Fashion Television ceases production after 27 years on-air

[leblue15]

Sad news ...I loved her interviews and reports!

Cue Animotion’s Obsession theme song one last time: Fashion Television, Jeanne Beker’s 27-year-old series that brought style to the masses, has suspended production.

Bell Media files
Fashion Television's Jeanne Beker interview's Cindy Crawford in 1997.

News first leaked out Wednesday morning via a tweet from FT host Beker that read: “This dream is over: After 27 glorious years, FT production ceased today. So sad to see some of my closest colleagues move on.” (She later added she was “looking forward to working with Bellmedia + evolving the FT brand.”)
A spokesman for Bell Media later confirmed the news, telling the Post in an email that “production on Fashion Television has been suspended; the company thanks founding producer Jay Levine for his dedication to the series for more than two decades and wishes him well in his future endeavours. The series remains on the air.
“The iconic Jeanne Beker remains with Bell Media and the company looks forward to an exciting future with her, including the development of new projects. Bell Media remains committed to the fashion genre and will continue to grow FashionTelevisionChannel to deliver a broader appeal for viewers, advertisers, and distributors.”

Jeanne Beker @Jeanne_Beker
So surreal. This dream is over: After 27 glorious years, FT production ceased today. So sad to see some of my closest colleagues move on.


​

The weekly half-hour series was originally launched on Citytv, where it quickly grew into the station’s most widely syndicated show, with viewers in more than 130 countries. Since then, the show has spawned its own digital channel, launched in 2001, and amassed interviews with such leading style icons as Karl Legerfeld, Betsey Johnson and the late Alexander McQueen.

http://arts.nationalpost.com

 

[Marc10]

Oh no, that's really sad news. Fashion Television is one my favorite shows in the world, always so informative and entertaining. Plus Jeanne Beker is a fantastic host. I'll definitely miss this.

 

[Jennika]

oh wow that is sad. I spent my teen years in the 90's waiting for every sunday night to watch FT and the fantastic model/designer profiles.

the show will be missed

 

[GERGIN]

I suspect the fashionistas or Toronto will walk the streets in black and bobcuts.

 

[Marc10]

The interview Jeanne did with McQueen in 97 is probably my favorite of all time.

 

[Chanelcouture09]

Sad news indeed, I loved how raw it could be at times, I look forward to seeing what she will be doing in the future, she made a great host for Fashion Television and whatever they do next I hope it isn't too polished or contrived, the DNA they had with the production was fantastic and informative, yet approachable.

 

[GERGIN]

It also really gave a lot of Canadian Designers and industry people a lot more awareness to people outside the Country.

 

[Scott]

oh jeanne beker....the last of a dying breed,really. as annoying and stalkerish her reporting tended to be ,she was an intrinsic part of my early interest in fashion. to be honest,i actually thought the show had already ended because vh1 simply stopped showing it here stateside. and given what happened to fashion file,videofashion,big boutique and the like,it seemed like it had become yet another victim of the internet age not to mention the rising interest in reality tv and makeover programs.

 

[alonsoJonathan]

ahhh it is really sad! this was a great network!

 

[breebee]

This actually makes me really upset! I loved the show and I love Jeanne, she's exactly what I'm going to school to be like... being a Torontonian, I think every fashion spot that I go near today will be upset when they find out the news.

 

[Phuel]

FT was an institution that deserves to rest now. I think it's served its purpose.

I think their concept, approach and presentation became overly mainstream and easy to digest for the casual and average fashion audience as they tend to favor flashiness and glitz over rawness, innovation and insightful stories. The high production-value was always very glossy and attractive, but there wasn't much insight or depth, if at all, ultimately, it was pure fluff. Jeanne Becker was the biggest a**-kisser in the industry-- either that, or she just faithfully loved and adored every designer...

Fashion File with Tim Blanks was one show that I really missed. It didn't have the glitzy and shiny high production value of FT, but it was extremely insightful, informative and the stories actually were stories-- and not just sound bites. And they always kept the original soundtrack from the show, unlike FT. Most importantly of all, Tim Blanks was an intelligent host who wasn't afraid to voice his opinions about the most powerful design houses and their designers. I learned from Fashion File. Glad Tim's moved on to bigger and better things.

 

[leblue15]

Fashion File with Tim Blanks was one show that I really missed. It didn't have the glitzy and shiny high production value of FT, but it was extremely insightful, informative and the stories actually were stories-- and not just sound bites. And they always kept the original soundtrack from the show, unlike FT. Most importantly of all, Tim Blanks was an intelligent host who wasn't afraid to voice his opinions about the most powerful design houses and their designers. I learned from Fashion File. Glad Tim's moved on to bigger and better things.

Fashion File was a fave o mine too! very informative like you say.....Tim Blanks is the best, I really enjoyed his journalist style and his comentaries.

 

[Scott]

^please,tim blanks was not only my fashion teacher but he was also my english teacher it's where i first heard the term "coquettish"

 

[Phuel]

^^^LOL. Absolutely!

It's unfortunate fluff like FT became this international summation to many of what fashion and the fashion industry is all about. They favored the superficiality over anything substantial-- so designers like Rei, Jil, Helmut and Anne were never given any notice since their aesthetic would not appeal to the mainstream viewers who's attitude was that Victoria Secret models were all true supermodels, and only conventionally mainstream designers like Marc, Karl, Dolce and Versace were true designers on this show, and everyone in fashion is like some caricature in The Devil Wears Prada. I hated their one-dimensional presentation of fashion: It was all very fashion 101.

Fashion File and Tim Blanks was the opposite of that. I still remember when Tim reviewed that Galliano had become some Seigfried & Roy caricature who's designs for Dior Haute Couture was the equivalent of someone having to much rich desserts and thus, suffering from indigestion: Truer words had never been spoken. Tim has balls, and he has such a way with words. His extremely observant reviews and intelligent opinions of the industry is so sharp, fresh and brutally on-point honest, without ever denigrating into cattiness. His is a journalistic approach to fashion reporting. Tim Blanks and Fashion File was the antithesis of FT and Jeanne Becker.

Thank the fashion gods for Fashion File and Tim Blanks. FT and Jeanne Becker's harmless fun and fluff will not be missed.

 

[Deleted member 1957]

am confused is it the same FTV that has F vodka and all that other annoying merchandise?

 

[Phuel]

^^^No, this is "FT": http://www.fashiontelevision.com/ from Canada.

FTV-- or "Fashion TV" is an entirely different conglomerate-- but same idea.

 

[Liya]

This makes me sad. I love FT

 

[kokobombon]

^^^No, this is "FT": http://www.fashiontelevision.com/ from Canada.

FTV-- or "Fashion TV" is an entirely different conglomerate-- but same idea.

in the 90s FTV broadcasted in my country and Fashion File with Tim Blanks was a segment, I don´t know how that came to be but I loved it.

 

[Scott]

well because tim left for a gig at flare magazine and thus has been writing for style.com,of late. apparently,CBC was having some financial issues with fashion file which is why it was ultimately cancelled in 2009. i did not like the format FF evolved into after tim's departure.....there were no interviews,there was no in-depth analysis....mostly just highlights that emphasised the same ol,same ol...unlike tim's approach in that he covered a lot of the lesser knowns as well.

but yeah fashiontelevision was simply as such and definitely a separate entity....FTV is fashion tv and is more of a network than a mere programme.

but i agree with you phuel,jeanne,as mean as it sounds,was rather cheesy.....she certainly was no elsa klensch in her interviewing style.....a lot of designers did not like talking to her all that much because she was pretty brash. she was really the real-life equivalent of kim basinger's character kitty potter in 'pret-a-porter'.

 

[happycanadian]

i always loved watching FT as well. and that theme music is iconic. here's a clip of the opening from the early 90s