Freestyle extended — What should the replacement show be called

CBC Radio’s new daily arts show, hosted by Jian Ghomeshi, will launch on April 16, according to radio veep Jane Chalmers. (In the meantime, Freestyle will be extended.)

Mark O’Neill has been hired as Executive Producer of the show. Mark has had a distinguished career at CBC Radio and was most recently Executive Producer of Radio One on Sirius, and prior to this he led the Toronto afternoon show, Here and Now. Mark also has a long history in the arts as an arts reporter and producer.

Problem is, the Jian show still doesn’t have a name. It’s a daily show that covers the arts in Canada. So, any ideas for a name for the show?

The Arts Tonight, Freestyle and Between the Covers will remain on the air until April 16. All of the other changes to Radio One that were announced, including the launch of the one-hour version of Dispatches, will happen March 19.

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57 Responses to “Freestyle extended — What should the replacement show be called”

    Scott says:

    I guess Hallelujah, They Killed Freestyle doesn’t convey the image CBC brass are going for?

    Personally, I’m still trying to reconcile Jian Ghomeshi and arts show in the same sentence. I don’t know whether I’ve typecast Jian or have a more narrow view of what a CBC arts show should be. But that has been a big wildcard for me since the first announcement. I can’t imagine what the show will be like, let alone suggest names.



    guylaine says:

    according to the hyperlink, I understand it might be called “>play”… sounds good to me, anyway.



    Allison says:

    what about Jian It.

    i’m kidding…really… just trying to be ‘punny’…

    but the creative juices are not flowing quite as freely today.

    :)



    Allison says:

    i got it…

    what about >play.

    oh wait…wasn’t that already taken?

    how about instead…

    All Can Play

    (and that’s Can as in Canada…or Canadian… or just “to be able to”



    James Kingsley says:

    In no way am i trying to sound cheeky - but what’s wrong with simply calling it “the afternoon show” , “the jian show” or “the daily arts show.” they’re all simple, clearly about what they’re clearly about, and on top of that - any one of those titles are already what people are referring to the show as.



    Bill Lee says:

    Why a name at all?
    Just start the intro, without music, and get on with it.
    As with the loonie coin, the public will start calling it an
    appropriate name, sometimes silly, sometimes profound.



    Barbara_mtl says:

    What kind of names did they have in mind so far?
    Just from your discription ‘The Art of Canada’ comes to mind.
    naaa too solid…
    Creative Canada?
    naaaa
    A Creative Note? tsk
    It’s tuff naming a baby radio show….



    Barbara_mtl says:

    Or… how about Un-Named Art.
    naaaa



    holyoke says:

    can we have more serious arts coverage and fewer self-consiously hipster announcers? Would that be too much to ask?



    Eric R says:

    hmmm…

    What about P.M. Arts?

    I’m trying to tie something in with a Moxy Fruvous reference but, I’m coming up with nothing right now



    andrea from the fishbowl says:

    Jian? Hmmm. I have no good ideas. But I suggest we make the Arts part of the Canada’s food guide. Served hot or cold, every day we need at least a serving or two.



    Peter Omanista says:

    or “Smells Like Canada”



    Anonymous says:

    The Jian Ghomeshi Show would seem to fit the mode chosen for Gillian Deacon. (When is that show going to get the axe, by the way?)

    What about The Arts In Canada?

    Oh, I’ve got it! The Arts Today!



    Lorraine says:

    I agree with James, simple is best. I guess it takes a bit of brainstorming to get it just right… Show names like Tapestry, Dispatches and Between the Covers are descriptive but not super-obvious. A person once came to the door with a survey about CBC Radio listening habits, and I recognized all the Radio One programs EXCEPT Richardson’s Roundup… never heard it actually called that on the air.

    Between the Covers is going? I thought… *looks at new sched* oh they’re repeating the 2pm show at 10pm…. sweet! I thought I’d miss parts of it. I’ll miss Between the Covers’ creepy theme music though.



    Alan says:

    I suppose ‘the Artsy-fartsy Show’ is out of the question.

    How about “Particles” (bits and pieces about the arts)?



    Glenn says:

    How about calling it: “Jian’s Canada” or “Culturally Speaking”.

    Hey Alan “Particles” is great!



    Evie says:

    how about

    Ji-spot



    Kevin says:

    Quirks and Quarks has the particles angle covered. How about Admission: Free?



    The Gifted Typist says:

    I don’t suppose they’d want to go with something as self-referential as
    “Definitely not Lifestyle” or DNL.

    But they could try something like “Impressions” in reference to the French visual art movement.
    “Hi, I’m Jian Ghomeshi and welcome to Impressions. Today we have….

    Maybe?



    jian says:

    how ’bout “the self-conscious hipster show?” thanks, holyoke. taking it to the execs as we speak. (this program will use a very broad definition of arts and culture - including serious art coverage. it won’t be strictly pop culture or high art. it will be wide-reaching and hopefully will provide a smart and prominent platform for artists and arts/culture across the spectrum across canada. it will be different. and it will be neither earnest nor fluffy. having said that, we DO need a name. any help is appreciated. seacrest out.)



    Peter Haley says:

    Freehand



    CBC devotee says:

    how about a friendly, yet competitive dig at George Stroumboulopoulos and call it “Definitely More than an Hour.”



    Roland says:

    Little Mosque–great. Could we have a sequel “Little Baptist Church in the desert”–I’d love to see the episode where they get their first convert from Islam.



    Samuel Ramos says:

    I like the “pARTicles” idea.



    Anne says:

    “Name That Show” suggestions:

    “Eclecticka” (Nothing is out of bounds)
    “Afternoon Delight” (Because everyone needs stimulation in the early PM)
    “Ecstasize” (see above)
    “Jian’s Sanctuary” (Doesn’t everyone want a safe haven to contemplate & rejuvenate?)
    “Harmonia” (taking diverse subjects, music & opinions - creating a pleasing effect)
    “This is the show that never ends, cause it goes on & on my friends…” (Blind faith)

    Best wishes,

    Anne



    George McCurdy says:

    How about Lamestyle.



    kb says:

    The Snap. Rhymes with nap. The essential task of a program in the naptime slot is to keep people awake who need to be awake - long-haul truckers, farmers in their tractors, convenience store clerks, needlepoint hobbyists… Snap them awake when they start to nod off.

    Roundup succeeded because it engaged with the naptime audience and kept them alert — it gave listeners questions and assignments to think about; it pricked their memories and imaginations; it played their phonecalls and their kid’s band’s record, read their letters and poems, etc. It never sounded like it was trying not to be something — it could be earnest; it wasn’t afraid to be fluffy. It was good company - always more interested in its listeners than in itself.



    Lorraine says:

    allrighty then… if we’re going with the hipster theme… I have hipster friends, some of them were all “if you don’t already know ‘underground’ then you wouldn’t understand” all evasive about how they found new music. My nicer hipster friends are very generous with their passing along of cool music they like, handing out unsolicited suggestions and MP3 cd compilations. How I find new music lately is by word of mouth, it’s viral, it’s kind of people’s opinions passed along.

    How about a show name along that theme? ie viral, word of mouth, network, handshaking, connecting, authenticating. How about Hit Send? Full Duplex Repeater? */geek mode off*



    CapitalCat says:

    How about the Royal Canadian Air Farsi?



    Alex says:

    How about not having a show hosted by Jian Ghomeshi. I really got sick of listening to him when he was on Radio2 non-stop doing te favourites of Canadian music et al and then covering for the 10 AM show, I forget the name of the personality that hosts it but itsn’t it called Wake-Up Canada?
    BTW, the Sadgoat show, The Roundup was very interesting to listen to, something that I avoid with that abhorent show, Freestyle, the show with no meaning, about fluff. I’m sure Camus would understand.



    HM. says:

    wide angle arts?
    art spectrum?
    art expressions?
    mobile arts?
    dynamic arts?
    art routes?
    art sparks?
    canada uncut?
    art outlook?
    art downloads?
    art angle?
    art parallel?
    scope?
    page up?
    shift?
    haha those all sound lame.

    perhaps jian, you should sleep with a thesaurus under your pillow?



    Lorraine says:

    HM, I like the word “spectrum”! It’s kind of all-encompassing of all the different arts.



    Me says:

    Why not have some of CBC’s “House Blend” during your pause-cafe to wake you up?



    Anonymous says:

    How about “Masala” -a hodge-podge of elements mixed together to add spice to the final product?



    Barbara W. says:

    Display
    or
    Replay….



    Mark H says:

    How about Recycle … or Restyle

    Based on the track record of the $ the CBC seems to have available to put into so many radio shows these days I’m not optimistic that this show will be any great shakes. Hope I’m proven wrong but it would be great to hear an arts show that gives us news and features that we haven’t already heard — and that incorporates some performances too.



    Can in Van says:

    Whatever the name, I am sure it will be interesting.
    I do prefer the more descript titles though.

    The Art of Living in Canada
    Art Speak (like Jian speak?)
    State-of-the-Arts in Canada
    Arts in the Afternoon
    ArtEscape
    Artistically Speaking
    Bent on the Arts
    The Art is On
    The-art-trics

    Or a title with the letters p (performance arts), v (visual arts), m (music), d (design arts), f (film) and l (literature)? Throw in a couple of vowels and there you have a title?

    Sorry Jian, that’s all I can think of for now.



    Anon says:

    Maple Syrup



    zoya says:

    how about daydream?



    Christopher says:

    Whatever it is, nothing too awkawardly trying-to-be hip. The CBC has that market cornered.



    linds says:

    Simply:

    The Program

    As in: “Get With ‘The Program’ (with Jian Ghomeshi),” or a variation thereof.

    Hopefully this is not too hip for anyone out there.



    Bernadette says:

    ‘Straight Up’

    Anyway, whatever the name ends up being, or not being, good luck with the show Jian. I’m looking forward to it. Just for the record, I never enjoyed Freestyle and since the Roundup ended, have been waiting for some prime time fun again from CBC.



    Barbara_mtl says:

    ‘Art attack’?
    no.
    ‘Art vark’?
    nooo!
    ‘Statements’!
    hmmm, na, sounds political.
    ‘A question of taste.’
    maybe, or does that sound like a cooking show?
    I still like ‘Display’ it’s kind of like showcase only a play on the word play.
    ‘The Program’ is nice
    ‘Viral’ sounds dangerous yet catchy…
    pARTicles is not bad..
    Part of the Art….
    You’ll find it Jian…..



    Steve M says:

    The Afternoon Show - simple and to the point

    Artscape or Artscope - not sure I want to even hear the word ‘art’ to obvious

    Afternoons with Jian (a nod to Tuesdays with Morrie)



    Amy says:

    Bargainville.

    It’s time Jian lived up to his roots. Not his Iranian roots, those have been sufficiently acknowledged. His Fruvian roots.

    Radio is a bargain. The arts are a bargain. A plethora of arts coverage just might be similar to a deliciously cramped dollarama. I cannot say it would be like “video bargainville” because I’ve never been.

    Though I’ve heard it’s nice.



    supa b says:

    the program?
    nah, much too cool, and much too hip!
    you must be from toronto.
    btw. is there a commission or something if you choose one of these
    submitted names?



    brian says:

    how about Spin Cycle?



    Ella says:

    “‘Viral’ sounds dangerous yet catchy…” Hahaha

    I really like Can in Van’s suggestion of “State of the Art.”



    Eleanor says:

    How about …..Renaissance, isn’t that what the CBC is hoping for!



    Peter Omanista says:

    Jian-ie’s Paycheque.

    (Or, “Take This Show and ***** It”)



    ttss says:

    How about:
    ‘What’s Happening’ (simple and cautiously hip - appeals to the JJ generation), or
    ‘North’ - (SO Canadian - nerdy and proud of it)



    ttss says:

    Or “The North” (Get strong and free with Jian Ghomeshi!!!)



    Jane says:

    How about “Jians’ Junket”
    I quite like “Afternoon Delight”
    But -
    “Definately not the Hour”



    Pia says:

    How about Artsy Farsi?



    Linda in London says:

    “In the Booth” , refering both to the radio studio and spending time with friends sitting in a booth at any local hang out, you can talk about anything/everything and someone will play good music.



    Linda in London says:

    “In the Booth” , refering both to the radio studio and spending time with friends sitting in a booth at any local hang out, you can talk about anything/everything and someone will play good music.



    Lee says:

    I listened to Jian on CBC Radio, all summer! im 23 and never really listened before because i thought that there wasnt anything on the station that appealed to me. I was familiar with Jian because i watch the Hour, so when i heard about his guest hosting duties in the summer, i listened religiously, and im glad he has a new show coming out, because i miss him, and hes not on the Hour enough anymore! As far as a show title, how about “Making CBC Radio Cool to listen to again, starring Jian Ghomeshi” Just an idea!