Speakers Corner (TV series)

The show was an example of Citytv founder Moses Znaimer's philosophy of interactive broadcasting,[1] and essentially created what some 21st-century media outlets would retroactively label as a precursor to YouTube.

The then-unknown Barenaked Ladies received their first widespread publicity, prior to the release of The Yellow Tape, by performing their future hit single "Be My Yoko Ono" in the Speakers Corner booth before a live show at The Rivoli in early 1991.

[6] Musician Jesse Labelle also received his first significant break as a result of Speakers Corner, being invited to join FeFe Dobson's band after his performance in the booth was broadcast.

In later years, street entertainer Zanta used both Speakers Corner and performances outside the streetfront studio of Citytv's Breakfast Television as a springboard to local notoriety.

[9] The Devil's Advocates, a comedy duo who presented themselves as devil-horned spokesmen for Satan, became a staple of the program with a recurring routine in which they responded to and satirized other Speakers Corner clips that had aired in the previous week.

[1] The Devil's Advocates, Second City alumni Albert Howell and Andrew Currie, became so popular that at least one special episode of the series was devoted entirely to their clips.

[1] For part of their stint on the series, Harry, a senior citizen who disliked their style of comedy, would regularly record videos criticizing them, which turned into an ongoing war of words between him and the Advocates.

[14] Rogers revived Speakers Corner in a digital format on March 26, 2014, as a one-night only opportunity for voters to comment and offer feedback on that day's candidates' debate in the 2014 Toronto mayoral election.

[14] As of 2020, the Speakers Corner brand serves as an extension of CityNews broadcasts, but largely consists of a reporter asking questions of people on the street rather than self-recorded videos.

Any member of the general public could enter a Speakers Corner booth, deposit a coin (normally one dollar), then record a short video segment on any topic.