Call for Help (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Call for Help, also known as CFH, was a computer
-themed television program
that first aired exclusively on TechTV
(formerly ZDTV), a cable
and satellite
television network
focused on technology, and then aired on G4techTV Canada
and the HOW TO Channel
in Australia. The final taped episode aired on February 26, 2007, but because the episodes were taped out of order, a number of other episodes taped during the same shooting week aired through April 6, 2007. A spin-off called The Lab with Leo Laporte
aired much of the same content as Call for Help and ran on the same networks. The Lab was canceled about one year later due to low viewer ratings and the final episode aired in August 2008.
, the show premiered on May 11, 1998 with Leo Laporte
as host
. The show's very first caller (by accident) was Laporte's mother. He functioned as a technical advisor to viewers experiencing difficulties with their personal computers (or "personal confusers", as Laporte jocularly referred to them). Such individuals were encouraged to contact the show via e-mail
, telephone
or webcam
, with telephone/webcam users serving as on-air participants. Laporte also welcomed in-studio guests (including Martin Sargent
, Roger Chang
, Brett Larson
, Hahn Choi and others), who expertly highlighted and reviewed various technology products with a novice perspective in mind.
In 2001, Laporte decided to focus solely on another TechTV program, The Screen Savers
, and Becky Worley
became the lead Call for Help host (briefly joined by Scott Herriott
as co-host). Later that year, Chris Pirillo
took over the lead hosting duties, with Cat Schwartz
, Morgan Webb
, and TechLive correspondent Laura Burstein serving as rotating co-hosts. In 2003, Pirillo left TechTV for publicly unspecified reasons, and Laporte returned as lead host alongside Cat Schwartz. Morgan Webb left her CFH co-hosting duties (and her other show, The Screen Savers) to co-host TechTV's X-Play
.
Call for Help performed an annual "Call-for-Help-a-Thon" on December 26, 2002. The live telecast lasted eighteen hours in 2002, and twelve in 2003, during which viewers with questions pertaining to new technology gift
s called in.
In December 2003, the original animated cartoon opening and theme music were replaced with a new live-action sequence, featuring Laporte and Schwartz, and a different song. A new version of the show's logo was introduced.
In May 2004, TechTV and G4
merged to form G4techTV
. Call for Help, despite being the network's second-highest rated
show (ranked just below X-Play
in viewership), did not appeal to the combined channel's target demographic in the opinion of G4 executives, and was cancelled immediately. The final United States
edition of Call for Help, taped two days prior, aired on May 21, 2004.
, one of the three owners of G4techTV Canada at that time, expressed interest in reviving the program as a Canadian
production, and licensed from G4 Media
the rights to the Call for Help name and format, along with the 1998–2003 music and graphics. Taped in Toronto, Ontario
, a new version of Call for Help made its G4techTV Canada debut on August 16, 2004, and quickly became the channel's highest rated series. Leo Laporte, who regularly commuted
by air from his residence in Sonoma County, California
, served as lead host, with co-hosts Andy Walker and Monica Litonjua, who was replaced by Amber MacArthur
in 2004. The program followed the same basic formula as the original, but was pre-recorded instead of airing live. Nonetheless, the viewer participation element remained, and a large number of United States residents continued to call and e-mail (despite the fact that no US channels carried the program).
As well as the regular series there have been a number of specials showcasing clips and original segments on specific topics: Web Gems focused on tips and tricks on navigating the Internet
, along with new developments online; Super Software showed viewers how to use certain programs. Digital Lifestyle illustrated the connection between technology and everyday life and lessons on do-it-yourself projects; My Media focused on the multimedia aspects of technology; More Gadgets showed all the latest in "tech toys"; and Tech To Go showcased technology that can be used on-the-go.
In September 2004, Litonjua, who had retained her position in the promotions department of the Rogers-owned Omni Television
, decided that her schedule was too hectic, and resigned as co-host. Filling the vacancy was Amber MacArthur, who previously contributed the show's "Web Workshop" segments. On March 7, 2005, Call for Help was made available in Australia
on the HOW TO Channel. The U.S.-made Call for Help series was screened in Australia on Foxtel's TechTV channel until the end of 2004. On June 9, 2005, the original animated cartoon opening and theme music were retired once again. A new opening sequence,featuring Laporte, MacArthur and Walker, and a different song were introduced, as was a radically redesigned logo (sometimes featuring Laporte's name). On August 29, 2005, following months of public outcry, G4, which as part of its licensing agreement with Rogers Media, held the right of first refusal
, began airing the show in the United States. The program started out airing at 11am ET Monday-Friday. However, in December 2005, G4 "shelved" Call for Help indefinitely, meaning that the show was acknowledged in the network's programming lineup, but not actually scheduled to air. This happened a month after G4 moved the show to its earliest and least-viewed time slot, 9am ET weekdays. On December 17, 2005, Leo Laporte announced on his KFI Los Angeles radio show that G4 was dropping Call for Help from its lineup at the end of 2005.
On January 3, 2006, Call for Help aired for the final time on G4. On August 31, 2005, Andy Walker announced on his official blog that he was leaving the show, citing an unsatisfactory pay cut in his proposed contract renewal. He was not replaced with a new co-host, and the number of guests and viewer calls was increased. On June 13, 2006, Rogers began offering Call for Help for 99 cents per episode via Google Video
. The offer is only available to United States residents. At launch, only a select few episodes are available; however, Rogers plans to roll out all episodes of the show over time, including all new episodes. On August 28, 2006, nearly one year since Andy Walker's departure, co-host Amber MacArthur announced on her blog that she would be leaving Call for Help to work at the Canadian network Citytv
. Her final episodes aired in early November 2006. Cali Lewis was the temporary co-host for most of the remaining episodes. In April 2007, the final Call for Help episode, number 500, aired on G4techTV Canada and the HOW TO Channel, the new episodes for The Lab with Leo Laporte
began airing on April 23, 2007. January 2007, MoboVivo started offering each episode for download for iPods and other portable devices, including new episodes starting in January 2007.
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
-themed television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
that first aired exclusively on TechTV
TechTV
TechTV was a 24-hour cable and satellite channel based in San Francisco featuring news and shows about computers, technology, and the Internet. In 2004, it merged with the G4 gaming channel which ultimately dissolved TechTV programming...
(formerly ZDTV), a cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and satellite
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
focused on technology, and then aired on G4techTV Canada
G4techTV Canada
G4 Canada is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Rogers Media. The name is licensed from NBCUniversal, who formerly owned a stake in the channel...
and the HOW TO Channel
HOW TO Channel
HOW TO Channel was an Australian cable and satellite television channel. It was carried on the Foxtel Digital, Optus TV featuring Foxtel Digital and Austar Digital platforms. It was owned by Premier Media Group, a 50/50 joint venture of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited and News Corporation.The...
in Australia. The final taped episode aired on February 26, 2007, but because the episodes were taped out of order, a number of other episodes taped during the same shooting week aired through April 6, 2007. A spin-off called The Lab with Leo Laporte
The Lab with Leo Laporte
The Lab with Leo Laporte was a technology-based television program hosted by Leo Laporte. Episode #1 debuted on April 23, 2007 on G4techTV Canada and HOW TO Channel Australia. The program was produced by Greedy Productions in Vancouver, BC. Production was overseen by the show's producer, Matt...
aired much of the same content as Call for Help and ran on the same networks. The Lab was canceled about one year later due to low viewer ratings and the final episode aired in August 2008.
United States
Broadcast live from San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, the show premiered on May 11, 1998 with Leo Laporte
Leo Laporte
Léo Gordon Laporte is an Emmy Award winning, American technology broadcaster, author, and entrepreneur. A former resident of Providence, Rhode Island, he now lives in Petaluma, California with his wife Jennifer and two children, Abby and Henry....
as host
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
. The show's very first caller (by accident) was Laporte's mother. He functioned as a technical advisor to viewers experiencing difficulties with their personal computers (or "personal confusers", as Laporte jocularly referred to them). Such individuals were encouraged to contact the show via e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
or webcam
Webcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
, with telephone/webcam users serving as on-air participants. Laporte also welcomed in-studio guests (including Martin Sargent
Martin Sargent
Martin Paul Sargent is an American television personality and was co-host of the This WEEK in FUN podcast with Sarah Lane...
, Roger Chang
Roger Chang
Roger Chang is a computer enthusiast and American television personality most notably known from his time as a segment producer and appearances on TechTV's Call for Help and The Screen Savers. He is currently a senior producer at Revision3.-Early life:Chang attended Thomas Downey High School in...
, Brett Larson
Brett Larson
Brett Larson is an Emmy Award winning reporter. His career has covered all aspects of broadcast: radio, television and internet. He used to be anchoring radio news at, 1010 WINS in New York, and can be heard on the Fox News Radio Network across the United States...
, Hahn Choi and others), who expertly highlighted and reviewed various technology products with a novice perspective in mind.
In 2001, Laporte decided to focus solely on another TechTV program, The Screen Savers
The Screen Savers
The Screen Savers was a live American TV show on TechTV. The show launched concurrently with the channel ZDTV on May 11, 1998. The Screen Savers originally centered around computers, new technologies, and their adaptations in the world...
, and Becky Worley
Becky Worley
Becky Worley is an American journalist and broadcaster. She is the tech contributor for Good Morning America on ABC, host and blogger for a web show on Yahoo! Tech.-Personal life:...
became the lead Call for Help host (briefly joined by Scott Herriott
Scott Herriott
Scott "Squatch'" Herriott is an American documentarian, comedian, and Bigfoot hunter.He obtained a degree in religious studies at Cal State Northridge and studied at the University of Leeds in England....
as co-host). Later that year, Chris Pirillo
Chris Pirillo
Christopher Joseph Pirillo is the founder and maintainer of Lockergnome, which is a network of blogs, web forums, mailing lists, and online communities. He spent two years hosting the TechTV television program Call for Help, where he also hosted the first annual Call-for-Help-a-Thon...
took over the lead hosting duties, with Cat Schwartz
Catherine Schwartz
Catherine Michelle Schwartz is an American television personality perhaps best known for her former role as co-host on the TechTV television program Call for Help with Leo Laporte.-Early years:...
, Morgan Webb
Morgan Webb
Morgan Ailis Webb is a co-host and senior segment producer of the G4 show X-Play, and host of the show G4 Underground...
, and TechLive correspondent Laura Burstein serving as rotating co-hosts. In 2003, Pirillo left TechTV for publicly unspecified reasons, and Laporte returned as lead host alongside Cat Schwartz. Morgan Webb left her CFH co-hosting duties (and her other show, The Screen Savers) to co-host TechTV's X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
.
Call for Help performed an annual "Call-for-Help-a-Thon" on December 26, 2002. The live telecast lasted eighteen hours in 2002, and twelve in 2003, during which viewers with questions pertaining to new technology gift
Gift
A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to...
s called in.
In December 2003, the original animated cartoon opening and theme music were replaced with a new live-action sequence, featuring Laporte and Schwartz, and a different song. A new version of the show's logo was introduced.
In May 2004, TechTV and G4
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
merged to form G4techTV
G4techTV
G4techTV was a cable and satellite channel resulting from a merger between Comcast-owned G4 and TechTV. The headquarters is based in Los Angeles...
. Call for Help, despite being the network's second-highest rated
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
show (ranked just below X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
in viewership), did not appeal to the combined channel's target demographic in the opinion of G4 executives, and was cancelled immediately. The final United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
edition of Call for Help, taped two days prior, aired on May 21, 2004.
Canada
A short time after the cancellation, Rogers MediaRogers Media
Rogers Media Inc is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., which owns Canada's largest publishing company, Rogers Publishing Limited, which has more than 70 consumer and business publications. Rogers Media Inc...
, one of the three owners of G4techTV Canada at that time, expressed interest in reviving the program as a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
production, and licensed from G4 Media
G4 Media
G4 Media, Inc. is the parent company of G4, a 24-hour cable and satellite channel originally dedicated to video games. NBCUniversal holds a controlling interest in G4 Media, with Dish Network holding a minority interest of approximately 12%...
the rights to the Call for Help name and format, along with the 1998–2003 music and graphics. Taped in Toronto, Ontario
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, a new version of Call for Help made its G4techTV Canada debut on August 16, 2004, and quickly became the channel's highest rated series. Leo Laporte, who regularly commuted
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
by air from his residence in Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, served as lead host, with co-hosts Andy Walker and Monica Litonjua, who was replaced by Amber MacArthur
Amber MacArthur
Amber Dawn MacArthur is a Canadian television and netcasting personality. MacArthur is currently the co-host of BNN's App Central....
in 2004. The program followed the same basic formula as the original, but was pre-recorded instead of airing live. Nonetheless, the viewer participation element remained, and a large number of United States residents continued to call and e-mail (despite the fact that no US channels carried the program).
As well as the regular series there have been a number of specials showcasing clips and original segments on specific topics: Web Gems focused on tips and tricks on navigating the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, along with new developments online; Super Software showed viewers how to use certain programs. Digital Lifestyle illustrated the connection between technology and everyday life and lessons on do-it-yourself projects; My Media focused on the multimedia aspects of technology; More Gadgets showed all the latest in "tech toys"; and Tech To Go showcased technology that can be used on-the-go.
In September 2004, Litonjua, who had retained her position in the promotions department of the Rogers-owned Omni Television
OMNI Television
Omni Television, corporately styled as OMNI Television, is a Canadian television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications. It consists of the company's conventional television stations in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta which are licensed as multicultural stations...
, decided that her schedule was too hectic, and resigned as co-host. Filling the vacancy was Amber MacArthur, who previously contributed the show's "Web Workshop" segments. On March 7, 2005, Call for Help was made available in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on the HOW TO Channel. The U.S.-made Call for Help series was screened in Australia on Foxtel's TechTV channel until the end of 2004. On June 9, 2005, the original animated cartoon opening and theme music were retired once again. A new opening sequence,featuring Laporte, MacArthur and Walker, and a different song were introduced, as was a radically redesigned logo (sometimes featuring Laporte's name). On August 29, 2005, following months of public outcry, G4, which as part of its licensing agreement with Rogers Media, held the right of first refusal
Right of first refusal
Right of first refusal is a contractual right that gives its holder the option to enter a business transaction with the owner of something, according to specified terms, before the owner is entitled to enter into that transaction with a third party...
, began airing the show in the United States. The program started out airing at 11am ET Monday-Friday. However, in December 2005, G4 "shelved" Call for Help indefinitely, meaning that the show was acknowledged in the network's programming lineup, but not actually scheduled to air. This happened a month after G4 moved the show to its earliest and least-viewed time slot, 9am ET weekdays. On December 17, 2005, Leo Laporte announced on his KFI Los Angeles radio show that G4 was dropping Call for Help from its lineup at the end of 2005.
On January 3, 2006, Call for Help aired for the final time on G4. On August 31, 2005, Andy Walker announced on his official blog that he was leaving the show, citing an unsatisfactory pay cut in his proposed contract renewal. He was not replaced with a new co-host, and the number of guests and viewer calls was increased. On June 13, 2006, Rogers began offering Call for Help for 99 cents per episode via Google Video
Google Video
Google Videos is a video search engine, and formerly a free video sharing website, from Google Inc. Before removing user-uploaded content, the service allowed selected videos to be remotely embedded on other websites and provided the necessary HTML code alongside the media, similar to YouTube...
. The offer is only available to United States residents. At launch, only a select few episodes are available; however, Rogers plans to roll out all episodes of the show over time, including all new episodes. On August 28, 2006, nearly one year since Andy Walker's departure, co-host Amber MacArthur announced on her blog that she would be leaving Call for Help to work at the Canadian network Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
. Her final episodes aired in early November 2006. Cali Lewis was the temporary co-host for most of the remaining episodes. In April 2007, the final Call for Help episode, number 500, aired on G4techTV Canada and the HOW TO Channel, the new episodes for The Lab with Leo Laporte
The Lab with Leo Laporte
The Lab with Leo Laporte was a technology-based television program hosted by Leo Laporte. Episode #1 debuted on April 23, 2007 on G4techTV Canada and HOW TO Channel Australia. The program was produced by Greedy Productions in Vancouver, BC. Production was overseen by the show's producer, Matt...
began airing on April 23, 2007. January 2007, MoboVivo started offering each episode for download for iPods and other portable devices, including new episodes starting in January 2007.