Marketplace

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 product and service consumers.

The program was influential in the banning of urea formaldehyde foam insulation and lawn darts in Canada, the legislation of warnings on exploding pop bottles, successful prosecution of retailers for false advertising, new standards for bottled water and drinking fountains, new regulations to make children’s sleepwear less flammable, and the implementation of safer designs for children’s cribs.

Marketplace was originally hosted by Joan Watson and George Finstad. Other hosts have included Bill Paul, Harry Brown, Norma Kent, Jacquie Perrin, Christine Johnson, Jim Nunn and Wendy Mesley. The program’s current hosts are Tom Harrington and Erica Johnson.

Early seasons of the series had a theme song, “The Consumer”, which was written and performed by Stompin’ Tom Connors. For several years, every episode would begin with Connors singing the song, which became a hit.