Do you think TV watching was better with only three networks, or now with 100 channels?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

SF VIP
Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
I was flipping through about 100 TV channels, although a large number were "Rosanne" reruns. There really wasn't anything good on. I began to think of the old days when we had three networks, Maybe, it just nostalgia, but TV seemed better back then. Do you think TV watching was better with three networks, or now with 100 channels? I kind of understand that in the UK, you may have only had the BBC?

(When I was in the UK, years ago, I caught a 3 hour our BBC program about 78 year old Nigel, and 81 year old Bruce, driving up the 4 (?) looking for roadside moss.:))
 

fuzzybuddy said:
I was flipping through about 100 TV channels, although a large number were "Rosanne" reruns. There really wasn't anything good on. I began to think of the old days when we had three networks, Maybe, it just nostalgia, but TV seemed better back then. Do you think TV watching was better with three networks, or now with 100 channels? I kind of understand that in the UK, you may have only had the BBC?

(When I was in the UK, years ago, I caught a 3 hour our BBC program about 78 year old Nigel, and 81 year old Bruce, driving up the 4 (?) looking for roadside moss.:))
Click to expand...
what?... nigel and bruce who...?.. 3 hour programme looking for moss..Nope sorry I don't believe that !!...and we have had 3 channels since the 50's and 60's's...4 channels since the 80s'..( terrestrial) not just the BBC...but of course satelite tv channels for decades..
 
Last edited:
For the type of shows I enjoy (The Sopranos, Breaking Bad,etc) I think it is better now. I enjoy those type of TV shows now then most movies being released. However I do understand why some may prefer the shows from back in the day.
 

C'est Moi said:
Definitely better now. No putzing with rabbit ears covered in aluminum foil for every channel change. :D
Click to expand...
exactly... and the quality of the programming is much better ..there may be many repeats on the hundreds of satelite channels( we have 999 ) but the main 20 or so channels (including the 5 terrestrial channels) have quality programming
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pam
Don't know because I cut the cable over 16 years ago. The joke is "500 channels with nothing to watch". When I was a kid we had a tiny black & white & there was only 1 channel, I really enjoyed "The Lone Ranger", "Howdy Dowdy Time" & Walt Disney Presents". Loved that Fess Parker. Yep, 500 channels & nothing to watch!
 
Packerjohn said:
Don't know because I cut the cable over 16 years ago. The joke is "500 channels with nothing to watch". When I was a kid we had a tiny black & white & there was only 1 channel, I really enjoyed "The Lone Ranger", "Howdy Dowdy Time" & Walt Disney Presents". Loved that Fess Parker. Yep, 500 channels & nothing to watch!
Click to expand...

Same here, my friend!!!! (y)

Paid my last cable (satellite) bill in 2003 and never looked back.

Every time I calculate how much money I've saved, I just smile. (it's a LOT!!!)

I must say though, that I am fortunate in that I live in a flat geographical area that also has about as many free, over the airwaves channel options as one could wish for.

After I block out the religious and Spanish speaking stations, I still get around 40 free, watchable channels including two or three all-move channels.

Westerns, sci-fi, adventure, hobby, PBS.... you name it.

Works for and suits me just fine.
 
I will NEVER complain about any little dissatisfaction about streaming! I love it! I'm just SO GLAD TO BE RID OF dISH AND AT&T DIRECT TV! I had so many problems with them! Yay! I'll NEVER go back! I go to U-Tube to watch my old black and white favorites! and, i get to watch every movie or TV show ever made! It's FREE! WOW!
 
MarkinPhx said:
For the type of shows I enjoy (The Sopranos, Breaking Bad,etc) I think it is better now. I enjoy those type of TV shows now then most movies being released. However I do understand why some may prefer the shows from back in the day.
Click to expand...
RadishRose said:
I stream what's available on the internet. I like that even better.

Hundreds of cable channels just meant more sports channels.

The really old days of 3 networks wasn't great.
Click to expand...
mike4lorie said:
We stream now... No more cable or satellite, and have plenty to watch including my sports when it was on... and the wife's soaps... it's all there on streaming...
Click to expand...
Ditto....I stream with my Amazon Firestick..
 
Our apt building has cable TV,when we converted to digital we got a few new channels we didn't have before I enjoy watching:
Tennis,DIY{esp like'Barnwood Builders'},BBCA,Smithsonian,NatGeo,NGWild
I don't subscribe to Netflix,Hulu,Amazon Prime not interested
 
Our local rural electric company strung fiber optics throughout our area a couple of years ago, and offered Internet, Landline phone, and TV, at a lower price than we were paying for minimal satellite TV (Dish), and Landline/slow Internet from Windstream. Needless to say, we jumped on that offer, and it has been quite good. The phone is crystal clear, Internet speed is 100MB, and we get over 200 TV channels (with extremely good clarity).

I don't watch a lot of TV, but I never have any problem finding a good show from this service. Quite often, it seems that there are 2 good shows on simultaneously, and when that happens, I can usually watch one live, and the other at my convenience on my computer.
 
I miss the cozy nostalgic family aspect of appointment TV where we warmed up the set to watch a specific television show like The Wonderful World of Disney but I like the freedom of choice that we have today.

I enjoy having a couple dozen channels available day and night with my AirTV/rabbit ears. Years ago all I would have gotten at 2:00 am was the test pattern.
 
Don M. said:
Our local rural electric company strung fiber optics throughout our area a couple of years ago, and offered Internet, Landline phone, and TV, at a lower price than we were paying for minimal satellite TV (Dish), and Landline/slow Internet from Windstream. Needless to say, we jumped on that offer, and it has been quite good. The phone is crystal clear, Internet speed is 100MB, and we get over 200 TV channels (with extremely good clarity).

I don't watch a lot of TV, but I never have any problem finding a good show from this service. Quite often, it seems that there are 2 good shows on simultaneously, and when that happens, I can usually watch one live, and the other at my convenience on my computer.
Click to expand...
Same here....
 
Ken N Tx said:
I live so far out i the boonies they won't give us fiber optics..We get our internet via broadband..
They said more people would have to move out to our area for fiber optics!! No thanks!! LOL
Click to expand...

I was pleasantly surprised when our CO-OP announced fiber optics.....we, too, live way out in the boondocks. Our nearest town in 4 miles away, has less than 1000 people, and little more than the basics. But, if you ever get the chance to switch to Fiber...go for it...it is far superior to any other service we've had.
The larger cities in our area....KC, St.Louis, Columbia, etc., still don't have fiber, so I guess we got lucky.
 
Fiber optics or roof tops & rabbit ears, I’m nostalgic for days of actually looking forward to watching a program and maybe talking or laughing about it the next day at work.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top