DIY Network

What People Are Saying About DIY ....

The Kansas City Star
April 26, 2005, Tuesday 1 Edition

HEADLINE: Plug away! (unless you're on DIY Network)

"The next time you hear Ty Pennington extol the virtues of Sears appliances on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," just remember: Someone paid for that plug. Given the show's ratings, someone paid a lot for that plug.

Now imagine how much money they'd be counting over at the DIY Network, an entire 24/7 cable channel devoted to home makeovers. In January I was at a presentation DIY put on to promote "Home Theater Workshop," a new series in which Corey Greenberg, the tech expert on the "Today" show, talked while we watched a guy build a hi-def TV experience in his home.

Talk about a chance to sell home-theater systems! The product-placement possibilities seemed endless. And that's all TV is these days -- every minute of airtime for sale, even during the show, right?

Well, not at DIY ....

Copley News Service
April 24, 2005, Sunday

HEADLINE: Spring cleaning tips to make home sparkle

Q: My sister and I are both big do-it-yourselfers. We organize, make repairs and renovate constantly. We're always looking for more sources of ideas and information. Can you suggest some good Web sites we can use as references?

A: The Web site for TV's DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com) is a great source of step-by-step instructions. There are more than 15,000 projects archived there, detailing what has been shown on the TV shows. On demand video is also available through the site. You can find information on home building, home improvement, automotive and boating, crafts, gardening, living and woodworking. Consider subscribing to the e-mail newsletter to get updates on the latest do-it-yourself projects and resources, as well as news about upcoming DIY programs and sweepstakes.

The San Francisco Chronicle
April 9, 2005, Saturday FINAL EDITION

HEADLINE: He's definitely on a roll

"Steve Bull hasn't yet persuaded basic cable to adopt the DIY Network, so his new show, "Fresh Coat," is shown in the Bay Area only via satellite or, in some communities, expanded cable.

It's a pity, because the episodes are all shot in Northern California and offer more than the proverbial watching of the paint drying. A screener from the network, "European Suite," showed Bull entering a boring, white bedroom, noting, "It's like a waiting room. ...We need to get some color in here," and then going to work on a $150 budget to transform the room and its furniture.

There's no "Trading Spaces" style "reveal" at the end because the homeowners work alongside Bull, who also has taught classes in faux painting techniques. Tips apparently rate higher than drama on DIY."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
April 4, 2005, Monday Home Edition

HEADLINE: LIVE (almost)! FROM THE GARDEN . . .;
Growing kind of reality show taps talent cultivated in metro area

"Garden Sense" --- among a half-dozen national series hosted by Atlantans --- targets viewers unlike those who marvel at expensive landscape makeovers. There will always be an audience for breathtaking gardens, but DIY's niche is a growing group of putterers who know a thing or two about gardening but are hungry for solutions to specific problems."

Fresno Bee (California)
March 20, 2005, Sunday FINAL EDITION

HEADLINE: Women's work Home-improvement stores empower female customers with do-it-herself tools.

"Denise Ferriera of Fresno watches the DIY network, a Dish Network station with shows that range from how to build a log cabin to how to use a circular saw.

"They have everything," Ferriera says excitedly. "They have all kinds of gardening and home-improvement shows. It gives you ideas about what might be possible and shows you how to do it yourself."

Chicago Tribune
March 6, 2005, Sunday

HEADLINE: Credible 'Restoration' gets real
'This Old House" has a new and practical neighbor in the home-improvement genre: "Restoration Realities" helps homeowners repair a historic detail in an old house.

Host Bill Click and carpenter Chris Babcock help a homeowner with one project per episode on the DIY network?.Babcock, who has appeared as a guest expert on other DIY programs, is a specialist in restoration carpentry. He explains why chosen equipment and tools are being used, right down to the appropriate type of glue (carpenter's or yellow) and screws (square head for a banister).

This detailed information is not only helpful, but also reminiscent of "This Old House." On both series, home improvement happens in front of the camera -- not magically behind the scenes. As with any authentic project, the "Restoration Realities" homeowners run into unanticipated problems, but Babcock and Click are there to guide and work alongside them.

And "Restoration Realities" doesn't stoop to product placement, such as making the homeowners wear smocks with the sponsors' logos on them or using host-endorsed tools."

Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
March 4, 2005, Friday

HEADLINE: TV SPOTLIGHT

"Anyone with experience restoring or maintaining an older home knows that even the simplest project is apt to uncover challenges. Those working on old homes will find the work being done, and the close-up shots showing details such as wood rot, informative. "Restoration Realities'' is refreshing: Homeowners aren't exploited for entertainment kicks. The show banks on viewers' interest in watching homeowners uncover the charm of an old gem."

The New York Times
February 11, 2005, Friday

HEADLINE: These Old Houses: A TV Genre Is Built

"But in the new spray-paint world of style-over-substance shows, gritty details and clever tips are still available here and there. On an episode of DIY's ''Home Transformations,'' about building an outdoor entertainment room, viewers learn about notch trowels, float sponges and the proper consistency of mortar mix."