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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
This is actually the kind of anti-TV criticism I am excited to embrace. For one, it is more factual to believe that TV is losing to the internet than it is to constantly call for boycotts and whining about its content. In my opinion, all the networks should find ways to compete using technology. The PC isn’t the only thing that can connect to the net (as consoles and smartphones are beginning to prove).
But more to the point, you will find fewer and fewer people who will deny that the internet offers us more choice. You know it really bothers me that so many of them family friendly and Christian counterculture camps whine about being exposed to so much ‘filth’ (face it, 80% of that is a matter of perspective) when the trending technology is actually giving them more options to choose what they consume.
Alas, instead of that, they deem anything new as if its the signs of the times, drawing obscure parallels with today’s gizmos to some so-and-so saint’s prophecy. I repeat: I prefer the facts, like the one telling me that the Net is about to be the new tube that offers real choices, not packages of them.
But more to the point, you will find fewer and fewer people who will deny that the internet offers us more choice. You know it really bothers me that so many of them family friendly and Christian counterculture camps whine about being exposed to so much ‘filth’ (face it, 80% of that is a matter of perspective) when the trending technology is actually giving them more options to choose what they consume.
Alas, instead of that, they deem anything new as if its the signs of the times, drawing obscure parallels with today’s gizmos to some so-and-so saint’s prophecy. I repeat: I prefer the facts, like the one telling me that the Net is about to be the new tube that offers real choices, not packages of them.
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Gordon_Sims
Guest
We got rid of cable/satellite over a decade ago. Our broadcast TV viewing dropped to almost nothing after the switch to digital a few years ago. I don’t know that we would technically qualify as a Zero TV home since we still watch PBS and one or two other broadcast shows (assuming we can get the signal), but the overwhelming majority of our viewing is on Netflix and Amazon.
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Monte_RCMS
Guest
In addition to these “issues”, there also is the ability of individuals to go around the major broadcasters to set up their own individual networks … everyone from Glenn Beck, to Sarah Palin to Michael Voris … have set up their own networks on the internet.
Many others as well.
Many others as well.
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Joe_5859
Guest
Things are certainly changing. I am interested to see how the traditional broadcasters plan on handling this. Something needs to change or they are going to find themselves unable to finance new shows. I know that there are several shows I like to watch, but I just wait until they come out on DVD or Netflix to watch them. But with more and more people waiting so long to watch a show, it seems that runs the risk of the networks thinking no one is interested and then pulling the plug.
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TheRealJuliane
Guest
I don’t know why we still pay for satellite, what a waste of good money! There is literally NOTHING ON, with over 600 channels!! A lot of them are info-mercials. A lot more ore stupid sports channels that you have to pay EVEN MORE to receive! The movie channels, I’m not interested in. We stream movies on Amazon these days, IF (and it’s a BIG IF) we can find one we want to watch. I would miss HGTV, but do I want to pay $80/mo. for it??
Zero TV homes have SMART people living in them!!!
No wonder the networks are scared.
Zero TV homes have SMART people living in them!!!
No wonder the networks are scared.
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RPRPsych
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Joe_5859
Guest
Yeah, I could never bring myself to pay so much every month for so many channels. I’d feel like I have to spend an inordinate amount of time watching TV in order to get my money’s worth. That wouldn’t be goood for me. 
Really, there’s only a handful of shows on the cable channels that I am interested in watching. And buying the DVD sets once a year (even if I paid the full retail price – which I would never do) is far cheaper. And there are no commercials.
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lambofabraham
Guest
If CAF had a “like” button, I would click that.
My husband tricked us (I say that affectionately) into getting the rabbit ears…but we really only watch Netflix and Hulu…which is far cheaper. An aside: I have been discovering a lot of movies about the saints on Netflix. Very, very inspiring. I like that I can discover and deepen my faith…all while vegging out on the couch!
My husband tricked us (I say that affectionately) into getting the rabbit ears…but we really only watch Netflix and Hulu…which is far cheaper. An aside: I have been discovering a lot of movies about the saints on Netflix. Very, very inspiring. I like that I can discover and deepen my faith…all while vegging out on the couch!
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Gordon_Sims
Guest
We switched from cable to satellite after they cut 1/4 of our channels while raising our monthly rate by over 50%. We got rid of the satellite shortly after our oldest daughter was born because, frankly, we couldn’t afford it and diapers. Once we could afford to turn it back on, we realized we weren’t really missing anything.
Except for the handful of people I know who only get it since they have no reception of local channels, most people I know spend over $100/month on their cable/satellite bill. The last time I looked into it, for us the basic package which we’d get just to have reliable reception of the local stations would be at least $30/month. The cheapest package that includes EWTN (something I’d want if we had anything more than basic) was $60/month. It’s certainly not worth over $700/year (or the $3000/year one friend spends to get all his sports channels), especially when I can stream EWTN from their website.
I agree that internet viewing gives greater flexibility and is starting to offer a lot more choice. I’m curious to see how things will be once there’s more of a shift toward the internet, although I’m worried about what it will do to the cost of internet access.
Except for the handful of people I know who only get it since they have no reception of local channels, most people I know spend over $100/month on their cable/satellite bill. The last time I looked into it, for us the basic package which we’d get just to have reliable reception of the local stations would be at least $30/month. The cheapest package that includes EWTN (something I’d want if we had anything more than basic) was $60/month. It’s certainly not worth over $700/year (or the $3000/year one friend spends to get all his sports channels), especially when I can stream EWTN from their website.
I agree that internet viewing gives greater flexibility and is starting to offer a lot more choice. I’m curious to see how things will be once there’s more of a shift toward the internet, although I’m worried about what it will do to the cost of internet access.
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Armor_of_Light
Guest
Why…Thank you!
We got a ROKU box about 6 months ago and couldn’t be happier. I list the day I walked into the cable company with 3 of their boxes and told them to shove it as one of my top 10 best days.
I didn’t really tell them to shove it…I cancelled politely.
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Bill_Martin
Guest
The problem with TV is that you are forced to watch whatever is on at the time. Even if you have hundreds of channels, realistically only a few will have anything you find interesting on them, and it’s even less likely that they will actually be showing what you want to watch at any given time. Plus, you pay tons of money for this service. I know you can watch things on demand with some providers, but you pay for that too.
The Internet is far better. Anything I want to watch I can find online. I can always access it. I am already paying for internet service, so it is not an additional charge. Most people who have hundreds of channels also pay for internet service, which provides them with whatever they want to watch anyway. It’s really a no brainer.
I keep an antenna for the broadcast stations, mainly for NFL games, NASCAR, and Formula 1. Everything else I want to watch (mostly just Top Gear and MotoGP races) I get through the computer.
The Internet is far better. Anything I want to watch I can find online. I can always access it. I am already paying for internet service, so it is not an additional charge. Most people who have hundreds of channels also pay for internet service, which provides them with whatever they want to watch anyway. It’s really a no brainer.
I keep an antenna for the broadcast stations, mainly for NFL games, NASCAR, and Formula 1. Everything else I want to watch (mostly just Top Gear and MotoGP races) I get through the computer.
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SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
The same topic is also being discussed here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=773954
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Kamaduck
Guest
Yup. Just watching Hulu, Youtube, Netflix, and crunchyroll offers WAY more of what I want than all of the TV channels put together.
I hope we get rid of TV as we know it altogether, so that people will stop watching awful shows “because nothing else is on”. Then, we will actually choose how to invest our time!
We’ll probably invest it in funny youtube clips, but at least we’ll be enjoying what we watch.
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manualman
Guest
My wife was appalled before we married that I had never had cable TV or satellite and that I was determined never to. She couldn’t believe that I could be happy without “anything interesting to watch.” Somehow I managed to win that struggle after we married (possibly one of three I’ve won in 13 years of marriage.)
She’s a convert today. She can’t believe that we’ve saved over $15,000 over the course of our marriage together just by NOT having cable or satellite. I don’t think people really realize how much money they’ve dumped down the TV hole. Try this on for fun: If instead of cable, you invest that $100 a month in your 401k and get an average long term 5% return, you’ll have an extra $140,000 in your retirement account after 40 years in the work force. Not bad, eh?
She’s a convert today. She can’t believe that we’ve saved over $15,000 over the course of our marriage together just by NOT having cable or satellite. I don’t think people really realize how much money they’ve dumped down the TV hole. Try this on for fun: If instead of cable, you invest that $100 a month in your 401k and get an average long term 5% return, you’ll have an extra $140,000 in your retirement account after 40 years in the work force. Not bad, eh?
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Lost_Wanderer
Guest
I think it’s all a matter of finding better ways to use net-based TV with advertising. The more technology enables companies to improve their targeting (and yes, such tech already exists), the better chance you have of only getting ads about shows you care about.
Of course, there’s also the social media angle where a person can just simply recommend other shows to their friends even though those friends ain’t always in the same demographic or subculture.
Oh but there’s lots of interesting things to watch… depending on what your tastes are. I don’t buy it for a single, bloody second that there are people who will never find anything interesting to watch that was not made via TV. If you enjoy something, anything at all, you can bet somebody out there is going to start making videos about it.
This technology is going to prove exactly that by offering you more choice, not a bundle of them.
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Gordon_Sims
Guest
Hulu really needs to work on this. We watched something this morning and I clicked No on the first ad when asked if it was relevant to me. They proceeded to show the same commercial at least once in every subsequent commercial break.
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garn9173
Guest
DirecTV, Dish Network and all of the major cable providers (Comcast, Time Warner, etc.) all offer “family friendly” packages for around $20 a month. Most include all of the religious channels, INSP, Hallmark, Hallmark Movie, HGTV or DIY, Food, etc. If any sports channels are included, it’s CBS Sports Network
Dish Network: dish.com/entertainment/packages/smart-pack/?WT.svl=sticky#channels
DirecTV: cdn.directv.com/cms2/support/20120323_family_channel_lineup.pdf
Cable companies have similar family friendly lineups.
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nesguy
Guest
We’re a “Zero TV” home, and I love it. We watch Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. I also subscribe to the NFL Replay service online, and altogether, I’m spending about two months of cable fees to pay for an entire year’s worth of those services. It’s excellent, and if you have just a bit of tech savvy, you can watch any and all of those services on a regular TV.
Broadcast, cable, and satellite service are just soooo 20th century
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Broadcast, cable, and satellite service are just soooo 20th century
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meteoric
Guest
For several years I was virtually zero TV. No cable, had an antenna, but it only picked up a few stations, most of which never had anything I wanted to watch. When I did want to watch something, I usually stuck in a DVD. Didn’t have internet, either.
Read a lot of fanfiction during that time period. Wrote it, too.
Now, if my wife didn’t object, I’d cancel the cable in an instant.
The things I do for my marriage…
Tom A.
Read a lot of fanfiction during that time period. Wrote it, too.
Now, if my wife didn’t object, I’d cancel the cable in an instant.
The things I do for my marriage…
Tom A.
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