Viewers stay tuned but find 'nothing' on TV

The Washington Times ^ | 9-14-07 | Jennifer Harper

[JZelle]

Americans may watch an average of 12 to 17 hours of television a week, but they continue to hate what they see.

When asked which of the new fall programs they were looking forward to viewing, a whopping 86 percent said they were anticipating "nothing," were unsure of the lineup or dismissed the new offerings altogether, according to a poll released yesterday by the Associated Press and AOL.

Viewers see a dim future. Almost two-thirds — 62 percent — say TV programming in general is "getting worse." Among evangelical Christians, the number was 85 percent, the survey found.

There are too many reality TV shows on the air; the genre was cited by 71 percent of the respondents as being too abundant. Crime and talk shows followed, each cited by 49 percent, and game shows, cited by a third. Least offensive, was news, sports and dramatic programming — found in appropriate amounts by the majority of respondents.

News, in fact, showed some promise. The findings revealed that 28 percent of Americans would like to see more news on television, compared with 17 percent in a similar survey taken two years ago.

"This is all very telling about the complicated relationships people have with their television. We have so much to chose from right now — some good, some bad. But most Americans tend to fall back into the idea that TV will forever be the 'idiot box' and the 'boob tube,'—" said Robert Thompson, a Syracuse University broadcast professor and director of the school's Bleier Center for Study of TV and Popular Culture.

"There's a divide between our opinions and our behavior here. Americans check off all the boxes on a survey saying TV stinks with one hand, but they've got the other hand on that TV remote, believe me.

[khnyny]

I like “Damages” with Glenn Close (great performances) and “Burn Notice” - a light fluffy show that’s entertaining with great shots of South Beach.

I also still watch “Rescue Me” with Dennis Leary occasionally. History, National Geographic, PBS, and Fox News are favs too.

That being said, my viewing habits are hit or miss.

[SnakeDoctor]

>> This is why there is no TV in our house! No channels, no cable, nothing.

I’m exactly the opposite. I’ve got a TV in every room ... 60-somthing inch high def in the living room, broadcasting in beutiful high-definition stereo sound to my leather recliners. 40-something inch high def in the bedroom, one in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, one in the study, and another sitting in the garage in case one breaks. Cable. Premium channels. High Def. MLB Extra Innings (broadcasting every baseball game in the country), NFL Sunday Ticket (every football game).

There’s always something on.

Wife won’t let me get Playboy TV, though ... drat.

H

[dan1123]

>>
Viewers see a dim future. Almost two-thirds — 62 percent — say TV programming in general is “getting worse.” Among evangelical Christians, the number was 85 percent, the survey found.
<<

Yeah, because family friendly television has fallen to adult sitcoms and crime/medical dramas. Sports, gameshows (including “reality” shows that are really gameshows), and news are not a lineup.

[SnakeDoctor]

Cute.

The cheerleader’s in the commercials for the new season ... so you can’t fool me!! Ha!

H

[NCC-1701]

This is must-see-tv in my House:

[DeFault User]

Did you know that each video downloaded show is 21 minutes (half hour show) or 42 minutes (hour show) long?

The solution is DVR. Set the program to record. You can start watching 20 minutes or so into the show and then rip through the commercials with minimum hassle. Or record what you like during the week and watch them at your leisure, 3 hours of programming watched in about 2 hours since you speed through the commercials. I use DirecTV but there are others.

[SnakeDoctor]

>> The solution is DVR. Set the program to record. You can start watching 20 minutes or so into the show and then rip through the commercials with minimum hassle.

I’m thinking the genius that invented the DVR deserves a Nobel Prize of some kind. God Bless that machine.

H

[LilyBean]

Yeah. But will it be Honest news? Or just more of the slanted, antiamerican BS they feed us daily. In that case, they can keep it.

[DeFault User]

Yep, the DVR makes it bearable. I’m still amazed that I can record two simultaneously while watching a previously recorded one all at the same time. (Not that there are 2 shows on at the same time worth watching this time of year, but it does happen occasionally.)

[BureaucratusMaximus]

I watch Lost, House, Psyche, Monk, and Survivor.

I usually catch a Coach rerun and a JAG rerun before I go to work.

There's another show on BBC or BBC America where a group of old-lady Brits clean up and de-clutter someones pig-sty of a house...I forget the name of it...I find it entertaining.

Other than that...I'm too busy for TV.

[khnyny]

Awwww, what an adorable puppy.

I forgot about Heroes - that show was surprisingly good.
I also watch EWTN - Eternal Word Network, too sometimes.

Shoot, I just realized, I watch way too much TV...

[Othniel]

My wife and I watch reruns of Seinfeld on DVD. We get Monk from the library (also on DVD). My sons like Blackadder, and I really enjoy Firefly.

For all of us, Corner Gas ROCKS!

[DeFault User]

antiamerican BS they feed us daily

Well, I did stipulate that it not be moonbat droppings. ;o)

[spectre]

We have hundreds of channels and NOTHING worth watching was on TV this summer.

Then, last week we watched a new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and it was fantastic!

sw

[pgyanke]

EWTN! I forgot EWTN... Father, forgive me...

[napscoordinator]

I love watching TV. I think shows are pretty good. I watch House, Law and Orders (three of them), 24, American Idol, Hell’s Kitchen (funny), Survivor, Boston Legal, Without a Trace, Cold Case, and many more. I can’t understand why people think that nothing is on. The shows I mentioned are very good. I know that most of you would love Without a Trace and Cold Case for sure.

[Intimidator]

Only channels I ever watch is history channel, animal planet, and discovery. Comedy central sometimes.

[LilyBean]

I have yet to watch Little Mosque on the Prairie. Do you think I should? Or should I rank it up there with the rest of the Canadian Garbage I refuse to watch?

[Sue Perkick]

Both of them are just adorable.

[discostu]

And don’t forget the strikes. One of the prime motivations for the first wave of reality shows was a writers guild strike that appeared imminent and would have started in late October (a long time ago, the year of the first Survivor). There was a big scramble of exec looking for shows you can put on that don’t need writers, that’s when they found reality TV which is immune to strikes by just about everybody in the industry except camera and sound guys and I don’t think they’ve ever actually gone on strike.