Street Cents
Encyclopedia
Street Cents is a teen-themed newsmagazine
TV series that originally aired on CBC Television
between 1989 and 2006. It was one of a few shows focused on consumer and media awareness for young people. The series was created by producer John Nowlan. He cites Britain's Pocket Money as one of the inspirations for Street Cents. The show has won several Gemini Award
s and even an International Emmy for Best Youth Programming or Series. The series was lauded by critics for its efforts to be inclusive and representative of Canada's youth.
Like CBC's Marketplace
, the show aired without commercial interruption, because the producers did not want the bias of advertising revenue to affect the potential criticism of the advertisers' products and/or services. The show promoted safety and ethics and action while empowering young people.
In August 2006, the network airing Street Cents, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
, decided to cancel the series as its target demographic, teens and preteens, have shown a decline of viewership. The constant moving of its time slot and the fact it produced no commercial revenue did not help. The last episode aired October 1, 2006 leaving CBC-TV with no programs aimed at young people.
and Chris Lydon-- Jonathan Torrens
replaced Lydon later in in Season 1) and a sneaky salesman named Ken Pompadour (played by Brian Heighton) and various pigs and hedgehogs named after coins. Season 1 featured a pink pig named Penny, Season 2 had a pink and black pig named Nickel and Season 3, a pot-bellied pig called Moui (Vietnamese for 'dime') and then hedgehogs One-Bit & Two-Bit.
Ken was a weak-willed lackey for the "evil" corporation BuyCo, which always sold inferior, overpriced and shoddy products, and marketed how great their products were in a stereotypical parody fashion. Every week, Ken would try and sell the viewers and hosts BuyCo products and every week the hosts would foil his scheme. Eventually, Ken's boss (whose face was never seen but was secretly played by host Jamie Bradley) died over Aruba
, and Ken got promoted to the head of BuyCo. As boss, Ken's image changed completely, as he was cool, wore all black leather (including pants), had a goatee
, and always was able to snap his hand to reveal an item for dramatic effect. He also had his own team of lackeys or "yes men". Since Brian Heighton left the show, the BuyCo storyline completely disappeared, and the show became less story oriented.
Jamie Bradley left the show in 1994 as host and was replaced by Anna Dirksen but made cameo appearances for several years after.
Newsmagazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published piece of paper, magazine or a radio or television program, usually weekly, featuring articles or segments on current events...
TV series that originally aired on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
between 1989 and 2006. It was one of a few shows focused on consumer and media awareness for young people. The series was created by producer John Nowlan. He cites Britain's Pocket Money as one of the inspirations for Street Cents. The show has won several Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
s and even an International Emmy for Best Youth Programming or Series. The series was lauded by critics for its efforts to be inclusive and representative of Canada's youth.
Like CBC's Marketplace
Marketplace (TV series)
Marketplace is a Canadian television series, broadcast on CBC Television. Launched in 1972, the series is a consumer advocacy newsmagazine, which shows investigative reports on issues such as product testing, health and safety, fraudulent business practices and other news issues of interest to...
, the show aired without commercial interruption, because the producers did not want the bias of advertising revenue to affect the potential criticism of the advertisers' products and/or services. The show promoted safety and ethics and action while empowering young people.
In August 2006, the network airing Street Cents, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, decided to cancel the series as its target demographic, teens and preteens, have shown a decline of viewership. The constant moving of its time slot and the fact it produced no commercial revenue did not help. The last episode aired October 1, 2006 leaving CBC-TV with no programs aimed at young people.
Pilot
In 1988, CBC Halifax created a pilot for the show that would become Street Cents. The working title for the program was Money Penny.Seasons 1-8
Originally, there were 3 hosts (Jamie Bradley, Benita HaBenita Ha
Benita Ha is a Chinese Canadian actress. She is best known in Canada for her appearance in the television show Street Cents. Her most recent appearance is in the film Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins. She also appeared in Smallville, X-Men: The Last Stand, Psych, Paycheck, Catwoman, and Flight 93...
and Chris Lydon-- Jonathan Torrens
Jonathan Torrens
Jonathan Ormond Torrens is a Canadian actor and television personality best known for his co-hosting of Street Cents, his talk show Jonovision, and his role as "J-Roc" in the popular Canadian mockumentary Trailer Park Boys...
replaced Lydon later in in Season 1) and a sneaky salesman named Ken Pompadour (played by Brian Heighton) and various pigs and hedgehogs named after coins. Season 1 featured a pink pig named Penny, Season 2 had a pink and black pig named Nickel and Season 3, a pot-bellied pig called Moui (Vietnamese for 'dime') and then hedgehogs One-Bit & Two-Bit.
Ken was a weak-willed lackey for the "evil" corporation BuyCo, which always sold inferior, overpriced and shoddy products, and marketed how great their products were in a stereotypical parody fashion. Every week, Ken would try and sell the viewers and hosts BuyCo products and every week the hosts would foil his scheme. Eventually, Ken's boss (whose face was never seen but was secretly played by host Jamie Bradley) died over Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, and Ken got promoted to the head of BuyCo. As boss, Ken's image changed completely, as he was cool, wore all black leather (including pants), had a goatee
Goatee
Goatee refers to a style of facial hair incorporating hair on a man’s chin. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture.Traditionally, goatee refers solely to a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin...
, and always was able to snap his hand to reveal an item for dramatic effect. He also had his own team of lackeys or "yes men". Since Brian Heighton left the show, the BuyCo storyline completely disappeared, and the show became less story oriented.
Jamie Bradley left the show in 1994 as host and was replaced by Anna Dirksen but made cameo appearances for several years after.
Seasons 9-17
By the ninth season, Street Cents took on a more news-magazine style while maintaining a focus on empowering young people to make their own educated decisions about the media and products they consume. Despite being based in Halifax, the show still maintained its efforts to include all of Canada in the segments it produces by featuring segments from across Canada in each episode. During the final few years, the show has also expanded by featuring segments on various teen issues such as divorce, interracial dating and eating disorders.Common segments
- What's your beef? (Viewers send letters, phone calls, and emails to be investigated by the hosts or a guest viewer.)
- Fit for the Pit (An inferior product, which the producers believe is not worth paying for, is dramatically tossed into a fiery pit inside the Street Cents studio.)
- Me Inc. (A profile about a teenage entrepreneur who works hard to create a niche business that benefits the teenager and is ethical.)
- Street Test (Real teenagers/children test out a variety of products blindly to see which one is the best. The most expensive and/or marketed is usually not the best, and is sometimes the worst.)
- Streeters (Person on the street interviews with adolescents/teenagers. Usually airs at the beginning and at the end of the show.)
Original cast
- Jamie Bradley as himself and the BuyCo Boss: Seasons 1, 3 & 5
- Benita HaBenita HaBenita Ha is a Chinese Canadian actress. She is best known in Canada for her appearance in the television show Street Cents. Her most recent appearance is in the film Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins. She also appeared in Smallville, X-Men: The Last Stand, Psych, Paycheck, Catwoman, and Flight 93...
as Benita - Brian Heighton as Ken Pompadour
- Chris Lydon
- Jonathan TorrensJonathan TorrensJonathan Ormond Torrens is a Canadian actor and television personality best known for his co-hosting of Street Cents, his talk show Jonovision, and his role as "J-Roc" in the popular Canadian mockumentary Trailer Park Boys...
as Jonathan
Past cast members
- Demore BarnesDemore BarnesDemore Barnes is a Canadian film and television actor who is best known for his role in the American television show, The Unit as Hector Williams aka Hammerhead....
- Rachael Clark
- Kim D'EonKim D'EonKimberley Jan "Kim" D'Eon is a Canadian television personality, currently senior entertainment reporter for Entertainment Tonight Canada.Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 27 August. D'Eon attended University of King's College, where she graduated with an honours degree in journalism...
- Anna Dirksen
- Andrew Bush
- Eli Goree
- Duane Hall
- Darryl KyteDarryl KyteDarryl Kyte is a lawyer, writer, producer and television personality in Canada. Kyte hosted the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's International Emmy and Gemini award winning show Street Cents and has worked as a journalist and producer for a number of other C.B.C...
- Tania Rudolph
- Michael Scholar, Jr.
- Connie WalkerConnie Walker (journalist)Connie Walker is a Canadian journalist.Walker grew up in the Okanese First Nation, in Saskatchewan.Walker was awarded a Joan Donaldson Newsworld Scholarship while studying at Saskatchewan Indian Federated College, which provided her with an opportunity to work as an intern for CBC Newsworld...
- Denise Wong
- Riva Di PaolaRiva Di PaolaRiva Di Paola is a Canadian actress.-Personal life:Born in Toronto, Canada to an Italian Father and Irish Mother, she attended High School at the Etobicoke School of the Arts with a major in theatre. She later studied at New York City's renowned Circle In The Square Theatre School on Broadway...