Despite Current Economy, Survey Reveals Two-Thirds Of Canadians
Will Take On A Home Renovation Project In 2009
HGTV Offers Value-Added Tips And Expert Advice:
Launches New Winter Schedule On Monday, December 29TORONTO, Dec. 15 /CNW/ - The current state of the economy may have
Canadians tightening their belts on spending, but a recent Angus Reid survey
reveals that nearly two-thirds of the population will embark on a home
renovation project in the next 12 months. And despite reports of what is
happening in the United States real estate market, nine out of 10 Canadians
still believe that their home is a more secure investment than the stock
markets.
With less spending money available, home improvement trumps travel: half
of Canadians are choosing to invest in a home improvement project - compared
to one-third who are choosing to spend extra money on a vacation. The
stay-at-home vacation is becoming an increasingly popular way to spend time
off and 42% of Canadians are planning to take more of these "staycations" in
the upcoming year.
By Canadians spending more time at home and committing to renovation
projects, they are pledging to invest in their nest and enhance their living
space. Home improvements need not be expensive and HGTV is committed to
inspiring viewers by offering accessible, do-it-yourself tips and insider
advice from the channel's design, real estate and renovation experts. HGTV's
winter schedule launches Monday, December 29.
"HGTV has always been the premiere destination for Canadians looking for
inspiration and practical advice. Even though the economy is slowing down,
Canadians are still committed to investing in their homes," says Anna Gecan,
Vice President, Content, HGTV. "At HGTV, we've made some subtle shifts in our
programming to encourage our viewers to embrace their space and to love the
home they live in. To date, HGTV's fall 2008 schedule has seen a 14% increase
in audience over last year which speaks not only to the relevance of the
channel, but also to the entertaining nature of its programming. This winter
our schedule has something for everyone whether you own or rent," continues
Gecan.
Despite not owning their homes, renters are also keen to make their
spaces their own, and no less than one-third of renters will undertake a home
improvement project this year. Even with 57% of renters reporting that they
have less spending money than they had at this time last year, the majority
expect to spend up to $1,000 refurbishing their home.
For Rent, a brand-new 13-episode, half-hour series that premieres on
Monday, December 29 at 8pm ET/10:30pm PT, caters to Canadian renters, who make
up 33% of the population. New host and property expert Jodi Gilmour provides
viewers with useful tips on what to look for and what to avoid in a rental
property. With a budget of less than $1,000, each episode includes a low-cost,
high-impact makeover to add functionality and brighten up a space.
HGTV offers brand-new Canadian series beginning the week of December 29
including: For Rent (Mondays at 8pm ET/10:30pm PT), The Decorating Adventures
of Ambrose Price (Mondays at 10pm ET/5pm PT), Petal Pushers (Mondays at
10:30pm ET/7:30 pm PT), The Really Big Flip (Wednesdays at 10:30pm ET/7:30pm
PT).
Newly acquired series are: Extreme Living (USA, Fridays at 9pm ET/10pm
PT), Around the World in 80 Gardens (UK, Fridays at 10pm ET/11pm PT) and Top
Design, Season 2 (USA, Saturdays at 8pm ET/5pm PT).
About the survey
The survey was conducted online by Angus Reid Strategies on behalf of
HGTV among a nationally representative sample of 1,004 Canadians from November
21 to November 24, 2008. The results of this survey are accurate to within +/-
3.1%, 19 times out of 20.
(HGTV ratings data: BBM Nielsen Media Research. Adults 25-54)
For more information and high-res images please visit the HGTV page at
Canwest's media site:http://www.canwesttvmedia.com/ Login: canwest
Password: publicityHGTV is a Canwest Broadcasting Network. More information can be found on
www.hgtv.ca.
About Canwest Media Inc.
Canwest Media Inc is a subsidiary of Canwest Global Communications Corp.
(www.canwest.com; TSX: CGS and CGS.A). An international media company, Canwest
is Canada's largest publisher of paid English language daily newspapers and
owns, operates and/or holds substantial interests in conventional television,
out-of-home advertising, specialty cable channels, web sites and radio
stations in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey, Indonesia, Singapore, the
United Kingdom and the United States.
About Canwest Broadcasting:
Canwest Broadcasting operates two conventional television networks,
Global Television and E!, and 18 of the country's most popular specialty
channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase,
Slice(TM) and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media
Inc.
For further information: For more media inquiries or interview requests,
please contact: Jennifer Knox, Publicist, HGTV, (416) 324-7424,
jeknox@canwest.com; Pam Mollica, Sr. Manager, Marketing Strategy, HGTV, (416)
967-4067, pmollica@canwest.com
