no more new music

Sad news. The New Music was a huge inspiration to me growing up trying to learn about good music. Since the Rogers takeover, the station we loved as kids is turning into every other station out there. Something that made CITY cool. Because they were different. Key word there is were.

From Exclaim

A major blow was struck against music fans in Canada when CTVglobemedia decided to axe the informative and long-running CityTV original series, The NewMusic from MuchMusic's programming schedule. The cancellation came amidst the 105 job cuts made by the company this past week, which mostly affected channels such as MTV Canada, MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic.

The influential weekly program was launched in 1979 by Toronto's CityTV network and over its 29 years featured various research features on musical trends, in-depth interviews with established and breaking artists, as well as socially conscious examinations both on the creative and business sides of the industry. Most importantly, however, was the show's good taste in music, which educated and shaped the minds and record collections of Canadian viewers each week.

Furthermore, the series was a launching pad for its hosts, many of whom went on to pursue other avenues in Canadian media and entertainment: Jeanne Beker (Fashion TV), J.D. Roberts (CNN), Denise Donlon (Sony Music), Daniel Richler (Reach for the Top), Janna Lynne White (Jana Creative Inc.), Laurie Brown (CBC Radio 2's The Signal), Avi Lewis (The Take), Byron Wong (Random Media), Sook-Yin Lee (Shortbus, Definitely Not The Opera), George Stroumboulopoulos (The Hour), Hannah Sung (CBC Radio 3) and most recently, Hannah Simone.

Sung, who hosted The NewMusic from 2002 to 2006, spoke to CBC's Q about the cancellation. "You don't really think with something so long-running about the day it will be cancelled," she said. "When it was and when I heard about it, I was surprised. I was really sad, I was sad for my friends — the producers at NewMusic are brilliant. What else out there is like The NewMusic right now? I just don't see anything like it."