“Has the jury reached a verdict?”
Yes, we have Your Honor.
We, the jury, find the cable channel HGTV guilty of using the word “Garden” in its name without having adequate programming related to gardening.
“Do you have any recommendations on sentencing?”
We do, your honor. We give the defendant, HGTV, two choices.
Our first choice is for them to earn back the “G” in HGTV by adding more programs of the quality of A Gardener’s Diary and broadcasting these shows at times other than 7:00 AM EDT on Thursday mornings.
The other choice is for them to remove the “G” from HGTV and become HTV.
“We thank the jury for its service, including Idaho Gardener, National Gardener, Mr. McGregor’s Daughter, My Corner of Katy, New Sprout, Red Dirt Rambling, and Garden Rant.”
If there are others who wish to join the jury in this unanimous verdict, they may be do so by leaving a comment below or posting their verdict on their own blog.
Jury dismissed.
Hey, I want to chime in too. I think they’ve got to prove their mettle before they get the “G” back. I only watch Desperate Landscapes and A Gardener’s Diary, and those are in re-runs. Re-runs!!! It makes me kinda angry.~~Dee
Absolutely, the G from HGTV should be removed. I don’t think that Garden Diary is even on here any more. I wouldn’t even mind the 7 a.m. slot if it was available here. I have almost stopped watching HGTV due to their programing.
The defendant is guilty of false advertising. I say revoke their broadcast license!
Brilliant. HTV, what a hoot.
Hey I left a comment on twitter re your tweet, laughing about “lawn, what’s a lawn?”.
Do you live in Indianapolis? I have lots of relatives there. I do adore deep green lush lawns, but out here on the left coast to conserve water we have no lawn.
Thus, no mowing.
Verdict is in. Power to the people!
I fully agree, either take out the G or preferably show more gardening shows.
Indy, you could never have been a lawyer – that was too clear, concise and easy to understand. Remember the good old days of HGTV, when there were lots of gardening programs on? Sigh…
Hmmm, well, I watch very little TV and what I watch leans toward things like CSI, but if HGTV is going to use the “G”, they should definitely be required to provide some “G” programming that is suitable to those of us that actually participate in “Ging”.
Excellent and you have argued the case brilliantly! “Take out the G”, “Take out the G” I am practicing for the protests that are surely being organized.
I detect a Plurk conspiracy.
Carol, I’m in total agreement with the jury’s findings. Let’s give them the maximum sentence!
I’ve been upset about that channel using the “G” in vain, since there obviously is little garden programming. I complained about this to my husband, who really didn’t care, but I had to show my indignation to someone. What do they think they are getting away with????
Alas, I don’t get cable, but from what I remember of the programming… I concure with the verdict!
I just posted a comment on My Side of Katy and saw your comment. I LOVED A Gardener’s Diary. I don’t even try and watch HGTV anymore. I became very unhappy with it a year ago.
While it’s true that HGTV has no prime time ( evening ) garden shows I do enjoy some of their existing ones such as Gardening by the Yard with Paul James, Groundbreakers, and Landscaper’s challenge. If you miss the morning episodes you can go to HGTV.com and click on ON TV and watch them online anytime.
You can also leave a comment on their programming by clicking on ABOUT US, which is what I’ve done. I have warned them that garden blogger’s are calling for the G to be removed from HGTV. Hope that’ll get their attention.
More gardening shows to keep that G, please!!! What in the world has happened to all the wonderful gardening shows! Don’t give me any of that ratings stuff, because Landscape Gardening seems more popular than ever! The locally grown philosophy also seems to be catching on with much interest in organic gardening…so more programming please!
Jenny
I agree. I no longer watch any of their programs. I’m sick to death of makeovers. Most of them are absolutely unrealistic and probably return back to from whence they came in the end. Their hardscape and structures won’t last 5 minutes. Unfortunately most of the shows you see on HGTV are American renditions of what is being shown on British TV. Ground Force was the original gardening makeover. I used to love A gardener’s Diary but can’t remember if it was on PBS. Our PBS has some good gardening shows but they are on a Saturday when I am out in the garden and I always forget to record.
A few years ago HGTV had some shows they loosly called gardening shows on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I always wondered where they thought gardeners where on weekend mornings. IN THE GARDEN!
I want prime time, real garden shows or remove the G!
Someone needs to forward this rant to HGTV! I’m for more garden shows, not the “decorating and partying in your garden” type either…but good informative gardening.
Annie’s Granny raises hand!
I don’t want them to take the “G” out, I want them to realize just how many G-ers are out here, and get with the programming!
I had to quit watching because they don’t have the programs that interest me.
I could not agree more. When I first started watching, they had wonderful shows, like A Gardeners Diary, which you mentioned, plus my fav, the Gardener’s Journal with Cathy Renwald, plus the Gardener Guy (is he still on?. There also was a guy in Florida that used hoses to outline property borders. While his plant suggestions weren’t appropriate to my zone, it was still useful to see how a landscaper designs a plan. Now the shows seem to be about superficial things — a team shows up and “decorates” your yard in a day. I used to learn from watching the gardening shows but those shows are gone. I have emailed my comments to HGTV several times to no avail. I am glad to hear that there others out there who long for some substantive gardening information.
Who needs HGTV? I read May Dreams Gardens to get my gardening entertainment and information!
I emailed HGTV last year and told them exactly as you stated ‘That they needed to take the Garden out of their name”, but got no reply. I love “Gardening by the Yard” and ” A Garden Diary” and wish there were more. I do not consider landscaping and remodeling such as “Curb Appeal” a gardening show. I am also sick of remodeling, redo, makeover shows.
I am right there with you! I really miss all the great gardening shows and am sick and tired of the “designer” shows! Bring back the garden to hGtv!
As always, I’m late to the party but I’ve asked my own readers to tell me what kind of garden television they want to see. And the answers are rolling in by contact form as well as a few comments. You can see the post right here.
http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/2008/09/12/garden-television/
I couldn’t agree more. They can call themselves HLTV – Home and Landscape TV – if they want, but I’m sick of “landscaping” shows. And the only garden show, Gardening by the Yard, is on early Sunday morning when I want to be sitting in my garden having my coffee. How about even just ONE prime time garden show? Or just one garden show period? If they can’t up the “G”, then they need to remove it.
Hi, Carol,
I realize this is a bit late in coming, and I don’t know if you still feel as strongly about it, but there’s a shot we might actually be able to make some sort of impact in a few days. People are getting even more upset now that Paul James’ Gardening By The Yard has been cancelled.
I guess it’s easier to show you than to explain the HGTV Protest Campaign:
http://hgtvprotestcampaign.blogspot.com/
Please, feel free to use the info (or ignore the whole thing altogether) if you’d like.