Isn't cable/satellite spoiling us?

Smy Guiley

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Recently, my wife and I were in the local public library. In the basement is the childrens' section in one half, which I was in with our daughter. The other half is a constant book sale and newspaper archive going back to the early 1960's. My wife was sneaking around in that half for a while, and finally met up with me in the childrens' section with an old yellowing paper.

"Read this," she said as she pointed to the birth announcements. It was mine! She found the 1972 paper that was put out the week I was born, and my announcement was in it!

So, I thought I'd actually sit down and read it! The thing that really stuck in my mind was an ad for local cable at the time. "Call us and get hooked up to full cable....all 7 channels!" That made me chuckle a bit, but then I really started thinking about it. Once I was old enough to watch TV, my parents had that particular hook-up, and I'm thinking it was about $5 per month.

There was kids stuff in the very early morning from when the station came on in the morning (remember when TV stations weren't on all night?) until school started, and if you weren't going to school there were game shows!! Then there were shows on from about 4 pm til only 5 or 6 that were for kids, and that was about it. Once or twice a month, there would be, like, a Charlie Brown special or something, and once I was 5 years old, once a week I'd get to see the Muppet Show, since my parents at least liked the guest stars!

Ever get the feeling that it's just TOTAL OVERKILL nowadays? We recently cut our family's viewing down to one hour per weekday that our daughter is home from school, and that's usually in the evening, and cartoons on weekends like the good old days. That's it! It's been a bit of an adjustment, I'll tell you, but we're getting a lot more family time in. My daughter plays a lot more games and looks at books. We'll even throw on a stack of records (!?!) and dance for an hour.

Has anyone else tried budgeting their TV time, and what were the results?

later
eric
 

JaniceFerSure

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my opinion on cable tv...

Ahh cable,how I don't honestly miss it.My story.I remember in the 70s being entertained by the old 12 inch black and white Zenith,that ran on vacuum tubes.We didn't get a color tv until the late 70s/early 80s.To see my favorite programs in color was a treat,plus no more vacuum tubes to fight with.Then in the early 80s,there was big hype in my house about getting Comcast cable.I remember chanting,'I want my Mtv!',until the cable was finally put in.Back then,cable was fun,because in my young eyes,it was a new medium.To see movies,music videos,tv shows was an eye feast.I became a typical couch potato.I also recall,when we first got cable,it was approximately $20-$25 a month.I've been fighting a constant battle(with myself),to keep or to get rid of the cable.Worst of it is the cost.It's approx. $50 a month now,for extended basic Comcast cable.The majority of the time,there is nothing that holds my intrest,repeats that shouldn't be repeated,and way too many commercials;least my thumb received plenty of exercise during that time.I can see why cable or satellite is addicting,but in my eyes,its so not worth it.I rather be educating & stimulating my mind with books;than the idiot box.I'm satisfied with a few hours in the morning,my BBC shows in the afternoon & a couple hours at nightime.That's the way I see cable.:smirk:
 

salemfan

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The TV in my room has rabbit ears, all the rest have cable. I also have a handheld battery-operated TV which does not receive the cable stations, only the regular TV stations.

Whether it's a regular TV with rabbit ears
or a handheld battery-operated TV,
it's the same thing.
But a regular TV with cable and a handheld battery-operated TV
are different.
 

McFraggle

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I think that there are drawbacks to watching too much cable and broadcast TV. I watch on average probably an hour or two a day throughout the week when I am working. Sometimes less, sometimes more. While the quality of cable programs is much higher now than it was 5-7 years ago, there is still a lot that could be better. I don't think limiting how much your kids watch is a bad thing at all.
 

Whatever

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Speak for yourselves, my TV doesn't work and I still never watch cable.
 

ceecee

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I'm sure I could get along just fine without cable or tv at all. There's not a whole lot that's worth watching. But people want to be constantly entertained nowadays, it seems.

My husband and I try only to watch tv when there's something worth watching. We plan to cut back even more on tv when we have kids. I think PBS is good, but otherwise most tv just isn't healthy for the mind or body.
 
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