TV programming: too many repeats?

I spend a great deal of time examining both television and radio output. At times, I wonder just who the television broadcasters think they're serving.

Quite often, shows will be put on a repeat cycle, repeating the same shows or seasons of shows several times in a row. And this is proportedly cheaper than producing new material. Also, studios are getting used less and less for programme production outside of live programming, news and sport.

Most drama are shot film-style using as many locations as is required. Comedy is also increasingly being shot on location with the laughter added in a preview theatre showing.

The thing is, if you look around the world, there isn't really a lack of production going on. There are thousands of new episodes of programmes produced around the world airing everyday, And it seems a shame that most of it doesn't get aired outside the market or country it was produced in.

Of course, there is the argument of relevance, such as NY1's Inside City Hall, which is very relevant in New York City but have absolutely no relevance in Madrid, Spain.

But there is so much material out there that would be relevant even in other countries. And yet, we never get to see it.