Winnipeg, Manitoba – Shaw TV subscribers in the Greater Winnipeg area will soon be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of classic and special interest cars on The Carport, a new 30-minute weekly program that debuts this Sunday, May 9, 2010.
Host Michael Clark, who has appeared in both national and local publications, takes viewers on a unique tour of the car hobby in Manitoba. “New vehicles and industry news are still very much a part of my day-to-day,” said Clark, a journalist member and director of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and co-host of The Roadtrip on CJOB 680 AM Radio in Winnipeg. “My passion has always been classic and special interest vehicles, and the stories that go along with them.”
While many classic and special interest car programs have come and gone, Clark is confident that The Carport will easily exceed its initial 26-week run. “Manitoba boasts one of the highest concentrations of car enthusiasts in North America,” said Clark, who has owned over 40 vehicles in his 41 years. “Many of these restoration artists are self-taught, with work that could gleam just as easily in car culture capitals like California.” Special features include ‘Junk or Jewel’, an analysis which determines if a feature vehicle is a sensible choice for restoration. Performance improvements will be presented for vintage and late model vehicles. Even barn finds will have a home on The Carport.
The Carport originated in 2009, with short segments of classic car stories that were inserted into Shaw coverage of community events throughout the province. The 30-minute version will air every Sunday, with dedicated time slots. (View the programming schedule online at start.shaw.ca/Start/enCA/Local+Content/Manitoba/Winnipeg/.)
In related news, The Roadtrip with Kelly Taylor and Michael Clark has expanded on its weekly radio coverage, with an online video presence at iTV Winnipeg. The Roadtrip on iTV debuted May 1st, 2010, with its review of the 2010 Mazda CX-9. Each week, The Roadtrip team will review the latest vehicles, from Acura to Volvo. (Segments can be viewed online at itvwinnipeg.com.)
For Clark, the transition to television, radio, and web-based video makes perfect sense. “The automobile is forever in motion, even when it’s standing still,” he said. “These mediums will present the passion that occurs within me every time I engage a starter.”
