MANILA, Philippines?The current tough times have prompted TV show producers abroad to cut program budgets to the bone, resulting in ?mean and lean? shows that are expected to have a better chance of surviving the new TV season.

Time was when separate shows were produced for various ?niche? TV audiences, but the emphasis now is on the production of new shows that appeal to all ages, and all sorts of viewers.

This ?across the board? policy shift is producers? reaction to shrinking advertising revenues, which have sidelined quite a number of hit shows that used to be impervious to market fluctuations.

The hard times have also prompted producers to come up with relatively novel concepts that are uniquely interesting and appealing.

Quite a number of the new shows are reality programs, because they?re relatively inexpensive to produce, and ride on many people?s fascination with the lives of others.

Directly reflecting the global situation in relation to unemployment, for instance, some programs have a number of contestants competing for a single job.

Another new program has an even darker coloration: It focuses on young women who are contemplating having an abortion.

New comedy shows are also in season, featuring new comedy stars. Another innovation is the resurgence of comedy ?news? programs, riding on the popularity of satirical shows.

On the local TV scene, teleseryes remain popular, but some other programs are calling attention to themselves. For instance, Lucy Torres? show, ?Shall We Dance,? has added a new competition that features ?substantial? dancers.

Fat people are supposed to be sluggish movers, but Lucy?s show?s contestants are a perky, peppy lot, pushing their heavy bodies to the limit as they perform all sorts of exhausting dance routines.

Adding extra uniqueness to the competition is the fact that the fat contenders are expected to also lose weight in the succeeding weeks of the contest. So, the show is shaping up as a combination of ?The Biggest Loser? and ?So You Think You Can Dance??

Other innovations on the local boob tube include: New show biz talk shows; ?talent? tilts that feature, not performing artists, but ?extreme? and dangerous acts; and ?true confessions.? The search for unique but budget show formats goes on, as TV networks do their best (and worst) to survive the lean and even gaunt production season, while waiting for the good times to roll back in?with a vengeance!