from 2012 to 2018) is a Television in Canada, Canadian television network owned by the Rogers Sports & Media subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The network consis ...
in Canada. The namesake television series aired weekly on
CHUM Limited CHUM Limited was a Canadian media company based in Toronto, Ontario in operation from 1945 to 2007. The company was founded in 1945 as York Broadcasters Limited when it launched CHUM (AM), CHUM-AM 1050 but was acquired by salesman Allan Waters in ...
's television stations Citytv and A (formerly A-Channel) stations as well as
CP24 CP24 is a Canadian English-language specialty news channel owned by Bell Media, a subsidiary of BCE Inc. and operated alongside the Bell-owned CTV Television Network's owned-and-operated television stations CFTO-DT (CTV Toronto) and CKVR-DT ( ...
in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
from 1990 to 2008, featuring numerous short segments on a variety of topics as recorded by members of the general public in the form of rants, big-ups, shoutouts, jokes, music performances, etc. After the video was complete, it was edited for television. The show was an example of Citytv founder
Moses Znaimer Moses Znaimer (; born 1942) is a Canadian media executive. He is the co-founder and former head of Citytv, the first independent television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the current head of ZoomerMedia. Early life and education Znai ...
's philosophy of interactive broadcasting,"Speakers Corner: an oral history"
''
The Grid The Grid are an English electronic dance group, consisting of David Ball (formerly of Soft Cell) and Richard Norris, with guest contributions from other musicians. They are best known for the hits "Swamp Thing", "Texas Cowboys", "Crystal C ...
'', January 7, 2014. Archived fro
the original
on February 10, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
and essentially created what some 21st-century media outlets would retroactively label as a precursor to
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
. Znaimer revived the ''Speakers Corner'' booth and its original format as VoxBox in 2022. The new booth is located on the
ZoomerMedia ZoomerMedia Limited is a Canadian media company. Founded by veteran media executive Moses Znaimer, the company has interests in radio, television, and digital media. The company focuses primarily on lifestyle properties appealing to adults 45– ...
's ZoomerPlex on Liberty Village.


History

''Speakers Corner'' began in 1990 with a video booth outside the
Citytv Citytv (sometimes shortened to City, which was the network's official branding from 2012 to 2018) is a Television in Canada, Canadian television network owned by the Rogers Sports & Media subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The network consis ...
studios A studio is a space set aside for creative work of any kind, including art, dance, music and theater. The word ''studio'' is derived from the , from , from ''studere'', meaning to Wiktionary:study, study or zeal. Types Art The studio o ...
in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
. The booth's original intent was for viewers to record news commentary and "letter to the editor" segments for broadcast on ''
CityPulse City''News'' is the title of news and current affairs programming on Rogers Sports & Media's Citytv network in Canada. The newscast division was founded on September 28, 1975 as City''Pulse'' as a standalone local newscast on the network's Toron ...
'', but the booth soon proved so popular, with many segments being recorded that fell far outside the initial concept, that the decision was soon made to create a full half-hour weekly series. Segments that were relevant in a news context continued to appear on ''CityPulse'', and entertainment-oriented segments also sometimes appeared on other CHUM television outlets, such as
MuchMusic Much is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults. It is headquartered at 299 Queen Street West in what was o ...
and
Space Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...
, as interstitials. (The concept pre-dated CITY, with Keeble Cable pitching the idea in 1970.) The series' theme music was composed and performed by Graeme Kirkland. Within the series, segments selected for broadcast would be organized around themes, with several clips on similar or interrelated topics airing together. Sometimes an entire episode would revolve around a single theme, while other times several distinct themes would be presented over the course of an episode. Several local celebrities were created by the show. A largely-unknown
Barenaked Ladies Barenaked Ladies (BNL) is a Canadian Rock music, rock band which was formed in 1988 in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Ontario. The band developed a following in Canada, with their Barenaked Ladies (EP), self-titled 1991 cassette becoming th ...
received some of their first widespread publicity, prior to the release of '' The Yellow Tape'', by performing their future hit single " Be My Yoko Ono" in the ''Speakers Corner'' booth before a live show at
The Rivoli The Rivoli is a bar, restaurant and performance space, established in 1982, on Queen Street West in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The club originally earned a reputation as one of Canada's hippest music clubs, and many major Canadian comedy and musi ...
in early 1991. This appearance came after their 1990 YTV Achievement Awards appearance, where they won Best Band of the Year on the program. The following year, they made a repeat appearance on the program in a bid to leverage their newfound fame into a publicity boost for
Rheostatics Rheostatics are a Canadian indie rock band. They were formed in 1978, and actively performed from 1980 until disbanding in 2007. After a number of reunion performances at special events, Rheostatics reformed in late 2016, introducing new songs a ...
' new album '' Whale Music''. Musician Jesse Labelle also received his first significant break as a result of ''Speakers Corner'', being invited to join
FeFe Dobson Felicia Lily Dobson (born February 28, 1985) is a Canadian singer. Born in Toronto, Ontario, she began performing as a teenager, during which time she received and refused an offer from Jive Records for a recording contract. Dobson signed with I ...
's band after his performance in the booth was broadcast. Actor
Scott Speedman Robert Scott Speedman (born September 1, 1975) is a Canadian actor and model. He is known for portraying Ben Covington in the coming-of-age drama television series '' Felicity'', Lycan–Vampire hybrid Michael Corvin in the gothic horror–act ...
got his first opportunity to audition for a major film role, in ''
Batman Forever ''Batman Forever'' is a 1995 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It is the third installment of the ''Batman'' film series, acting as a standalone sequel to ''Batman Returns''. Directe ...
'', because of a ''Speakers Corner'' appearance; although he didn't get the role, the contacts and experience he gained from the audition opened up other opportunities for him. In later years, street entertainer Zanta used both ''Speakers Corner'' and performances outside the streetfront studio of Citytv's ''
Breakfast Television Breakfast television (Europe and Australia) or morning show (Canada and the United States) is a type of news broadcasting, news or infotainment television programme that broadcasts Live television, live in the morning (typically broadcast pro ...
'' as a springboard to local notoriety. The Devil's Advocates, a comedy duo who presented themselves as devil-horned spokesmen for
Satan Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...
, became a staple of the program with a recurring routine in which they responded to and satirized other ''Speakers Corner'' clips that had aired in the previous week. The Devil's Advocates, Second City alumni Albert Howell and Andrew Currie, became so popular that at least one special episode of the series was devoted entirely to their clips. For part of their stint on the series, Harry, a senior citizen who disliked their style of comedy, would regularly record videos criticizing them, which turned into an ongoing war of words between him and the Advocates. Howell and Currie stopped appearing regularly on ''Speakers Corner'' when they were given their own show, '' Improv Heaven and Hell'', on
The Comedy Network CTV Comedy Channel (often shortened to CTV Comedy) is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. subsidiary Bell Media which focuses primarily on comedy programming and operates two time-shifted feeds, runni ...
in 1998. Some established celebrities, including
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
,
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
,
Mike Myers Michael John Myers, (born May 25, 1963) is a Canadian actor, comedian, and filmmaker. His accolades include seven MTV Movie & TV Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2002, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood W ...
and
Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a retired Canadian politician, statesman, and lawyer who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. He served as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, leader of t ...
, also recorded ''Speakers Corner'' segments. Some recorded segments were too extreme for broadcast, including sexual or scatological situations,"Real people doing some really strange things in `The Booth'". ''
National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper and the flagship publication of the American-owned Postmedia Network. It is published Mondays through Saturdays, with Monday released as a digital e-edition only.
'', November 9, 1998.
although some such segments were screened as entertainment at private staff parties. On at least a few occasions, CHUM staffers also used the booth as a way to go over their own manager's head with a request for a pay raise or a promotion. Versions of the show began on other regional CHUM-owned television stations such as CHRO in
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
and CFPL in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
.
Citytv Bogotá Citytv () is a Colombian free-to-air television channel, owned by (ETCE), owner of the newspaper of the same name. ETCE licensed the Canadian brand Citytv from CHUM Limited (later sold off to Rogers Media). It began broadcasting on March 19 ...
(which licensed the brand from CHUM) also launched its own ''Speakers Corner'' booth called ''Citycapsula'' when it signed on in 1999; unlike the Canadian versions, ''Citycapsula'' is free. An Alberta version, ''Speakers Corner Alberta'', aired on Access TV from October 2003 until April 2008. In the fall of 2006 the Citytv stations in Calgary and Edmonton started airing the AccessTV ''Speakers Corner Alberta'' as they were both owned by CHUM. ''Speakers Corner Alberta'' was cancelled in April 2008 due to changes in both companies. A French version of ''Speakers Corner'', called ''VoxPop'', operated at MusiquePlus in
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
. It operated from the early 1990s until the early 2000s. An American version was tried in the late 1990s by WSMV 4 in
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
.
Rogers Media Rogers Media Inc., operating as Rogers Sports & Media, is a Canadian subsidiary of Rogers Communications that owns the company's mass media and sports properties. Operations Current television brands owned by Rogers include two television sys ...
, which had acquired the Citytv stations from CTVglobemedia in 2007, announced the cancellation of the series on August 31, 2008."15 reasons we miss Speakers Corner"
Aux, March 21, 2014. Archived fro
the original
on April 21, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
According to the company, the 21st-century emergence of other interactive media, such as YouTube and
social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...
, had diminished the cultural value of ''Speakers Corner''. Rogers revived ''Speakers Corner'' in a digital format on March 26, 2014, as a one-night only opportunity for voters to comment and offer feedback on that day's candidates' debate in the
2014 Toronto mayoral election The 2014 Toronto mayoral election took place on October 27, 2014. Incumbent Mayor of Toronto, Mayor Rob Ford initially ran for re-election, but dropped out after being diagnosed with a tumour - instead running for city council in Ward 2. Regis ...
. As of 2020, the ''Speakers Corner'' brand serves as an extension of
CityNews City''News'' is the title of news and current affairs programming on Rogers Sports & Media's Citytv network in Canada. The newscast division was founded on September 28, 1975 as City''Pulse'' as a standalone local newscast on the network's CITY- ...
broadcasts, but largely consists of a reporter asking questions of people on the street rather than self-recorded videos. 14 years after the cancellation of ''Speakers Corner'',
ZoomerMedia ZoomerMedia Limited is a Canadian media company. Founded by veteran media executive Moses Znaimer, the company has interests in radio, television, and digital media. The company focuses primarily on lifestyle properties appealing to adults 45– ...
, a company run by former CHUM Limited executive and Citytv co-founder Moses Znaimer, launched the ''VoxBox'' booth in May 2022 at the ZoomerPlex in
Liberty Village Liberty Village is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bordered to the north by King Street West, to the west by Dufferin Street, to the south by the Gardiner Expressway, to the east by Strachan Avenue, and to the northeast by ra ...
, effectively reviving the original ''Speakers Corner'' format. The booth, like its predecessor, costs a dollar and proceeds go to charity.


Operation

Each ''Speakers Corner'' booth consisted of a video camera, recording technology and in most cases a coin slot. Any member of the general public could enter a ''Speakers Corner'' booth, deposit a coin (normally one dollar), then record a short video segment on any topic. Each segment was limited to a maximum of two minutes, but the content was determined by the person using the booth. Typically, the ''Speakers Corner Alberta'' (as well as the ones in London, Ontario) booths were free, offered a few questions, and usually had a limit of 60 seconds. The show's producers then reviewed the booth recordings and selected the "compelling" segments. The broadcast segments traditionally were presented in a campy atmosphere, with each segment (such as "rants", "complaints", "kudos", etc.) being introduced over clips of B-grade 1950s and 1960s sci-fi movies. Later in the show's run, however, it took on a more polished feel, and included text messages on-screen from viewers during broadcast. Money collected from the ''Speakers Corner'' booths went to charity.


Booth locations

''Speakers Corner'' booths were located in: *
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
**
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
( CKVU): 180 West 2nd Avenue (station building), Tom Lee Music on Granville Street, MarketPlace IGA at Smithe and Burrard Streets, plus outside Vancouver proper at
Coquitlam Centre Coquitlam Centre is a shopping mall in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, built in 1979 and expanded in 2001. It is located at the southern edge of the Coquitlam Town Centre area, near Coquitlam Central station and several other smaller shopp ...
, and inside Famous Players SilverCity Metropolis Cinemas at
Metropolis at Metrotown Metropolis at Metrotown (commonly referred to as Metrotown) is a three-storey shopping mall complex in the Metrotown area of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1986, it is the largest mall in British Columbia and the third-largest ...
**
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...
( CIVI): 1420 Broad Street (station building) **
Nanaimo Nanaimo ( ) is a city of about 100,000 on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. "The Harbour City" was previously known as the "Hub City", which was attributed to its original layout design with streets radiating fr ...
( CIVI) *
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
**
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
(
Access Access may refer to: Companies and organizations * ACCESS (Australia), an Australian youth network * Access (credit card), a former credit card in the United Kingdom * Access Co., a Japanese software company * Access International Advisors, a hed ...
,
CKAL CKAL-DT (channel 5) is a television station in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, part of the Citytv network. It is owned-and-operated station, owned and operated by Rogers Sports & Media alongside Omni Television station CJCO-DT (channel 38). The two s ...
): 535 7th Avenue SW (station building) **
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
(
Access Access may refer to: Companies and organizations * ACCESS (Australia), an Australian youth network * Access (credit card), a former credit card in the United Kingdom * Access Co., a Japanese software company * Access International Advisors, a hed ...
, CKEM):
West Edmonton Mall West Edmonton Mall (WEM) is a large shopping mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that is owned, managed, and operated by Triple Five Group. It is the second most visited mall in Canada, after the Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto, followed by Met ...
*
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
**
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
( CFPL): Galleria Mall and Covent Garden Market. Richmond and Oxford Street location was removed due to high vandalism. **
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
( CHRO): 87 George Street (station building); Ottawa-Pembroke ''Speakers Corner'' show is cancelled, its final broadcast aired 11 February 2007. ** Pembroke ( CHRO): Pembroke Mall; regular Speakers Corner show no longer airs (see Ottawa). **
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
(
CITY A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
): The Jays Shop at
Rogers Centre Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a retractable roof stadium in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it is home to t ...
, interim location as of June 2008; previously the ChumCity Building
299 Queen Street West 299 Queen Street West, also known as Bell Media Queen Street or Bell Media Studios, is the headquarters of the television/radio broadcast hub of Bell Canada's media unit, Bell Media, and is located at the intersection of Queen Street West and J ...
at John Street. A new booth was planned to be established at Citytv's new facility at 33 Dundas Street East, but the show was cancelled before this could happen. The ChumCity Store was also a booth location at times. ***A new replacement booth is now located at the ZoomerPlex on 64 Jefferson Avenue at Liberty Village and is dubbed the ''VoxBox'' and opened in 2022. This booth is now operated directly by
Moses Znaimer Moses Znaimer (; born 1942) is a Canadian media executive. He is the co-founder and former head of Citytv, the first independent television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the current head of ZoomerMedia. Early life and education Znai ...
. ** Windsor ( CHWI): Palace Cinemas Building, 300 Ouellette Avenue (Southeast corner of University Avenue and Ouellette Avenue) For other Citytv and A-Channel outlets, either there was no ''Speakers Corner'' program for that market, or the booth locations are not currently known. In Alberta, Access: The Education Station, which was the provincial broadcaster (now
CTV 2 Alberta CTV 2 Alberta is a Canadian English language entertainment and former educational television channel in the province of Alberta. Owned by the Bell Media subsidiary of BCE Inc., it operates as a ''de facto'' owned-and-operated station of its s ...
) owned by CTVglobemedia, operated Speakers Corner. Mobile booths were also available to increase public access. These were occasionally deployed at special events but were not for private use. There were many requests to rent a mobile video recording booth for weddings and corporate events.


References


External links


Speakers Corner
on Moses Znaimer's website, co-founder of Citytv {{DEFAULTSORT:Speakers Corner (Tv Series) Citytv original programming 1990 Canadian television series debuts 2008 Canadian television series endings Busking venues Television shows filmed in London, Ontario Television shows filmed in Ottawa Television shows filmed in Toronto Television shows filmed in Vancouver Television shows filmed in Victoria, British Columbia 1990s Canadian anthology television series 2000s Canadian anthology television series 1990s Canadian reality television series 2000s Canadian reality television series