h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I submitted this piece for inclusion, I was expecting some of my more cynical words to be cut; they were. Some of the new layout works in favour of the material, however I take umbrage with the inclusion of this line in the bottom paragraph of the entry:

'Vancouver receives so much American television programming that it seems only fair some of it be filmed here. '

I don't know where this came from; anyone familiar with film/television production knows that economics are the final aribter in deciding where scenes are shot and the Americans don't care (any more than any other nationality) about the balance of location shooting vs. viewership. Especially in television, maximum viewership is the desire whether the recording is done exclusively on a stage or on location. Fairness doesn't enter the equation.

The only irksome part of Vancouver being seen on any size of screen is that the city's rarely seen as Vancouver; it's often dressed as L.A., any town or city in Middle America.

Fruitbat

hey, Fruitbat!

I was the sub-editor, and I don't remember putting in that bit (although it was many months ago, so who knows?), so it may have been an addition by the italics in the final editing.

I don't, however, think that it was meant to be taken seriously - more of a mildly humorous aside kind of thing.

Incidentally, here in Seattle we get some Vancouver stations -- I like their news better than ours.


Mikey

As far as the radio stations go, I guess the grass is always greener...
BTW: You forgot to mention White Rock, a beautiful little city just south of Surrey, and sitting right next to the Canada/US border. Great place esp. in the summer.
Uare

White Rock is like a bleached Brighton with a hangover.

and Coquitlam, Langley, Maple Ridge, Port Moody, etc.
Also: The lower mainland is an incredibly racially diverse city. And it is becoming increasingly ethnically "ghettoized". Is this healthy for a city?