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The Celebrity Aprentice thread made me wonder: Who still watches TV anymore?

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Odin2005 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:18 PM
Original message
The Celebrity Aprentice thread made me wonder: Who still watches TV anymore?
I certainly don't. I get my news from Teh Inter-Tubes and MPR. I stream the one TV show I watch regularly (House) online. I stream movies via NetFlix.

Pretty much everything on the Boob Tube sucks, nowadays. Discovery and TLC has been shit for a decade, now.
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Missy Vixen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:21 PM
Response to Original message
1. So, in other words, you're waiting for people to admit to watching TV so you can let them know
their choices are not acceptable?

I'm a bit confused as to why the question is even being asked.
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Odin2005 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:24 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. No, I was just curious.
:shrug:

I have read in several places that younger folks like myself are watching TV less and less, viewing most of our media online. I was looking for people's own experiences.
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onenote Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:22 PM
Response to Original message
2. short answer
More people than those who watch tv the way you do.
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Fumesucker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:26 PM
Response to Original message
4. The sheeple..
:evilgrin:
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woo me with science Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:26 PM
Response to Original message
5. Too tired to look it up now,
but didn't I read in the news recently that this was the first year ever that television ownership dropped among Americans?

Probably a combination of other entertainment options out there now and the fact that people don't have money to pay the cable bloodsuckers.

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quinnox Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:30 PM
Response to Original message
6. There are a couple of shows I watched regularily but
they both just got cancelled. Occasionally, I find a tv show that is new to me and appealing and will watch it. In terms of news, no I don't watch CNN like I used too, mostly get news from the internet.

I get netflix movies all the time every week, but in dvd form by mail, my connection is too slow to stream movies with good quality.

Overall, my tv watching has gone down in a large degree if talking about what it used to be.
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applegrove Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:30 PM
Response to Original message
7. I tend to buy tv shows on video and watch a whole series in one go. I don't even
know what shows are on when on regular tv. For me it is all news all the time.
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Trajan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:37 PM
Response to Original message
8. I watch little TV ...
Still watch PBS ... Secrets of the Dead ... NOVA .... Frontline ..... still a few good shows there ....

I was introduced to Arcade Fire on Austin City Limits (fucking mesmerized, I should say) ....

Almost ZERO cable news .... just local news and weather and traffic in the morning before work ....

Oh .... and Seinfeld reruns .... I seem to never get sick of Seinfeld .... shrugs ....

I do also watch Amazing Race ... but I despise Apprentice, and have since the first season .... Dump Trump !
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Odin2005 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:43 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. Ha, I grew up watching Seinfeld!
I still remember George's "coffee = SEX" scene. :rofl:
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guruoo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:44 PM
Response to Original message
10. Gave it up about 7 years ago, no regrets.
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Maru Kitteh Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:47 PM
Response to Original message
11. Millions of people, that's who.
It's not like they would waste all that money putting it out there if nobody was watching. It's hard to even wrap one's head around how much of the economy is tied to television.

Shows, talkshows, documentaries, "reality" tv, shopping networks, music oriented television, actual music television, football, baseball, basketball, golf, fishing shows, whole sports networks, advertising, local stations, religious networks, news networks...... the list goes on for freakin' ever.

So I guess the answer to your question is - most people.
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:51 PM
Response to Original message
12. I do
I find a lot of good shows on the NatGeo channel. I also like quite a few shows on Bravo. I watch Family Guy, American Dad and Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

I don't watch a lot of tv all the time, I just DVR shows and when I'm reading in the evening it's usually on.
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Mojeoux Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:54 AM
Response to Reply #12
20. So do I, but you'd have to pay me to watch Trumper!
I have a DVR device now. It's a whole new deal. I watch only what I want, when I want and I zip through the commercials.

I check ahead and I tape all the cool old movies that I love.

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Blue-Jay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-15-11 11:55 PM
Response to Original message
13. There's nothing wrong with TV.
There are plenty of OK shows to watch. Granted, many of them aren't educational or "left-leaning", but fuck, sometimes a person should be allowed to sit back for a while and watch something just for the purpose of tuning out for a little while. You can't be hyper-focused on "important issues" all the time. That'll drive you batshit crazy.
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Odin2005 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:00 AM
Response to Reply #13
14. In my teens my mom and I loved watching The West Wing.
Then all the Reality Show crap started. :(
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themadstork Donating Member (797 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:36 AM
Response to Original message
15. Quit a few years ago
Edited on Mon May-16-11 12:37 AM by themadstork
sophomore year in college. Decided I'd rather spend that time reading and writing. Feel like it was a pretty solid choice overall, as TV can really make the hours zoom past. Plus no more constant toxic ad-rhetoric. I'll still watch as a social thing with friends or family, just not by myself, not during "non-social" time.
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mdmc Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:39 AM
Response to Original message
16. netflix and hulu here
I'VE tried to give up the boob tube for years.. still stuck on shows via netflix and hulu
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rainbow4321 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:47 AM
Response to Original message
17. I can count the shows I regularly watched on one hand
over the years. And the list has gotten pretty short of late as most of them are not on any more (LOST, Big Love, Boston Legal, West Wing).
Shows I never saw a single episode of: Friends, American Idol, Seinfeld, Dancing with the Stars, Survivor, Two and a Half Men. You get the picture...all the ones that EVERYone talks about the next day at work.
If I tune into the Emmy Shows I don't recognize the majority of the shows or a lot of the winners.

If the TV is on, it is usually to one of the cable news channels for background noise as I surf the web.
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OmmmSweetOmmm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:49 AM
Response to Original message
18. I do and enjoy it.
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ohheckyeah Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:53 AM
Response to Original message
19. Let's see...
I can sit in a desk chair and watch stuff on the computer, or I can kick back in a comfy lounge chair and watch tv on a 52 inch widescreen. I'll take the tv, thanks. I guess that's just how us ancient folks roll.

And yes, I watch reality shows. I saw the finale of Survivor tonight and I enjoyed watching it. I also watch American Idol...horrors!
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Fumesucker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 01:11 AM
Response to Reply #19
22. Some other of us old folks have figured out that..
You can connect the computer to the big screen TV in front of the lounge chair.

A lot of times the picture is even better off the computer than it is from satellite or cable.

:hi:
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Incitatus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:55 AM
Response to Original message
21. I still watch TV, Family Guy and South Park. WOOHOOOO!
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cherokeeprogressive Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 01:19 AM
Response to Original message
23. I do. I watch Survivor, AI, House, and a number of weekly shows whose names escape me at the moment
I watch them live when I can, and by TIVO when I'm home.

I don't make excuses for what I find entertaining.
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Iggo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 01:21 AM
Response to Original message
24. I watch shitloads of TV.
Almost entirely sports and fiction.
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eridani Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 01:37 AM
Response to Original message
25. I do--just not in real time
Edited on Mon May-16-11 01:40 AM by eridani
Podcasts, YouTube, DVDs for dramatic series.
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grasswire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 01:38 AM
Response to Original message
26. I have been watching The Waltons every day lately.
A couple of episodes while I fix supper and read the newspaper, etc. I missed The Waltons the first time around. A peek into a whole different world.

However, when Keith returns to TV, The Waltons will not be on my screen.
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Bunny Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 04:19 AM
Response to Original message
27. ...
http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-tel,429/

Area Man Constantly Mentioning He Doesn't Own A Television
February 9, 2000 | ISSUE 36•04

CHAPEL HILL, NC–Area resident Jonathan Green does not own a television, a fact he repeatedly points out to friends, family, and coworkers–as well as to his mailman, neighborhood convenience-store clerks, and the man who cleans the hallways in his apartment building.

Jonathan Green, who tells as many people as possible that he is "fully weaned off the glass teat."
"I, personally, would rather spend my time doing something useful than watch television," Green told a random woman Monday at the Suds 'N' Duds Laundromat, noticing the establishment's wall-mounted TV. "I don't even own one."

According to Melinda Elkins, a coworker of Green's at The Frame Job, a Chapel Hill picture-frame shop, Green steers the conversation toward television whenever possible, just so he can mention not owning one.

"A few days ago, Annette was saying her new contacts were bothering her," Elkins said. "The second she said that, I knew Jonathan would pounce. He was like, 'I didn't know you had contacts, Annette. Are your eyes bad? That a shame. I'm really lucky to have almost perfect vision. I'm guessing it's because I don't watch TV. In fact, I don't even own one."


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Richardo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 10:53 AM
Response to Reply #27
30. !!
:spray:


:hi: Bunny!
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Bunny Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 11:03 AM
Response to Reply #30
31. !!!
:D :hi: Richardo!! :loveya:
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Iggo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 12:03 PM
Response to Reply #27
32. Area Man is always good for a laugh.
:rofl:
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mwb970 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 06:17 AM
Response to Original message
28. I watch a fair amount of TV, but it's all DVDs or online.
I am currently watching Numb3rs on DVD and Kitchen Nightmares online. I haven't seen an actual TV show at the time it was actually aired for many, many years (aside from news and the Weather Channel).
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dkf Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 06:48 AM
Response to Original message
29. I DVR about 11 shows a week.
I find TV a lot better on average than movies.
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mackerel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon May-16-11 11:56 PM
Response to Reply #29
33. I still watch Thursday night sit com line-up on NBC
Then I hulu Community the next day as it's my fave.
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dkf Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue May-17-11 04:55 AM
Response to Reply #33
34. I have no idea what night or time anything is on.
I just blitz though my shows when I have time. Will take a look at your thursday night lineup though.
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Onceuponalife Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue May-17-11 01:15 PM
Response to Original message
35. There's tons of great stuff but most of it is on cable
HBO and Showtime lead the way...Boardwalk Empire, Treme, The Borgias, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Weeds, Penn and Teller's Bullshit, Shameless, United States of Tara, Nurse Jackie, Game of Thrones

all terrific

Then there's Camelot on Starz, The Killing, The Walking Dead, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad on AMC.

Not that much good on broadcast TV...Friday Night Lights was great family entertainment but it's gone now. Damages is amazing and still being shown on DirecTV. Family Guy and The Cleveland Show for laughs. Robot Chicken when I feel twisted. I generally hate reality shows and avoid them.

But, yeah, you'd have to pry me away from my TV...

I DVR what I don't have time to watch and see a few online, also...
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Ohio Joe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue May-17-11 07:30 PM
Response to Original message
36. I do
Justified... Doctor Who... Survivor... Robot Chicken... Daily Show... Colbert... I've been thinking about doing reviews of some older shows like LOST, The Shield, The Wire, Farscape, episode by episode. I'll see if I get the energy to do it for one and if it goes over well, I'll continue.
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Catherine Vincent Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed May-18-11 12:20 AM
Response to Original message
37. It's okay to still own a TV
Edited on Wed May-18-11 12:22 AM by Catherine Vincent
People should pick and choose what they watch. There are only a few shows I watch consistently. Now that LOST is no longer, I have been thinking about turning it off completely and get news/world events from the internets. It's still uncensored for the most part.
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