Giving TV the flick
An interesting thread popped up on the Aussie Bloggers Forum the other day. New member nicholap wanted to know how other forum members managed to juggle their blogs and social networking sites with “real” life (work, partners, family, pets etc).
Lots of members responded, and the main theme was that you need to pick and choose the services that you use – no one can be expected to keep up with everything! But another idea that emerged was that often, it’s TV that gets “the short shift” (in the words of moderator jeanie).
I know this to be true. In our house, we barely watch broadcast TV at all anymore. In it’s place, we watch TV shows that have been downloaded or bought on DVD – so we can watch when (and if) we choose to do so. And, the times we choose are often while we are doing other things.
Wireless internet and small laptops have made this even more convenient – so a Sunday night at home around our house often involves an after-dinner episode or two of The Office or Gordan Ramsay’s F Word in the lounge room with our laptops – reading blogs, debating on forums and chatting with friends over instant messaging.
I can’t help but think this is a good thing. TV is a passive medium whereas the internet is very much participatory – rather than just watch, you are encouraged to explore, to contribute, to write, to interact.
At the same time, I think we’re becoming more discerning – interest in good quality TV shows is higher than ever before. You only have to look at the Kaos and Mayhem forum to see that our community can’t get enough of shows like Dexter, The Deadliest Catch, and Top Gear.
What about you? Has the internet changed your TV viewing habits? Do you think it’s a good thing?
I’m one of the people on the forum who said that my tv watching has gone out the window since taking up blogging and social networking more. There’s still some nights where I don’t want to go near the computer and a night in front of the telly it is, but mostly it’s less tv for me.
I am with Jen. Since I started blogging I have watched almost no TV. I like to work on the computer when the kids are asleep so TV was the first thing to go. I don’t really miss it either!
I VERY rarely watch tv, the kids and hubby are happy with that because they get to watch their favourite shows
I don’t think less tv is a bad thing, as long as we all take the time to step into “reality” and be sure not to let the computer become a cause of neglect in other areas of our lives. E.G. I make outside yard time with the kids EVERY day or else it would be too easy to occupy them with other things and not be a participant in their lives, just be sitting on the laptop instead…
I’ve watched virtually no live TV for over six years now and it has become ‘dehabitalised’ in my household, with my kids also watching little live TV in favour of more interactive pursuits.
Many people I know have dramatically cut back on TV viewing and frankly I don’t know why it commands such high advertising costs when it no longer effectively reaches the AB demographics or Gen Y / X markets.
Me too. The television is often on, but nobody, especially me is listening. I watched the morning news last week when I was on holiday and found it tedious and boring.
I work from home and the TV is on all day in another room. Thinking about it, it’s just background noise most of the time but I do devote _one_ ear when the news is on (as it is right now oddly enough). Rest of the time I’m usually staring at my computer screen, typically trying to fix another IE6 issue with my latest web design project.
We need tv to follow the rugby. When we, The Boks, finally beat you again.. hopefully.
Goodness – you go away from blogland for a few days for some of that real life stuff (like “eek I gotta get some money raining down upon me soon” life stuff) and you don’t find out that your name is being bandied!!
I found there was a progression – child so no tv and no social life so internet social life…
Mind you, these days V does request my presense in real life while he watches his shows, but if he is away it is just background.