BANFF — Production and airing of children’s programming has hit a ‘precipitous drop’ in the last two years, according to a new study unveiled Tuesday at the Banff World Television Festival.

‘Really it’s been about 50% and over the last 10 years there’s been a steady downward trend in terms of public investment in children’s programming and also distributor advances,’ says Norm Bolen, head of the CFTPA, citing a report put forward by the producers association, the Shaw Rocket Fund and the Alliance for Children and Television.