Merriam-Webster defines "telethon" as "a long television program usually to solicit funds especially for a charity." Almost from the dawn of broadcast television on both sides of the border, time has been set aside to urge viewers to support a long list of causes. This tradition began in 1949, when a 16-hour telethon to raise money for the Damon Runyon Memorial Fund to fight cancer brought in just over a million dollars in pledges......

In this piece in yesterday's Globe, Ivor Tossell waxes intellectual on the cultural wasteland that is Wikipedia. He explains "wikigroaning," the phenomenon experienced by self-righteous smartypantses like himself upon finding that one topic, "useless to everyone but a small coterie of fans," has a longer Wikipedia entry than another topic of "genuine historical relevance." His first example: that Lost character John Locke has a longer entry than the philosopher John Locke. And it’s all the......

As part of Toronto's glorious annual photography festival, CONTACT, the Drake Hotel is hosting a photo scavenger hunt every weekend in May, and registration is open now. Dubbed Shoot Toronto and hosted by the globe-trotting Shoot Experience, participants get clues at the start of the event (this year's theme is "water"), and spend the rest of their day exploring Queen Street "deciphering and taking photographs as answers." After they're done, teams head back to the......

It was the audition tape that has every struggling actor quaking with jealousy. As we revealed on Wednesday, the YouTube bride-from-hell was actually local actress Jodi Behan, who participated in what was later found to be a brilliant viral marketing campaign for Sunsilk hair products orchestrated by Toronto marketing agency Capital C. Our contacts were suspiciously cagey once the cover was blown while the fake wedding party continued to play their parts. We now......

Well, that was short-lived. ABC has announced that there will be no more episodes of The One: Making A Music Star. The website states, "There are no plans for additional episodes. Thanks to all who participated in and supported The One!" This doesn't really come as much of a surprise, since the show has been plagued with issues since before it even aired, beginning with CBC viewers causing an uproar over pre-empting The National......

Sorry George, but the reviews are in and the One just plain sucks. The ABC produced, CBC simulcasted Idol/Next Top Model/Big Brother mashup sucks so much that the National (which was actually bumped forward an hour) managed to get almost three times the number of viewers. The One just managed to pull 236,000 viewers compared to the National which pulled in a respectable 550,000+ viewers. Antonia Zerbisias goes on at length at the show's shortcomings.......

In a strange turn of events, Canadian media heartthrob, George Stroumboulopoulos confirms that he has signed on to the new ABC reality show, The ONE: Making a Music Star which debuts on July 18th. Admittedly, we are a mix of happy for George and surprised at his choice for summer work. But we're sure the extra summer exposure will only do good things for his profile. No worries for fans of The Hour, Stroumboulopoulos......

Okay, so, this week it’s definitely the Oscars! Everyone you know is probably all excited and arranging Oscar parties because, you know, Jon Stewart is presenting! He’ll be all edgy spelt with a ‘3’ and probably insult George Bush or something! Will he mention Cheney shooting a lawyer again? OMG that dude is the funny! Expect a muted performance from Stewart, so muted, in fact, that you’ll wonder if he’s wearing a ball gag. This......

It's probably because of the recent Olympics but Torontoist can't help but feel extremely proud of the amazing work that Canadians are doing all over the world and particularly in our world dominating neighbour to the south. By now most of you know about the honour being bestowed on former Canadian turned American news anchor Peter Jennings in New York City. The ABC anchor, who passed away last year, is having a street renamed after......

With the signing of AJ Burnett (pictured with Florida singer Brandy Rich) and BJ Ryan, the Toronto Blue Jays will pay $102 million to two pitchers who use letters as first names. (No offense to Torontoist blogger JK Nestruck.) Letters they want, letters they'll get. Here's the ABC's of the Jay's off-season thus far: A - Bobby Abreu, a Phillies slug-meister the Jays have been interested in. B - BJ Ryan, the second BJ on......

Toronto-born journalist Peter Jennings died last night, losing a relatively short battle with lung cancer. Mr Jennings started with CTV at age 23, and only retired took leave as ABC news anchor last April in order to receive chemotherapy. The on-air personality of ABC news for more than two decades, Mr Jennings was arguably the most successful Canadian journalist to ever work in the United States. Before he retired, Mr Jennings revealed that he was......

Tall Poppy Interview - Amanda Walsh, Actor...

According to an interview in the Independent with Former Canadian/Present Citizen of the World, Tyler Brûlé, the CBC is not decentralised. Brûlé, in an effort to get the deets in order for the impending launch of his Beeb4 media show, The Desk, phoned up his home broadcaster, as well as Australia's ABC, to research trends in public broadcasting. The verdict: decentralisation does not work. It's all a bluff. TOist is shocked. Does Tyler mean that......