The Martha Stewart Show, which had been airing on the Hallmark Channel since Sept. 2010 (and before that on syndication), has been cancelled by due to low ratings, reports the New York Post. How low? The show attracted 225,000 viewers last year; of those, only 41,000 in its key demographic: females aged 25-54. The news marks a major blow to the identity of Stewart's already-fragile media conglomerate Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, as it leaves the brand without its admittedly expensive-to-produce flagship. That's not to say there won't be more Martha antics on the airwaves in the future, though: The Hallmark Channel is seeing where else, and on what other shows, they can stick the godmother of homemaking.
To add insult to injury, Home Depot has marked down Martha's signature paints—they're gearing up to abandon the Martha Stewart-branded products in favor of Glidden paints mixed to a " Martha Stewart Living color palette." (Fear not, DIYers: colors such as "Darkening Sky" and "Crème Brûlée" may still be available, albeit with a different label slapped on the can.) In short, this has not been a good start to 2012 for the decorating diva, who has long dominated the airwaves. Thankfully, the Martha TV people are planning an extravagant Oprah-style send-off for the final show (airing in April), so at least she'll have the chance to throw one last party.
· Martha losing show, Home Depot dumps paint [New York Post]
· All Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia coverage [Curbed National]
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