I agree OP. I only watch a couple of soaps and a dollop of other TV here and there.
What do you think of Television these days
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With the advent of being able to record programmes and watch them at my leisure, watching commercial TV has become far more enjoyable now I don't have to watch a single advert, and instead, all I need to do is press the *skip 1 minute* button four times each ad break.
Obviously you could do this in times of old with a video recorder, but it was a much slower process and locating each saved programme was a hassle.
Obviously you could do this in times of old with a video recorder, but it was a much slower process and locating each saved programme was a hassle.
Television production and the way we are presented with it has improved beyond all imagination, but as always, quality of programming remains hit and miss. I don't particularly like watching a lot of TV. I like The Grand Tour, and sport. That's about it.
Far too much dross these days but I can usually find the time to watch most of those old films and other progs such as Dads Army, Heartbeat, and World at War.
Much the same as I have for the last forty years. Mindless entertainment. There are some differences (dramas tend to be less cerebral, documentaries tend to be more flash, less substance). But overall I feel it's improved. There's more stuff to choose from and I manage to find four or five hours of stuff to watch every night. Having DVRs also means I can be a lot more flexible. I never watch anything live so I watch what I want when I want.
Thanks to Sky (or at least their platform as most of what I watch comes from the other broadcasters) I'm pretty much recording more than I can actually watch. If it weren't for the occasionally rainy weekend or enforced holiday I'd never keep up.
Thanks to Sky (or at least their platform as most of what I watch comes from the other broadcasters) I'm pretty much recording more than I can actually watch. If it weren't for the occasionally rainy weekend or enforced holiday I'd never keep up.
They are getting better every year when it comes to picture quality and features, though some are more gimmicky than others, but all in all, thumbs up.
heres what really pees me off, it used to be that if you didnt like a programme at least it just took up an hour in the weekly schedule
now with the likes of Im a Celeb or Strictly and all the spin offs, there are a couple of hours every night in the prime time slot, adding up to maybe 10 or 15 hours in the week that are no use to you.
now with the likes of Im a Celeb or Strictly and all the spin offs, there are a couple of hours every night in the prime time slot, adding up to maybe 10 or 15 hours in the week that are no use to you.
I get a bit frustrated with the pace of some factual shows nowadays.
For example, I was watching the show about the Titanic fire theory the other day and kept thinking it could have fit into a half hour time slot quite easily
For example, I was watching the show about the Titanic fire theory the other day and kept thinking it could have fit into a half hour time slot quite easily
I pretty much only watch Netflix, downloaded stuff and DVDs. The thing with TV these days is that there's a lot more of it. That means a lot more crap, but also a lot more quality drama.
Originally Posted by jimbo1962:
“heres what really pees me off, it used to be that if you didnt like a programme at least it just took up an hour in the weekly schedule
now with the likes of Im a Celeb or Strictly and all the spin offs, there are a couple of hours every night in the prime time slot, adding up to maybe 10 or 15 hours in the week that are no use to you.”
“heres what really pees me off, it used to be that if you didnt like a programme at least it just took up an hour in the weekly schedule
now with the likes of Im a Celeb or Strictly and all the spin offs, there are a couple of hours every night in the prime time slot, adding up to maybe 10 or 15 hours in the week that are no use to you.”
Get a DVR. Stop watching live TV. I've always got something I want to watch regardless of the time and day.
An added bonus is that you can skip over ad-breaks.
Originally Posted by Andrue:
“Get a DVR. Stop watching live TV. I've always got something I want to watch regardless of the time and day.
An added bonus is that you can skip over ad-breaks.”
“Get a DVR. Stop watching live TV. I've always got something I want to watch regardless of the time and day.
An added bonus is that you can skip over ad-breaks.”
Yes, I find a lot of commercial TV almost impossible to watch live nowadays.
There was a time when a break consisted of a few minutes of paid-for advertising, then the odd programme promotion was added, then a few more promotions were added top and tail and now the breaks are sometimes almost as long as the programme parts.
Originally Posted by owen10:
“I would say television was better twenty years ago. Well even ten years ago. I just think with so many channels i would have to say there are too many of them and just not enough quality”
“I would say television was better twenty years ago. Well even ten years ago. I just think with so many channels i would have to say there are too many of them and just not enough quality”
The quality of television has never been better. Admittedly most of it now is coming from abroad, but the BBC in particular still manages to throw out some real gems.
when I was younger I was a socialiser and hardly watched TV. Now I sit in a lot with my gf, which I like doing, and my lack of knowledge of TV in the 80's and 90's is obvious.
I wouldn't say a lot of TV is quality, some of it is absolutely a waste of space. Especially daytime TV. But even with freeview there are so many channels we have lots of things recorded, I don't know what people with sky on top of that must do with such choice. Apart from the football which is the only thing I miss since it was the only thing I watched since I had it 15-20 years ago.
There are good films, dramas, some amusing things and older comedies. I even sort of follow Corrie now but take the daft plots with a pinch of salt. The reality shows are crap, but it depends who is on them. The current line up of CBB is terrible what do they have people who have been on before ? The jungle with Ant and Dec is by far the best.
I wouldn't say a lot of TV is quality, some of it is absolutely a waste of space. Especially daytime TV. But even with freeview there are so many channels we have lots of things recorded, I don't know what people with sky on top of that must do with such choice. Apart from the football which is the only thing I miss since it was the only thing I watched since I had it 15-20 years ago.
There are good films, dramas, some amusing things and older comedies. I even sort of follow Corrie now but take the daft plots with a pinch of salt. The reality shows are crap, but it depends who is on them. The current line up of CBB is terrible what do they have people who have been on before ? The jungle with Ant and Dec is by far the best.
I think some soaps are great at times. I love watching Emmerdale and EastEnders. Question Time is also good for finding out about what's going on in politics. Neighbours is also great in my opinion. I think the very, very high viewing figures from the 1980s was maybe because of the fact that there weren't anywhere near as many channels back then as there are these days. But yeah, I think TV is still very good at times these days with some things.
60's, 70's & 80's were the golden years.
TV now is technically accomplished but artistically lacking.
TV now is technically accomplished but artistically lacking.
Originally Posted by CLL Dodge:
“60's, 70's & 80's were the golden years.
TV now is technically accomplished but artistically lacking.”
“60's, 70's & 80's were the golden years.
TV now is technically accomplished but artistically lacking.”
What about tv now do you think lacks artistry?
My TV is so much better than it ever used to be in the past.
Farewell channels 1,2,3,4,5 I never liked you.
Hello catchup, nowtv, prime and netflix.
Farewell channels 1,2,3,4,5 I never liked you.
Hello catchup, nowtv, prime and netflix.
I only really watch football nowadays and then whatever I catch if I'm at someone else's house.
It's not because I hate tv or think it's rubbish, it's more because I really love the internet and quite like computer games too. About 3 years ago now I bought a desktop PC and plugged it into my telly. So if I want to watch tv I can't be using the computer at the same time and vice versa. I've found I've hardly watched telly since.
Used to use a laptop and have the telly on all the time in the background. I still have that laptop and could go back to doing that sort of thing, or buy a monitor for my PC and do it that way, or even surf the 'net on my phone with the tv on but I'm happy with one thing at a time now and television loses out.
It's not because I hate tv or think it's rubbish, it's more because I really love the internet and quite like computer games too. About 3 years ago now I bought a desktop PC and plugged it into my telly. So if I want to watch tv I can't be using the computer at the same time and vice versa. I've found I've hardly watched telly since.
Used to use a laptop and have the telly on all the time in the background. I still have that laptop and could go back to doing that sort of thing, or buy a monitor for my PC and do it that way, or even surf the 'net on my phone with the tv on but I'm happy with one thing at a time now and television loses out.
Originally Posted by jackthom:
“Yes, I find a lot of commercial TV almost impossible to watch live nowadays.
There was a time when a break consisted of a few minutes of paid-for advertising, then the odd programme promotion was added, then a few more promotions were added top and tail and now the breaks are sometimes almost as long as the programme parts.”
“Yes, I find a lot of commercial TV almost impossible to watch live nowadays.
There was a time when a break consisted of a few minutes of paid-for advertising, then the odd programme promotion was added, then a few more promotions were added top and tail and now the breaks are sometimes almost as long as the programme parts.”
On some channels like History if I've recorded a repeat the promos will be for the actual show I'm watching
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“Thank God for BBC4
They've taken all the decent stuff and put it in one place so we don't need to channel surf”
“Thank God for BBC4
They've taken all the decent stuff and put it in one place so we don't need to channel surf”
Yea, tonight we have
The good old days
Sounds of the sixties
Pop go the sixties
TOTP the story of 83
TOTP big hits of 83
Biggest band break up
Pop quiz
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Originally Posted by jimbo1962:
“heres what really pees me off, it used to be that if you didnt like a programme at least it just took up an hour in the weekly schedule
now with the likes of Im a Celeb or Strictly and all the spin offs, there are a couple of hours every night in the prime time slot, adding up to maybe 10 or 15 hours in the week that are no use to you.”
“heres what really pees me off, it used to be that if you didnt like a programme at least it just took up an hour in the weekly schedule
now with the likes of Im a Celeb or Strictly and all the spin offs, there are a couple of hours every night in the prime time slot, adding up to maybe 10 or 15 hours in the week that are no use to you.”
Strictly has a 90 minute show on Saturday, a 45 minute show on Sunday and a 30 minute show on BBC2 and out of primetime on weekdays for a total of 12 to 13 weeks a year. In what world does that add up to a couple of hours every night in the primetime slot even if you take into account X-Factor running at the same time as that has no weekday shows at all? Hyperbole does nothing to strengthen your argument. Quite the opposite in fact!
Originally Posted by spiney2:
“Perhaps, not quite what Sir John Reith hoped it would be. Lots of ''improving'' serious drama, light music, and endless presbyterian church sermons on sundays .......”
“Perhaps, not quite what Sir John Reith hoped it would be. Lots of ''improving'' serious drama, light music, and endless presbyterian church sermons on sundays .......”
What's Reith got to do with it? His involvement with the BBC and broadcasting was over before TV had even been invented. Apart from railing against the founding of ITA in 1954 in the House of Lords, Reith had no influence on television whatsoever.
Originally Posted by owen10:
“I would say television was better twenty years ago. Well even ten years ago. I just think with so many channels i would have to say there are too many of them and just not enough quality”
“I would say television was better twenty years ago. Well even ten years ago. I just think with so many channels i would have to say there are too many of them and just not enough quality”
Ah, nostalgia. How it lies to us!
Originally Posted by owen10:
“I would say television was better twenty years ago. Well even ten years ago. I just think with so many channels i would have to say there are too many of them and just not enough quality”
“I would say television was better twenty years ago. Well even ten years ago. I just think with so many channels i would have to say there are too many of them and just not enough quality”
Probably now a smaller number of quality programmes spread over many more channels though still mostly on the BBC channels,
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