Hallmark Dropping Martha Stewart

[reallyhateskateonlost]

First Oprah Winfrey, now Martha Stewart. The domestic diva's daytime talk program, "The Martha Stewart Show," will end this spring, according to a story in today's New York Post, because of low ratings on the Hallmark Channel, where it has been airing for two seasons after leaving syndication in 2010. Viewership for the show was never all that strong, but it declined after the move to cable. Still, Hallmark rebranded its daytime with a number of Stewart-backed shows, pushing its identity toward lifestyle, food and home at a time when recession-battered viewers were nesting and looking for comfort. Neither Hallmark nor Martha Stewart Living confirmed the Post's assertion that "Martha" has been canceled, saying that the show would be running through September. The Post claims "Martha" will go into repeats after airing a series finale in April. Stewart would be the latest in a series of high-profile daytime exits. Winfrey left the air last May, and Regis Philbin recently ended his run on "Live! With Regis and Kelly."

[DRW50]

I've always felt a little sorry for Martha Stewart, and genuinely enjoyed her syndicated talk show. The few times I saw her Hallmark show it wasn't the same - too hollow and strangely sycophantic.

As for the Golden Girls, I only liked the first few seasons.

[KMan101]

I don't think it ever should have been on Hallmark Channel. They have a very specific type of audience, IMO, and Martha was better suited for Lifetime, or WEtv, or they should have just stayed in syndication. It wasn't doing horribly.

[quartermainefan]

Felt sorry for her??? The woman is said to be a true horror show and a nightmare to her employees. And while she did get railroaded a little, she did partake of insider trading. Every share she sold because she knew the stock would tank the next day means there was some unwitting dupe buying that share who wound up taking a bath.

[DRW50]

I just feel like she's always gotten a lot of crap for things many other people would get away with.

[soapfan770]

Martha is now over 70 she deserves a nice retirement.

Carl's right, Martha's been given a bad rap over the past years. Hugely successful, hard-driven, talented businesswoman=HATE.