Well if they cancel Paul's show then I have no reason to watch HGTV at all. What are they thinking? Even my husband (who doesn't particularly care for his goofy sense of humor) admits that he has more pratical advice than any other show on that channel.

Perhaps they think we need a few more episodes of "Groundbreakers" aka - how to spend a million dollars paving over your yard. >:+(

April 13th, I'm there. My garden is 6 years old. Each spring for the last 5 years another garden show dropped away and my continued education with them. ( thank G-d for you all at GW) How could we get word to the First Lady? We could Email every Nursery we use, on or off line, to join us on the 13th. What about every and any vendor that advertises in garden magazines, most list a www.com to contact them. Any college or high school that has a horticulture program. Directors of food banks. Garden clubs and Societies. Oprah! Sewobsessed, let me know how to help. email me. I am in Niagara Falls NY Elizabeth

sewobsessed, just a suggestion to help increase your voice on the protest. Many many people now have face book accounts and it can be a great way to get the word out, if you don't have one you most likely know someone that does. Every account has dozens of friends so if you knew one person with 20 friends who each had 20 friends who each had 20 friends....well with any interest you could be in the thousands in no time. Its the Amway method.

Don't know anything about facebook, ask your kids no matter how young or old they may be they will know.

Oh did i mention myspace....

Oh, I just thought, Sewobsessed, have you posted this thread on all the forums here on the GW, a little copy and paste. Let me know if you want help with that. Elizabeth

Freddie P. James did! Adress your letters and e-mails to him!

HGTV Ups James to Senior VP, Program Development & Production
By Christopher Perez

Freddy P. James has been named HGTVÂs senior VP of program development and production. Mr. James previously was the networkÂs VP and Web site director for HGTV.com.

Jillian St. Charles, site director at FineLiving.com, will step into James previous position, effective immediately. Both will be based in the companyÂs Knoxville, Tenn., headquarters.

Mr. James first joined the cable network in 1996. After stints at DIY Network and Scripps Productions, where he produced special programming for the Food Network, Mr. James returned to HGTV earlier this year to head the networkÂs Web site operation.

"Freddy James has the right combination of experience, proven successes, creativity, fresh perspective and energy that HGTV will need to expand its programming portfolio," said HGTV President Jim Samples. "He is the right person to lead the programming team and spearhead development of innovative programming concepts for HGTV."

Mr. James will work with Mr. Samples to provide strategic and creative direction for HGTVÂs content, including identifying new opportunities and genres, and supervising the development and production of new series and specials.

Ms. St. Charles will report to Jody Jones, senior VP, SN Digital, and will manage the user content experience on HGTV.com.

_____________________________

Be sure and look at the responses this article got! Apparently, we aren't the only ones pissed off!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Freddie P. James

Many years ago I used to love to watch Gardeners Diary on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. There was that other gardening show on before it, I forget what it was called....I think it was shot in Canada with a lady that went around to different gardens. Those were the good old days! Now I just DVR mostly old episodes of Gardeners Diary on Thursday mornings. I e-mailed them many times, to no avail. Maybe this will work.

I've just completed a blog post abou the HGTV Protest Campaign.

You are all welcome to paste the link and/or spread the word any way you want to or see fit!

Susan Harris, of Garden Rant fame, has given her total support.
Oh, and she has received official word from Paul's PR guy that Gardening By The Yard has definitely been cancelled.

So, anything anyone wants to do on their own to get this moving - go for it!

HGTV used to be a regular weekend thing here, but the past few years it's turned into "the appraisal network" & I haven't watched it in ages! Paul James was always one of my favorites! As for age, I think I saw somewhere that he's 50ish. Now I realize that those of us of that age are old farts, but I think some of us are old farts with money! But let me get this straight-the economy is in the tank, people are turning to gardening like never in recent years, and they're dropping the last of their garden shows in favor of more "how to make money in real estate" shows?!? (disclamer-both of my parents were realtors, so I have nothing against real estate!) I'm sad to see this, but I can't help but think that they're heading in the wrong direction & will die under their own weight!

Ok folks... looks like this is the deal. Perhaps HGTV let Paul James go, however, DIY TV has the given him a whole new show...

Paul James' Home Grown Cooking

Master gardener Paul James shows you how to bring the garden to the kitchen table! Each episode includes segments on growing and cooking produce from the garden, as well as information about finding and choosing fresh supermarket produce. James also includes a dash of historical and nutritional information about the food he makes. There's nothing better than Paul James' Home Grown Cooking!

For more great food and cooking shows, visit our sister network, The Food Network, at www.FoodNetwork.com.

I need to find out if we even have DIY!

No matter how much complaining we do, it looks like Paul James won't be back with new shows for HGTV. Maybe if we switch the tactic and go to DIY asking for more gardening shows it might work just as well?

Here is a link that might be useful: Another show that looks good...

Yup, and his blog will be up in a couple weeks. Yay!

The point of the whole thing is that all those channels DIY/HGTV/FLN/Food Network/GAC are all owned by Scripps Networks.

The individual channel programming people are the ones that really don't care what we want to watch. Emailing each channel individually results in a form letter reply. But, they have bosses (Scripps Networks). The only people who are going to listen to a complaint of any kind are the head honchos at the parent network and their advertisers. That's who we need to target and I'm trying!

Ok... that would be this guy...

Kenneth Lowe CEO
Scripps Networks
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Here are some more folks who would LOVE to hear from us!

Executive Committee

John Lansing, President
Scripps Networks
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Committee Members

Bob Baskerville
President
Scripps Emerging Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Jim Clayton
Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Lynne Costantini
Executive Vice President, Affiliate Sales & Marketing
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Ron Feinbaum
Executive Vice President, Business Development
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Steve Gigliotti
Executive Vice President, Ad Sales & Emerging Media
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Mark Hale
Executive Vice President of Operations
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Burton Jablin
Executive Vice President
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Jim Samples
President
HGTV,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Jim Clayton
Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Lynne Costantini
Executive Vice President, Affiliate Sales & Marketing
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Ron Feinbaum
Executive Vice President, Business Development
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Steve Gigliotti
Executive Vice President, Ad Sales & Emerging Media
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Mark Hale
Executive Vice President of Operations
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Burton Jablin
Executive Vice President
Scripps Networks,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Jim Samples
President
HGTV,
9721 Sherrill Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37932

Thanks, Nancy! Exactly!
Awesome job.

But I only have one email for the SVP of communications. They're all pretty good at flying under the radar as far as ther emails go. How many people are really going to write a letter? Tis the age of internet.
~sigh~

I'd so love to be a fly on the wall when those suits start getting calls from their advertisers asking what the *&^& is going on with a boycott of their products because HGTV won't listen to its viewers. lol.
;)

Nancy,
Thanks for all the links and address!

Mary

Count me in!

that sucks! I will write as well. I like Paul too!
Karen

Are you sure "Paul James' Home Grown Cooking" is a new show? It could just be reruns of a show he did by that title several years ago for HGTV. I think it was only on for a couple of years. Of course, that's when "Gardening by the Yard" was on several times a week and they had him co-hosting the Rose Parade every year. But he was younger then, so I guess he had more value???!!!

This news infuriates me. HGTV has become little more than remodeling shows and most of the remodeling shows are cheap and uninspiring. How many shows featuring new paint jobs do we need???

OH No!!!!! there getting rid of paul james I noticed they cut him back to one half hour a week but I thought they were going to keep it like that.

Now there are truly no decent national gardening shows.

count me in on the 13th Just let me know who to email.

Lol. Every time I see David Bromstad I think "can't that guy put on a shirt?"! Yuck, and I'm probably the targeted consumer for his show.

Home Grown Cooking is definitely an older show. I saw all of them at least 3 years ago (and I've caught an episode now and again since then just to verify that they're all old, I haven't caught one I haven't already seen in years).

Canadian Gardener (on CBC used to be the best)

Victory Garden does too many "Classics" without Roger Swain or Crocket (I think I just outed myself as an old fart too). I don't need to see Tuscan Mansions where they can't even be bothered to identify a plant while zooming past it.

~Chills

I haven't watched Paul James in about a year now because I could never keep up on when it was on. But it used to be a weekend ritual here to watch Paul James. He was our favorite and made gardening okay for a guy so DH watched too!

HGTV used to be my favorite channel, now I very, very rarely turn it on. Maybe a handful of time s a year. But I am approaching mid 50's so they probably could care less!!
I hadn't realized how I no longer watch any gardening shows anymore as they have disappeared over the years. I liked Rebbecca too. They had her on at some awful hour very early in the morning here when I watched her show.

Let our voices be heard even if it doesn't save Paul or the "G" in HGTV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey if you Twitter (I don't) you might blast it on there too!

hi, it loks to me like tuesday (yep he's on on tuesday at 7:00 am who knew I thought it was just sunday morning) may 19th is Paul james last show. It's also on the previous sunday may 17th.

Wow, I didn't know there was any gardening left on HGTV. I don't use a tv schedule so when I'm flipping through I just see home deco shows and keep going. Has anyone seen the BBC's Ground Force? Of course, it has been off the air in Britain for quit some time we got re-runs on BBC America about three years ago, then they took it off. There is so many different aspects of gardening that they could do a whole channel on it. Especially, organic gardening and veggie gardening to biggies that everyone seems to be leaning towards lately. They could have the Arnosky's do a show on flower farming. Well, I'll do what I can to help.

Thanks to sewobsessed and wren for putting this on other forums. I have been visiting only Aquatic plants and ponds and Hot topics forums since the start of the national elections last year and hadn't made time to get back to the other forums I had enjoyed. Without their efforts I would have missed this entirely.
I am a bit confused about just what we are going to send. Are you going to write a form letter that every one can add their name to and each one of us going to actually mail a copy or are we supposed to write our own letter to each of the people you have named, or is it just going to be on e-mail? I have found that a contact to the head honcho is often the only one that gets attention and action.
I am going to try to send a notice of your post to every Master Gardener I can because I think many of them would respond favorably. Do I have your permission to do that? I will have to ask the horticultural agent if it can be a Master Gardener action because of the politics of the situation. He may have to say no. and April 13 is pretty short notice for a big organization.
I'm not a particularly sociable person myself but I know a bunch of people that are. Thanks for the information. Sandy

Thanks to sewobsessed and wren for putting this on other forums. I have been visiting only Aquatic plants and ponds and Hot topics forums since the start of the national elections last year and hadn't made time to get back to the other forums I had enjoyed. Without their efforts I would have missed this entirely.
I am a bit confused about just what we are going to send. Are you going to write a form letter that every one can add their name to and each one of us going to actually mail a copy or are we supposed to write our own letter to each of the people you have named, or is it just going to be on e-mail? I have found that a contact to the head honcho is often the only one that gets attention and action.
I am going to try to send a notice of your post to every Master Gardener I can because I think many of them would respond favorably. Do I have your permission to do that? I will have to ask the horticultural agent if it can be a Master Gardener action because of the politics of the situation. He may have to say no. and April 13 is pretty short notice for a big organization.
I'm not a particularly sociable person myself but I know a bunch of people that are. Thanks for the information. Sandy

Well well-I'm glad someone besides me finally got fired up. You know who has clout? Martha-and she loves gardening!! Do any of you know that Erica Glasener is on HGTV at 6:00 on Thurs morning? That is Gardeners Diary. I'm 75, but still a very active gardener, and I get up to watch Paul on Sunday morn, and Erica too. What happened to Gardener's Journal? Is it strictly Canadian? Keep me informed as to what you are going to do.

I would also like to be included in this protest.
I really counted on those gardening shows for the good info they gave.
I've noticed for several years now that HG?TV seems
to be targeting a younger group of people. Have they not noticed how many of us baby boomers there are? Who like to garden.
I am sick to death of real estate shows and design shows.
This is an idea whose time has come! Count me in!
Debbie

hi to all. I joined GW just about a week ago and usually lurk on the cottage garden forum. Tonight's visit to the site has brought me here.

I have to say that I was wondering what was going on recently-all winter you hope to find a gardening show to watch so that you can hope for spring and not have to deal with the white stuff much longer. Those shows were what got me interested in gardening as I am sure it is the same for some of you. It would be interesting to know what consumer polls were taken (or not)for SH to make such a decision.
I have been starving for education and certainly not finding much of anything including PBS.
I can say with much certainty that I will gain alot of new knowledge here but will miss Paul James and the others that have disappeared on HGTV.
Will continue to lurk here and plan on joining all of you on April 13th

Ohhh, I'm gonna bee busy!!!lol!

I watched Paul this weekend. I was on the couch all day anyway! I TiVo him and this was a new episode. I wonder when his show ends? He had a good segment on herbs that I liked.

I am going to search for Erica Glasener and add to my TiVo.

I looked through my guide and saw no gardening shows, all landscaping and houses. I used to like the landscaping ones but since I never have a problem with landscaping they get boring.

Karen

Had previously sent email to HGTV cnplaining about the lack of garden shows. I catch Paul James on Sunday mornings (LOVE him!) and also enjoy Erica's show on Thursdays before work.
I am really sick of the house-hunting shows, but I do like a few of the landscaping shows and think David Bromstad is adorable. :)
I am definitely IN on the protest!

Re more material for a pro-garden show protest-
(Gosh this is such a no-brainer! - to everyone except the HGTV network apparently)
This video is called Recession Era Gardening

Here is a link that might be useful: Recession Era Gardening

I, too get up specifically at 7:30am on Sunday mornings to have coffee and quiet time watching Paul James. If I oversleep accidentally I get so mad at myself! lol I am 'in' with you all on this!! I would LOVE to see more gardening shows and Paul James is FANTASTIC!!

~Wendy

I'm with you.. Paul needs to STAY!

Doesn't anyone else have a DVR or VCR even to record it so early Sunday and then watch at their leisure?

I hope I am not the reason it is being canceled, as I skip over the commercials on the DVR for 21-22 minutes of pure garden goodness. I never even see the advertisements at all, except maybe a few seconds here and there. What they should do is give Paul products advertised and show him using them instead.. like a bag of Miracle Gro being plainly obvious as Paul shares his garden wisdom, etc.

You should join my group. "Fed up with pay TV". I used to pay for a cable service but I tired quickly with the barrage of commercials and scrolling through listing of channels that I had to pay more if I wanted to watch. In my opinion, 95% of the channels are garbage anyway.

For those fortunate enough to be able located in an area of the County that can receive digital broadcast signals, you will save yourself a heap of money by simply canceling pay service and using the free over the air broadcast feeds. Digital and HDTV broadcasts are crystal clear and without you having to deal with the problems of the old analog reception problems of the past. Granted you don't get specialized channels like HGTV, but the way things are going, who wants them anyway? You ready should spend your time doing other things rather than watching the boob-tube anyway. Read a gardening book, talk to your family member, get out and garden. You will be better off financially and it will remove an aggravation from your life.

I look forward to sunday mornings-drinking my coffee and watching this show. I am sick to death of the buying / selling shows (and, i am interested in real estate). The shows are all too much the same. Boring.

I am in the demographic they are trying to "target" but they lost me on this one. Young people garden too. And Paul tought responsible gardening-not just "rip out" and "replace w/generic big box store plants". He tought how to garden sustainably, organically, etc. And he tought that not all parts of gardens are perfect.

This is a real shame. I'll join you on the the 13th.

I guess I'm going to have to watch online. :O)
Pattie

http://www.hgtv.com/gardening-by-the-yard/show/index.html

I think April 13th should be the 1st time for this protest. It should be done every month or every week. Please lets add some more dates. Keep this going until they listen. I have wrote and called for years, no luck. Gardeners Diary and Gardeners Journal were always my favorites and of course Paul James too. I thought I read somewhere that baby boomers were the majority of the population, that means us old "folks" that love to garden. Why aren't they catering to us? Do they not realize how much money we spend on gardening? I would think garden shows would bring all kinds of advertisers wanting to advertise on those shows. HGTV's loss I guess. I never watch anything anymore on HGTV unless it is a gardening show, guess that tells you how many times a week I watch HGTV. There was a time when HGTV was my favorite channel, has NOT been for quite a few years. We should all be posting the link to this on all the other forums. Keep this going and try to get everyone to do this more than one time. I knew their were others who felt like me! I hope they listen! I will be writing a letter and making copies and sending them to all those addresses. If anyone comes up with email addresses that would be great too. I usually just read on a couple of other forums, but now I will keep an eye on this one too. Lets all keep each other informed about this. Put that G back in HTV!

bumping up.
Remember April 13!

Hi Nancy, Here is the link to the blog created just for this campaign by Sewobsessed to help us all participate. It has all the contacts, updates and background. As to posting this on other forums, I have done that already.I posted to all that had activity in the last 5 weeks to make sure it would have a chance to be read. I met with some back lash, told I was Spaming the GW and over stepping the rules. I'm a newbie who has now learned the hard way. Sorry. But, the responses have mostly been positive. I returned to all these forums where it was posted to let them also know about the new blog. The GW is not the only place to find people to participate.If you have any connection to a garden community at home, let them know too. Here is an bit of my early reply to this thread.
April 13th, I'm there. My garden is 6 years old. Each spring for the last 5 years another garden show dropped away and my continued education with them. ( thank G-d for you all at GW) How could we get word to the First Lady? We could Email every Nursery we use, on or off line, to join us on the 13th. What about every and any vendor that advertises in garden magazines, most list a www.com to contact them. Any college or high school that has a horticulture program. Directors of food banks. Garden clubs and Societies. Oprah! Sewobsessed, let me know how to help. email me. I am in Niagara Falls NY Elizabeth
Glad for your support, I think a steady persistent drum of protest over time is a Great idea. It would be great too,if we build in numbers with each wave of communication, each protest event. A great building Hue and Cry. Many people and certainly most Corporations need to be told many times in many ways before they will listen. I wish us all the best.

Here is a link that might be useful: Where and how, full info

I just came across this today and so very glad I did!!!
I have emailed HGTV several times over the past few years with no response from them about the loss of gardening shows and the demise of what the channel once was.
I call it REAL ESTATE NETWORK....
I am so there on the 13th..

Oh and I see some where up above that a poster referensed the Home Grown cooking show.. that is an old show from HGTV that they moved to DIY....
I have to say.. my viewing of HGTV is pretty much non exsitant these days because of their current programming.
Thanks for starting this revolt!!!
and yes I think once a week or month is well deserved for them to hear the crys of once loyal viewers that seem to have fallen on deaf ears over the past 5 years!

I'm ready. I composed my letter and it is saved in word. Just a little copy and paste and away I go. Going to get up tomorrow, make a pot of tea, sit down at the "puter" in my PJs and lock and load. I wish us all the best in our honest efforts.

I have another idea. If the campaign is big enough some news outlet may cover it.
Kind of like a human interest story, probably not take it very seriously *at first*. "Isn't this cute, a bunch of housewives [I know we're not all housewives, but that is what I imagine them saying] trying to influence a TV station."

If anyone has access to a news outlet, you might tip them off.

Also, you could send a copy of your letter to your local newspaper. Mention the blog that's been created.
(Thanks for that!)
This could snowball. Did someone mention Oprah? :)

ellen

Today is the day!
I'd like to thank everyone for their support in this, especially wren-garden. The response has been absolutely amazing!

Ellen, the NY Times is already watching. And so is Paul.
;)

Here is a link that might be useful: Here is the link directly to the Campaign

Can we keep this going all week? Maybe there are those who worked today or had other obligations, could be many reasons some might not be able to participate today. Or maybe just not enough time to write or call all the contacts. I say lets do this all week! What do you think?

Garden girl, I don't see why not. I am thinking of it as homework. I will just keep plugging away until I get through the lists. Do a few, then through a load of wash in. Do a few and run to the store for more milk. Do a few and so on until I'm done, that is until the next contact effort. I'm 2/3 the way done. Keep on keeping on.

Is there any one who can print up a protest sheet that we could all just sign,that would make it so much easier for those of us who are computer challenged,
cAROL

Keep the faith and keep on. This evening I got a phone call from Becky in Customer Relations for Daisy Brand (sour cream)She wanted to know what the protest was all about.She had received so many emails. She had googled to read for herself but still wanted to talk to someone. I have received many email responses and 2 snail mail responses. Most are form letters but not all. SOoo if you haven't already gone to the blog and made those contacts, it's not too late to add your voice. If you made the contacts on April 13th, follow up if you can. Here's hoping!

I'm new to this website....great forum by the way.
I was extremely disappointed to learn that "Gardening By The Yard" was being discontinued by Scripts....all because Paul James is too old? I have noticed the "G" being slowly but methodiacally replaced by a "Y" (yard) or "D" (design).
HGTV either needs to balance their programming to match their logo or change their logo to match their programming.