CHANNEL 4 - U.K.'S CHANNEL 4 TO HALT BUYING U.S. SHOWS

U.K.'S CHANNEL 4 TO HALT BUYING U.S. SHOWS

In a blow to U.S. TV show producers, Britain's Channel 4 network, which once aired such U.S.-produced series as Friends and Frasier , said it has no plans to buy any new U.S. show in the coming year. Kevin Lygo, director of television for the network, told the London Times "We will be spending nowhere near the levels we did in the past on American programming and it's unlikely we will buy a new [U.S.] show this year unless we get a good deal." The Times reported that Channel 4 plans to cut at least $90 million from its programming budget in response to an 18-percent decline in advertising.

07/05/2009