CBC Cancon light Programming Highlights / CBC Posted by RAD on Jun 30, 2009 - 04:36 PM Canadian content during prime time on CBC English TV has reached a 20-year low, according to new research about what's on TV released this morning by the watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. Only during the NHL lockout during the 2004/05 season were weekly hours of Canadian content during prime time lower than this year's survey. "A full 25% of CBC's prime time schedule is now devoted to foreign, mostly American, programs," says Friends spokesperson Ian Morrison, on the eve of Canada Day. The data show CBC Canadianized its prime time schedule throughout the 1990s, increasing hours of domestic content from 22.5 hours per week in 1990 to 27 in 2000. Today, CBC English TV broadcasts only 21 hours of Canadian content during prime time per week. These findings are based on an annual sample of what's on TV in major markets across the country taken during the spring sweep period when AC Nielsen is measuring audiences, from mid-February to mid-March. "No one wants to see CBC behaving like a private broadcaster, but neglect and outright hostility on the part of successive governments appear to have left a starving CBC few options other than to program American shows to chase audiences and increase its reliance on ad dollars," Morrison said. In addition to the foreign shows Jeopardy! and Coronation Street which occupy five hours of its current weekly prime time schedule, the CBC also presents a large number of foreign films. Of the 54 movies presented by CBC English TV during prime time from September 1, 2008 to June 21, 2009, twenty-four were foreign (see attached). The decline of Canadian content on CBC Television is mirrored in the private sector. Overall, the combined Canadian content on all conventional English television during prime time has declined from a high of 62 hours per week in 2002 to just 49 hours in 2009. CBC TV Foreign Movies aired 8-11pm Sept. 1, 2008 - June 21, 2009 Brothers Grimm Billy Eliot Pirates of the Caribbean II Glory Road Poirot Harry Potter & Goblet of Fire Pearl Harbour Elf Polar Express National Lampoon's Christmas March of the Penguins Chronicles of Narnia Murder is Easy A Pocket Full of Rye The Devil Wears Prada The Moving Finger An Inconvenient Truth Santa Clause II Miracle on 34th Street Finding Nemo The Santa Clause It's a Wonderful Life Happy Gilmore The Pink Panther This article is from CHANNEL CANADA   http://www.channelcanada.com/ The URL for this story is:   http://www.channelcanada.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3117