The CityLine Experience

Last updated on May 17th, 2021 at 11:00 pm

A couple of weeks ago, some friends had asked me what it was like being in the CityLine audience. I hadn’t really thought about it by then but spent some time afterwards putting it into words.

And here’s the result:

What do you get when you mix an audience that’s 94% female, free exercise balls and a connection to social media in only the loosest of ways?

For me, this was the April Fools’ Day episode of CityLine.

Suddenly, a Wild Opportunity Appeared!!!

When you put your goals out in the open, sometimes the universe will step in to help you out!

Back in January, I’d posted The 2013 100, a list of 100 goals I’d like to accomplish this year. One of them was #69: Help my Mom get tickets to CityLine and/or the Marilyn Denis show. When I wrote it, I didn’t think that it was realistic. There’s an online lottery system to get tickets to either show, and with the Greater Toronto Area’s population of more than 5 million, I figured the odds were slim.

Until a friend suddenly tweeted me this:

Clicking the link in question brought me to a proposition that piqued my interest:

Are you passionate about blogging? Social media obsessed? Constantly tweeting, uploading pics, or pinning that recipe or DIY project that you’re dying to try?

We’re looking for 5 fantastic food or DIY bloggers/social media junkies to be a part of our studio audience, here in Toronto, on March 25. If you want to be part of the fun, please email submissions@cityline.ca with the following information:

Email us your name, your blog URL/social media account links, and why we should pick you to be in our audience! Please also include a contact email address and phone number, as well as the name of the lucky guest (must be 18+) you’d like to bring along with you. Be sure to specify ”March 25 show” in the subject line.

Good luck and we hope to see you soon!

Now if you haven’t guessed from this blog, I like to write. I’ve been fortunate enough to have started writing (successful) grant applications for youth centres at the age of 12, so I’ve approached making proposals the same way for almost 20 years—some fact, some funny, but always compelling. This is what I came up with:

I’ve been deep into social media for a few years now, with no signs of stopping. I eat, breathe and sleep social media, finding ways to keep active in between the rigours of my day job, side projects and maintaining a healthy marriage. My life wouldn’t be the same without social media, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m energetic, enthusiastic and always willing to try new things. I’d be a great addition to your audience. Promise.

…and it worked! With the tickets locked down, I got to make one of the Mom’s dreams come true, and I can’t lie—that feels pretty good! With an outfit picked out and my Mom ready for her television début, CityLine was in our sights!

The CityLine Experience

The CityLine experience was a… bizarre one. They had the foodies covered—Jason Parsons was there to teach us about some fresh meals to make for the spring; Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault and Janette Ewen’s tips on what goes in a handyperson’s toolbox covered the do-it-yourself crowd… but where did the social media junkies fit in?

The only signs of social media at the taping where the tweeps I’ve gotten to know over the years (and some new ones!), and the Twitter handles they added to guests’ names when they were on-screen. My Mom enjoyed it thoroughly, getting to meet Tracy Moore, and she’s always a fan of freebies (when I still lived at home and my Dad and I took the same route downtown, if my Dad brought home a freebie and I didn’t, I’d be in trouble!)—but social media’s about more than just a Twitter shout-out and letting them join an audience for a taping.

The people I’ve met who’ve really made social media part of their lives want to work with brands. We want to know the ins and outs of what brands do, and how to communicate what we’ve learned in interesting ways. Free stuff is nice. Doing things that others might not easily access is nice. But inviting people who get social media presents an opportunity that brands sometimes fail to recognize. We want to tell your story. We want to introduce you to our audience.

All you need to do is ask.

Look Under Your Seat, Folks!!!

Free Greek yoghurt (given to a co-worker), exercise ball (given to our tenants) and copy of This is 40 in hand, I’m still glad I got to experience being part of a TV studio audience—I always dreamed of being on Oprah, but you know what?

This is a start.

’til next time,