The show was one of the quieter success stories for RTE and Tyrone Productions, writes Shane Hegarty
As the breezy theme tune heralded another episode of Open House yesterday afternoon, presenters Marty Whelan and Mary Kennedy said nothing about the impending demise of the programme.
Mary, however, did mention that "we are over the Ides of March". On a programme that is not known for coded messages or subtext, this might have been as close as we'll get to an on-air protest.
If they were keeping quiet, though, they will have been delighted by how much more vocal their loyal viewers had been. Radio 1's Liveline gave over half its programme to upset callers.
And that Dublin's Lord Mayor, Royston Brady, has thrown himself behind the campaign to save Open House only confirms that there are a few votes to be had from saying one watches it.
However, it will not be enough to save a show that has lost 2 per cent of the audience share in the past year and 5 per cent over two years.
Marty and Mary were a welcome respite from a dull schedule of repeats of Murder, She Wrote and antipodean medical dramas, especially for those without access to the British channels' diet of antiques and property makeover shows.
However, in an increasingly busy schedule it might be that brasher imports such as TV3's ratings-winner Judge Judy ("Real People. Real Cases.") may have proved too competitive for Open House.
Those unfamiliar with mid-afternoon television may marvel at the fuss being made, but five afternoons a week for six years Open House has built a loyal audience among older viewers, housewives, a few students and, in weak moments, those who work from home.
Its magazine format delivers a busy mixture of chat, music and lifestyle items, all carried on a gentle wave of bonhomie.
It is not a place to find too many superstars, but there are plenty of national celebrities as well as human-interest stories.
Yesterday's show was typical, featuring items on gardening, buying property in South Africa, artists looking for an arts officer for South Tipperary, fashion, radio DJ Gareth O'Callaghan talking about his depression and a group of carers who went into business on their own.
That it manages to fill more than an hour's worth of airtime every day has made it one of the quieter success stories for RTÉ and the production company, Tyrone.
It would be easy to categorise Open House as twee television that asks little of viewers other than that they have a pen ready to take down the address for the latest competition.
It is informative and knows its demographic well. While it was commissioned with an eye to gaining a younger audience, there is no doubt that it specifically services an older viewership.
Mary and Marty form an engaging on-air partnership, following in the tradition of Thelma Mansfield and Derek Davis, who presented Open House's predecessor, Live at Three.
RTÉ said yesterday said that, while a replacement had yet to be confirmed, several options were being looked at, and the station would remain committed to indigenous productions. Regardless, there seem to be a few viewers who are not looking forward to losing a big part of their day.