Tabloid (TV series)
| Tabloid | |
|---|---|
Tabloid title card
|
|
| Presented by |
Joyce Davidson (1956-1959) Max Ferguson (1958-1960) Elaine Grand (1953-1956) Dick MacDougal (1953-1958) Percy Saltzman (1953-1960) |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 8 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Ross McLean (1953-1958) Ted Pope (1958-1960) |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBC Television |
| Original release | 9 March 1953 – 9 September 1960 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | Seven-O-One |
Tabloid was one of the earliest information television series aired in Canada. It ran weeknights from 1953 to 1960 after which it was renamed to Seven-O-One.
The series featured interviews, news and information. Its opening tagline was "a program with an interest in anything that happens anywhere, bringing you the news at seven." It was also promoted as "the nightly habit of nearly everyone".
Gunnar Rugheimer compiled a newsreel for the programme which featured stories from various international sources such as BBC, Movietone, United Press International, and the Canadian Forces. Discussions, interviews, demonstrations, reviews and weather reports from Percy Saltzman rounded out the Tabloid episodes, resembling a "spoken-word variety show".
Producer Ross McLean's catchphrase for Tabloid was "Facts with Fun", reflecting his approach that news and information programming should incorporate elements of entertainment. He acknowledged that the early episodes of Tabloid were "a bargain basement version of NBC's Today." The interviews, features and weather forecast were supplemented with informal conversations among the hosts.
Dick MacDougal, a radio presenter, was a host of Tabloid from its first episodes in 1953 until his death in 1957. He was replaced by another radio host, Max Ferguson who remained until Tabloid became Seven-O-One in 1960.
Percy Saltzman was the only Tabloid host who remained through the entire series run, and the extent of its successor, Seven-O-One. He presented the weather forecasts as he did in the earlier CBC series Let's See. Viewers regularly saw Saltzman's signature tossing of his chalk after he was requested by producer McLean to make this a regular practice.
Elaine Grand joined the show in early 1953 to conduct freelance interviews. She became a full-time host by February 1954, leaving the show in 1956 to work with Associated-Rediffusion in the United Kingdom. Paisley Maxwell succeeded her as an interim host until Joyce Davidson replaced Grand on a full-time basis from 1956 to 1959.
News reports were provided by Gil Christy (1953–1954), then John O'Leary for the remainder of Tabloid's existence. Dave Price presented the sportscast.
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