Undercurrents (TV program)

Undercurrents was a Canadian news magazine television program that was hosted by Wendy Mesley. It focused on media, marketing and technology.[1]

Undercurrents
GenreNews magazine
Presented byWendy Mesley
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkCBC
Release1995 (1995) –
2001 (2001)

Overview edit

The series, which debuted in 1995, primarily concentrated on investigative and documentary reports about media, marketing and technology, such as examining media coverage of controversial issues.[1] Its debut episode drew 800,000 viewers despite having received little advance publicity and having been scheduled so hastily that it wasn't even listed in that week's TV Guide listings;[1] the episode examined the role of video in criminal trials, using the Paul Bernardo trial as its hook.[1]

Mesley was interviewed about the program's cancellation in 1997 by Scan Magazine.

Mesley won two Gemini Awards for Best Host or Interviewer of a News or General Information Series for her work on Undercurrents, in 1999[2] and 2001.[3]

In 2001, Undercurrents was folded into the new series CBC News: Disclosure, cohosted by Mesley and Diana Swain.[4] The new show did not continue to discuss the media or technology; instead, the media analysis theme was picked up by a different new CBC series, MediaWatch.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Wendy Mesley returns with new series". The Gazette, June 25, 1995.
  2. ^ Antonia Zerbisias, "CBC cops 41 Geminis ; Public network dominates news and information awards; CTV dramas win big". Toronto Star, November 8, 1999.
  3. ^ "Cold Squad, Da Vinci hot at Geminis". Vancouver Sun, October 29, 2001.
  4. ^ "Dynamic duo: Wendy Mesley and Diana Swain hope to shock viewers with their new CBC show Disclosure". Halifax Daily News, November 13, 2001.
  5. ^ "Lots of buzz for media show: Chattering classes brace for CBC show about -- themselves". National Post, August 3, 2002.

External links edit