Global Sunday

Last updated
Global Sunday
Globalsunday.jpg
Global Sunday set
Starring Charles Adler
Troy Reeb
Danielle Smith
Stephen LeDrew
Ezra Levant
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodesN/A
Production
Running time30 mins.
Original release
Network Global
Release2001 (2001) 
2005 (2005)

Global Sunday was a Canadian news magazine television program which aired Sunday evenings on the Global Television Network. [1] The program was launched in September 2001, with Charles Adler as host. [2] Run separately from the rest of Global's news division, the program often reflected the political views of Global's founder, Israel Asper and the Asper family, and was designed to showcase a Western Canadian perspective on Canadian political affairs. [3]

Contents

The program ran a mix of features reporting and interviews, effectively acting as a cross between a newsmagazine and an American-style Sunday talk show, and aired reportage and panel discussions featuring journalists from both Global News and the network's co-owned CanWest News Service network of newspapers. [1]

The program's launch also spurred both of Global's major rival networks, CTV and CBC, to relaunch Sunday public affairs shows. CTV, which had not produced such a program since the cancellation of Mike Duffy's Sunday Edition in 1999, relaunched its earlier show Question Period , while CBC launched CBC News: Sunday . [4]

Hosts and features

As a right-wing voice in Canadian television, the show developed a loyal audience, and was broadcast weekly from studios in Calgary, the cultural hotbed of Canadian conservatism. [1] Adler was simultaneously host of a weekday radio talk show on CJOB in Winnipeg, and commuted to Calgary on weekends to host Global Sunday. [3]

On February 24, 2002, the show staged and broadcast the candidate debates in the inaugural leadership convention of the then-new Canadian Alliance political party, with Adler as moderator. [5]

Adler, who described his hosting style on the program as "a mix of Larry King, Ted Koppel and Vince McMahon", [2] also recorded a weekly series of news commentaries for the network's weekday Global National newscasts concurrently with his stint as host of the program. [6] However, not wishing to continue his schedule of weekly flights to Calgary, Adler resigned after a year. [7] The program was then hosted for the next number of months by a rotating roster of guest hosts, both Global News personalities and outside figures. [8]

In early 2003, Global named a permanent host in Danielle Smith, who at the time was an editorial writer for the Calgary Herald . [8] In 2004, the program introduced "The Final Round", a weekly debate segment featuring Stephen LeDrew and Ezra Levant. [9]

Cancellation

With the launch of Global National's weekend edition in February 2005, the program lost its coveted early-evening timeslot. [10] Ratings and resources both dwindled, and the decision was made in August 2005 to cancel Global Sunday. [11] The network replaced it with Global Currents , which aired documentary reports, and merged some other features, including "The Final Round", into the Sunday edition of Global National.

In 2011, Global resumed airing a weekly national public affairs show with The West Block .

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bob Blakey, "Global pools media talent: New national show debuts today". Calgary Herald , September 16, 2001.
  2. 1 2 Dan Brown, "Winnipeg broadcaster to host new national current affairs show: Charles Adler says Global Sunday will showcase politics' fresh faces". National Post , July 27, 2001.
  3. 1 2 "Outspoken broadcaster provides voice for West". Prince George Citizen , August 3, 2001.
  4. Tony Atherton, "Public affairs shows experience a revival: CTV, Global capitalize on media convergence with mix of talent for new lineup; CBC launches Sunday morning program". Ottawa Citizen , September 16, 2001.
  5. "Alliance leadership hopefuls go head-to-head on Global". The Guardian , February 23, 2002.
  6. "Global Television launches "Global Sunday" with host Charles Adler". Canada NewsWire , July 26, 2001.
  7. Bob Blakey, "Global Sunday loses host Charles Adler". Calgary Herald , September 14, 2002.
  8. 1 2 Liane Faulder, "'Global Sunday' relaunches with new host". Regina Leader-Post , February 1, 2003.
  9. "Global Sunday Introduces Sparring Partners LeDrew and Levant in 'The Final Round'". Canada NewsWire , October 21, 2004.
  10. Alex Strachan, "Global National takes on a seven-day work week: Familiar faces will be on weekend broadcasts". National Post , February 22, 2005.
  11. John Doyle, "The things you can learn from the CBC lockout". The Globe and Mail , September 1, 2005.