How many of us genuinely don't watch any TV?
Discussion
It's a good question. It's impossible to avoid TV unless you live in the wilderness somewhere.
I 'don't watch tv' but would clarify that by saying I do watch the occasional box set on my iPad.
I stopped watching UK tv once they started dumbing down documentaries, reporting celebrity stuff as news and spending half the programme saying what was coming up in the next segment then spending half that segment telling me what I had just seen....as if I have the proverbial goldfish memory.
I just find most of it insulting to my intelligence...I'm aware of how w
ky that sounds by the way!
I read a lot, so get my info through that means - kindle for fiction/non-fiction and iPad for news etc. Also really enjoy Radio 4 which, in its factual programming at least, assumes you left school with an O level or two.
I'm amazed how many people have a TV running all the time. I have an aunt and uncle and if you're visiting them they talk to you with one eye on you and one on the TV! I ask them to turn it off....which they will do.
A few other thoughts..... Never ceases to amaze me (from when I was working in UK) how many overweight women watch massive amounts of TV then complain they only have time to do that one Zumba class each week.
Good friends of mine: she records the soaps and watches them over two nights a week, I'm going to say that's maybe 10 hours. Drives her partner crazy as she will literally not go out those nights...he wants to play tennis in Summer but can't go those two nights. I cannot see why you' would prefer to watch soaps to getting outside and playing tennis with your partner.
I got married in Jan and moved in with my now wife just before.. I was clear - no tv in the bedroom. Bedroom is for a number of things and TV is not one of them!
Moved her tv and some sort of cable package upstairs into our loft room. If she wants to watch Indonesia's next top model she goes up there and I'll read downstairs etc. It's a big air-conditioned room with comfy chairs etc in case you think I've made her watch tv sat on insulating material with spiders for company and a single bare bulb!
Her view, sat next to me right now, is because it's out of sight now she watches a lot less and prefers going out for a stroll in the evening or chatting, invites more friends round as well now.Thinks she used to turn it on and just plonk herself down in front of it with no plan of what to watch. Also pleased our living area isn't centred around a cluster of black plastic boxes and cables.
For me with the box sets - I'll download one episode or two, if it's overly derivative or formulaic I'll call it a day there. Again, I'm amazed that people will say stuff like 'well the last two series have been rubbish but I'll keep watching' Life is too short!!
Do you want to look back and think "oh yeah, glad I spent hours watching stuff I didn't really enjoy on the TV."
As above this may sound all a bit wky but for me why sit in front of a TV when there's other stuff to be done?
I also don't get those awful panel judged singing contests that knock out kit-built boy bands.....if you are a grown man watching those: shame on you. The U.K. especially has knocked out some amazing bands in the last 50 years, go and watch some proper live music, there always some on near you. We manage to see something most weeks and Indonesia does not have any where near the music heritage of the U.K.
That's my view and I'm very aware that other people love TV, but I just don't get it anymore.
On the plus side - I've just finished the Game of Thrones series before the new one. - very good. Also started Vikings as I get that on Amazon as part of Prime and it seems well made. I aim for an episode a week, but will watch more if on a long haul flight.
A quick google suggests the average person in the UK watches nearly 4 hours of tv every day. No one can tell me that's good for you......can they?
I 'don't watch tv' but would clarify that by saying I do watch the occasional box set on my iPad.
I stopped watching UK tv once they started dumbing down documentaries, reporting celebrity stuff as news and spending half the programme saying what was coming up in the next segment then spending half that segment telling me what I had just seen....as if I have the proverbial goldfish memory.
I just find most of it insulting to my intelligence...I'm aware of how w
ky that sounds by the way!I read a lot, so get my info through that means - kindle for fiction/non-fiction and iPad for news etc. Also really enjoy Radio 4 which, in its factual programming at least, assumes you left school with an O level or two.
I'm amazed how many people have a TV running all the time. I have an aunt and uncle and if you're visiting them they talk to you with one eye on you and one on the TV! I ask them to turn it off....which they will do.
A few other thoughts..... Never ceases to amaze me (from when I was working in UK) how many overweight women watch massive amounts of TV then complain they only have time to do that one Zumba class each week.
Good friends of mine: she records the soaps and watches them over two nights a week, I'm going to say that's maybe 10 hours. Drives her partner crazy as she will literally not go out those nights...he wants to play tennis in Summer but can't go those two nights. I cannot see why you' would prefer to watch soaps to getting outside and playing tennis with your partner.
I got married in Jan and moved in with my now wife just before.. I was clear - no tv in the bedroom. Bedroom is for a number of things and TV is not one of them!
Moved her tv and some sort of cable package upstairs into our loft room. If she wants to watch Indonesia's next top model she goes up there and I'll read downstairs etc. It's a big air-conditioned room with comfy chairs etc in case you think I've made her watch tv sat on insulating material with spiders for company and a single bare bulb!
Her view, sat next to me right now, is because it's out of sight now she watches a lot less and prefers going out for a stroll in the evening or chatting, invites more friends round as well now.Thinks she used to turn it on and just plonk herself down in front of it with no plan of what to watch. Also pleased our living area isn't centred around a cluster of black plastic boxes and cables.
For me with the box sets - I'll download one episode or two, if it's overly derivative or formulaic I'll call it a day there. Again, I'm amazed that people will say stuff like 'well the last two series have been rubbish but I'll keep watching' Life is too short!!
Do you want to look back and think "oh yeah, glad I spent hours watching stuff I didn't really enjoy on the TV."
As above this may sound all a bit w
ky but for me why sit in front of a TV when there's other stuff to be done? I also don't get those awful panel judged singing contests that knock out kit-built boy bands.....if you are a grown man watching those: shame on you. The U.K. especially has knocked out some amazing bands in the last 50 years, go and watch some proper live music, there always some on near you. We manage to see something most weeks and Indonesia does not have any where near the music heritage of the U.K.
That's my view and I'm very aware that other people love TV, but I just don't get it anymore.
On the plus side - I've just finished the Game of Thrones series before the new one. - very good. Also started Vikings as I get that on Amazon as part of Prime and it seems well made. I aim for an episode a week, but will watch more if on a long haul flight.
A quick google suggests the average person in the UK watches nearly 4 hours of tv every day. No one can tell me that's good for you......can they?
Edited by jdw100 on Friday 27th May 05:39
CR6ZZ said:
I avoid "reality" TV like the plaque, which means I don't watch very much any more. The news, and an occasional movie or comedy and that's about it.
It's really changed for me too, I avoid the 24 hr news (political brainwashing) channels like the plague and stick to recording things through the week and watching them later.Streaming content has changed things massively too as I'm lucky enough to have a decent broadband speed. Stayed up late last night watching Touching the Void on More 4 - a film I'd seen years ago and one of few that genuinely moved me.
I think if you chose watch you watch carefully there is still a place for the TV in the home.
We moved into a new build house 2 years ago and haven't put up an aerial yet. We got Sky because of a really good deal (worked out £3 per month) but used it maybe twice in the whole year and then cancelled it.
I did use Netflix for a while, advert-free binge watching was great, but I haven't logged on in about 6 months.
The only thing I can remember watching properly on TV in the last 5 years was Top Gear, but the last couple of seasons I just downloaded and watched on my phone while on lunch at work.
Now in a typical week, our TV gets about 3 hours of xbox use and 2 hours of YouTube streaming - that's it.
I did use Netflix for a while, advert-free binge watching was great, but I haven't logged on in about 6 months.
The only thing I can remember watching properly on TV in the last 5 years was Top Gear, but the last couple of seasons I just downloaded and watched on my phone while on lunch at work.
Now in a typical week, our TV gets about 3 hours of xbox use and 2 hours of YouTube streaming - that's it.
jdw100 said:
It's a good question. It's impossible to avoid TV unless you live in the wilderness somewhere.
I 'don't watch tv' but would clarify that by saying I do watch the occasional box set on my iPad.
I stopped watching UK tv once they started dumbing down documentaries, reporting celebrity stuff as news and spending half the programme saying what was coming up in the next segment then spending half that segment telling me what I had just seen....as if I have the proverbial goldfish memory.
I just find most of it insulting to my intelligence...I'm aware of how wky that sounds by the way!
I read a lot, so get my info through that means - kindle for fiction/non-fiction and iPad for news etc. Also really enjoy Radio 4 which, in its factual programming at least, assumes you left school with an O level or two.
I'm amazed how many people have a TV running all the time. I have an aunt and uncle and if you're visiting them they talk to you with one eye on you and one on the TV! I ask them to turn it off....which they will do.
A few other thoughts..... Never ceases to amaze me (from when I was working in UK) how many overweight women watch massive amounts of TV then complain they only have time to do that one Zumba class each week.
Good friends of mine: she records the soaps and watches them over two nights a week, I'm going to say that's maybe 10 hours. Drives her partner crazy as she will literally not go out those nights...he wants to play tennis in Summer but can't go those two nights. I cannot see why you' would prefer to watch soaps to getting outside and playing tennis with your partner.
I got married in Jan and moved in with my now wife just before.. I was clear - no tv in the bedroom. Bedroom is for a number of things and TV is not one of them!
Moved her tv and some sort of cable package upstairs into our loft room. If she wants to watch Indonesia's next top model she goes up there and I'll read downstairs etc. It's a big air-conditioned room with comfy chairs etc in case you think I've made her watch tv sat on insulating material with spiders for company and a single bare bulb!
Her view, sat next to me right now, is because it's out of sight now she watches a lot less and prefers going out for a stroll in the evening or chatting, invites more friends round as well now.Thinks she used to turn it on and just plonk herself down in front of it with no plan of what to watch. Also pleased our living area isn't centred around a cluster of black plastic boxes and cables.
For me with the box sets - I'll download one episode or two, if it's overly derivative or formulaic I'll call it a day there. Again, I'm amazed that people will say stuff like 'well the last two series have been rubbish but I'll keep watching' Life is too short!!
Do you want to look back and think "oh yeah, glad I spent hours watching stuff I didn't really enjoy on the TV."
As above this may sound all a bit wky but for me why sit in front of a TV when there's other stuff to be done?
I also don't get those awful panel judged singing contests that knock out kit-built boy bands.....if you are a grown man watching those: shame on you. The U.K. especially has knocked out some amazing bands in the last 50 years, go and watch some proper live music, there always some on near you. We manage to see something most weeks and Indonesia does not have any where near the music heritage of the U.K.
That's my view and I'm very aware that other people love TV, but I just don't get it anymore.
On the plus side - I've just finished the Game of Thrones series before the new one. - very good. Also started Vikings as I get that on Amazon as part of Prime and it seems well made. I aim for an episode a week, but will watch more if on a long haul flight.
A quick google suggests the average person in the UK watches nearly 4 hours of tv every day. No one can tell me that's good for you......can they?
Can't disagree with a word of that.I 'don't watch tv' but would clarify that by saying I do watch the occasional box set on my iPad.
I stopped watching UK tv once they started dumbing down documentaries, reporting celebrity stuff as news and spending half the programme saying what was coming up in the next segment then spending half that segment telling me what I had just seen....as if I have the proverbial goldfish memory.
I just find most of it insulting to my intelligence...I'm aware of how w
ky that sounds by the way!I read a lot, so get my info through that means - kindle for fiction/non-fiction and iPad for news etc. Also really enjoy Radio 4 which, in its factual programming at least, assumes you left school with an O level or two.
I'm amazed how many people have a TV running all the time. I have an aunt and uncle and if you're visiting them they talk to you with one eye on you and one on the TV! I ask them to turn it off....which they will do.
A few other thoughts..... Never ceases to amaze me (from when I was working in UK) how many overweight women watch massive amounts of TV then complain they only have time to do that one Zumba class each week.
Good friends of mine: she records the soaps and watches them over two nights a week, I'm going to say that's maybe 10 hours. Drives her partner crazy as she will literally not go out those nights...he wants to play tennis in Summer but can't go those two nights. I cannot see why you' would prefer to watch soaps to getting outside and playing tennis with your partner.
I got married in Jan and moved in with my now wife just before.. I was clear - no tv in the bedroom. Bedroom is for a number of things and TV is not one of them!
Moved her tv and some sort of cable package upstairs into our loft room. If she wants to watch Indonesia's next top model she goes up there and I'll read downstairs etc. It's a big air-conditioned room with comfy chairs etc in case you think I've made her watch tv sat on insulating material with spiders for company and a single bare bulb!
Her view, sat next to me right now, is because it's out of sight now she watches a lot less and prefers going out for a stroll in the evening or chatting, invites more friends round as well now.Thinks she used to turn it on and just plonk herself down in front of it with no plan of what to watch. Also pleased our living area isn't centred around a cluster of black plastic boxes and cables.
For me with the box sets - I'll download one episode or two, if it's overly derivative or formulaic I'll call it a day there. Again, I'm amazed that people will say stuff like 'well the last two series have been rubbish but I'll keep watching' Life is too short!!
Do you want to look back and think "oh yeah, glad I spent hours watching stuff I didn't really enjoy on the TV."
As above this may sound all a bit w
ky but for me why sit in front of a TV when there's other stuff to be done? I also don't get those awful panel judged singing contests that knock out kit-built boy bands.....if you are a grown man watching those: shame on you. The U.K. especially has knocked out some amazing bands in the last 50 years, go and watch some proper live music, there always some on near you. We manage to see something most weeks and Indonesia does not have any where near the music heritage of the U.K.
That's my view and I'm very aware that other people love TV, but I just don't get it anymore.
On the plus side - I've just finished the Game of Thrones series before the new one. - very good. Also started Vikings as I get that on Amazon as part of Prime and it seems well made. I aim for an episode a week, but will watch more if on a long haul flight.
A quick google suggests the average person in the UK watches nearly 4 hours of tv every day. No one can tell me that's good for you......can they?
Edited by jdw100 on Friday 27th May 05:39
I used to watch a lot of TV when I was younger, but now find life is to short to spend it watching mind numbing crap. I love a good box set though and TV can provide some brilliant entertainment, but the day to day nonsense just makes me feel patronised and grumpy.
I struggle to sit with my wife and watch Kirsty and Phil or whatever without ranting and us falling out...she seems to take it personally!
CR6ZZ said:
I avoid "reality" TV like the plaque, which means I don't watch very much any more. The news, and an occasional movie or comedy and that's about it.
I'm 50-50 on "reality tv" I just don't care about who's singing for their Nan on X Factor, or what the clones are doing in Chelsea (although Lucy always looks lovely in the trailers) but I still watch Fast n' Loud, Wheeler Dealers and Car SOS - they're sold as "stylised reality" now - I.E. it's scripted, and sadly they're becoming more and more soap opera ever series. I hadn't go the inclination to check but I'd bet that if you took a series 1 episode of any of them and measured how much screen time was taken up by someone doing something practical with a tool in their hand and compared it against the most recent one - I bet it's half as much!Anyway, that's not my point, my point is that I honestly believe TV is now getting better than before, no seriously - hear me out!
Prior to Sky/BSB/Cable we had 4 channels in the UK, choice was low, but quality was high, I certainly remember that people were genuinely annoyed by "repeats" - so if whatever was on was your type of thing it was usually pretty good, but if it wasn't you were stuck.
Then Sky and Cable came and 4 became 20+ then 50+ and I know Sky channels go up to 999 now and beyond, so since the 80's choice had grown massively but quality has gone through the floor - too many channels fighting for the same audience / advertising revenue meant 24/7 'Friends' repeats and cheap to make singing contests.
But now with Sky+ (I know it's a decade old) but more so with OnDemand stuff you can filter out all the crap you don't like and just watch stuff you do like, when you like and thanks to this and some massive ratings winners like Game of Thrones and smaller scale stuff like Broadchurch there's enough money in TV again to make these amazing series when each episode is like a 60 min film.
vxr8mate said:
I watch some live TV, but no where near what I used to and when F1 disappears from terrestrial it will be even less.
With the advent of the likes of Netflix and Amazon, download TV and torrents live TV is dying.
However, what surprises more so is how little kids watch it. Mine is permanently glued to Youtube, but hardly ever watches live TV.
Makes you wonder where live TV is heading.
What a load of nonsense, of course live TV isn't dying - the amount of money being pumped into sport will see to that for a good while to come. I would guess there's still a fairly substantial proportion of the population that have no interest in watching everything on catchup and also have no interest in downloading from YouTube, Netflix and the like.With the advent of the likes of Netflix and Amazon, download TV and torrents live TV is dying.
However, what surprises more so is how little kids watch it. Mine is permanently glued to Youtube, but hardly ever watches live TV.
Makes you wonder where live TV is heading.
I watch most F1 races. That's about it. No Top Gear, ( not even the old one), and not the news. Have never seen any of the series people talk about,no late night shows . Nothing.
I travel a lot and when I check into a hotel I never turn on the TV. Its not s snobbery thing..all depends on what you like. I do not watch sports ,live or on a screen apart from F1. New is more immediate on the web generally.
On the other hand, I am on the web quite often and get most of my news there, plus have a number of bookmarked sites like PH.
I travel a lot and when I check into a hotel I never turn on the TV. Its not s snobbery thing..all depends on what you like. I do not watch sports ,live or on a screen apart from F1. New is more immediate on the web generally.
On the other hand, I am on the web quite often and get most of my news there, plus have a number of bookmarked sites like PH.
daddy cool said:
Have to say though as a mostly non-TV watcher, see post above, not watching it doesn't make me feel smug, it's just something I don't do for reasons stated above.
However, I have noticed that people assume you are (not) doing it in order to be different or get one over on them somehow.
Several times I've had someone say "you know that guy off x-factor on ice programme?" To which I respond "no, sorry I dont watch the telly" "why not?!?" they ask and I'll explain my reasons......they then get the hump as if I'm somehow having a go at them. I've learnt how to just say "oh I don't have time really"
If you don't read - I don't care, I don't ride a bicycle or paint or scuba dive....but if you do, good for you.
Equally if you don't run or go to the cinema or like mojitos - doesn't bother me or make me smug that I do.
Nearest thing I can equate it to is people who follow football who get incensed when you tell them you don't watch it.
Would be a bit silly if I didn't do something I actually enjoyed just on the off chance that someone might ask me if I did that thing so I could respond with a smug 'no'.
Funny old world.
Didn't have a tv for 5 years, never missed it. Now I do have a tv, the only things I watch on it are films via amazon, netflix etc, 24 hours in A & E, the occasional Family Guy, (not as funny as it used to be), and old documentaries on Quest.
No news programmes, especially not the BBC, and no Soaps.
No news programmes, especially not the BBC, and no Soaps.
I havnt watched live TV (at my house) since i moved into the shared house i live in now. (moved in Sept)
I watch Game of Thrones at my dads.
I watch the news at my nans (most weeks)
I watched Downton Abbey on ITV player.
Otherwise i play the computer.
TV listing is mostly braindead st anyway.
I watch Game of Thrones at my dads.
I watch the news at my nans (most weeks)
I watched Downton Abbey on ITV player.
Otherwise i play the computer.
TV listing is mostly braindead s
t anyway.Our new place doesn't have an aerial, otherwise we'd probably watch a bit. We have Now TV and watch Game Of Thrones, which we both find so utterly compelling we managed to watch 8 hours worth at the weekend. Other than that I maybe play on the Xbox for 3 hours a week and we watch some YouTube stuff, my girlfriend might watch a couple of things on Now TV and occasionally we'll stick a film on, but we don't really use our TV's all that much. All I ever used to watch religiously was Top Gear, but I got tired of that a couple of years ago.
What do TV detector vans look like? We've had an oversized, unmarked white van parked here a lot since I filled in that form. In a resident's parking zone, no sign of workmen, and over the Bank Holiday weekend too. He could probably see the TV from his window, though he wouldn't be able to see the cables going nowhere.
I watch probably less than 1 hour of live TV a week, usually HIGNFY. No snobbery, just lots of other things to do. OH has a couple of soaps she likes, and CBBC is on most days for a little while. I do watch the occasional movie or series on Netflix though, but only if it is something I really want to to see.
grumbledoak said:
What do TV detector vans look like? We've had an oversized, unmarked white van parked here a lot since I filled in that form. In a resident's parking zone, no sign of workmen, and over the Bank Holiday weekend too. He could probably see the TV from his window, though he wouldn't be able to see the cables going nowhere.
Ahem ....http://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/ten-com...
this website said:
Fact: It's a controversial one this, not least because a fair few of our like-minded friends agree with the above statement. We consider that TV detection equipment does exist, but its use is not nearly as widespread as the BBC and TV Licensing would have people believe.
[..]
The BBC confirms that TV detection evidence has never been presented for scrutiny in open court. They are no doubt fearful about the effectiveness of their detection equipment being challenged in public.
[..]
The BBC confirms that TV detection evidence has never been presented for scrutiny in open court. They are no doubt fearful about the effectiveness of their detection equipment being challenged in public.
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