While the economic crisis has been widely reported across the spectrum, it has so far been reflected on our TV screens in the form of cheaper programming and far less on-air advertising.

Singapore’s MediaCorp cut the number of episodes in its English-language drama Red Thread (a blessing some might say), and STAR World is plugging its ad-gaps with ‘minisodes’ from Sony Pictures TV – including Married with Children, Starsky and Hutch and Charlie’s Angels.

CNBC Asia Pacific, meanwhile, is one of the first to react with a programme specifically targeting those who saw their portfolios seriously eroded by the crisis.

5 June 2009 saw the debut of Protect Your Wealth, a monthly show running the first Friday of every month at 6pm (SG/HK). Anchored by Asian TV Award winner Martin Soong, the show aims to help investors keep their money safe and make it grow. If the old rules of investing no longer apply, CNBC say the new show provides the tools, strategies, insights and analysis to preserve one’s net worth.

And on the entertainment side, a few trends to watch out for have already been flagged up Stateside.

These include the dropping of expensive stars, such as Desperate Housewives’ Nicolette Sheridan; the tweaking of scripts to refer to the recession; and less scripted drama in prime-time.

We can also expect the return of the recession sitcom, with Debra Messing set to play a laid-off CEO; Kelsey Grammar as a former Wall Street hotshot forced to return to more humble roots. Other shows in the pipeline include Canned, about four friends sacked on the same day and Two Dollar Beer.

There is even talk of the return of the original recession comedy, Roseanne. Minisode anyone?