How long before broadcast TV disappears?

HermitHogan said:
Are you far away from the broadcast towers? I'm only about 15 miles from the towers, so a cheap Yagi antenna mounted outside works just fine.
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Yeah, I got a few cheap drugstore and Goodwill antennas and pickup tons of channels. Then again there are 3 or 4 tv stations nearby and PBS right down the street.
 
dilettante said:
Cable? People still pay for cable TV?
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I do and through the nose. My cable bill has doubled in the last 3 years - paying almost $250 a month to get TV, Internet and land line phone service. But before you jump on me, understand it's a technology I am familiar with. I don't understand how streaming, Roku or the more modern technologies operate or even set up for them.
 

I was paying $83/month for cable when I had it disconnected in 2014. Since then, all I have is (free) broadcast TV. I get 26 channels, so there's always something I can watch. I saw the posts on here that broadcast TV might be going away, and I don't know it will or not, but for right now I'm getting more free channels than when I first went back to broadcast TV in 2014.
 
I get the feeling that some think I was suggesting that broadcast TV should go away. I am not. It's great for many people as long as it lasts. But, it will only last as long as it makes financial sense. One person noted that current programming is pretty poor. The reason is that they are trying to cut costs. News staffs are being downsized. High paid experienced people are being let go and replaced with new people. They are not making as much profit as they used to when everybody watched them. It's similar to the case with newspapers and brick and mortar stores. The internet is causing major changes and they will continue. The major networks may survive, but it may be on the internet, rather than over the air.
 
We still have DirecTV (satellite) because I watch bits of the news, but mostly The Daily Show, Colbert, Kimmel, Dateline, 48 Hours and other crime stories on ID. The major network shows are pretty awful. I've cut DirecTV back to a minimum and it is bundled with our internet.

We mostly watch streaming shows through AppleTV these days. There is an endless selection of dramas on Netflix, Hulu and AppleTV. I love anything that takes me away from today's news.
 
OldFeller said:
When the last of the boomer generation dies off and the younger generations that never had a land line phone or antenna TV are the only market to reach with your advertising, that's when antenna TV will go away (like AM radio).
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Okay. I'll be off the planet by then. I don't watch more than 1-2 hours of TV a day anyway.
 
I think network (broadcast) TV channels will still exist. They produce shows that are streamed on various platforms, so that must bring in revenue. There have been times when agreements between cable companies and the likes of CBS or the CW could not be reached and certain platforms no longer carried programming from those networks.

I haven't had network TV in years. I started streaming more than 10 years ago, but finally cancelled cable at the end of 2018. I like it better than watching live network T.V. because most of what I stream is ad free. Plus I'm paying only about a third of what I was paying cable, where I had to sit through ads, which take up about 18 - 20 minutes of an hour show.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
I think network (broadcast) TV channels will still exist. They produce shows that are streamed on various platforms, so that must bring in revenue. There have been times when agreements between cable companies and the likes of CBS or the CW could not be reached and certain platforms no longer carried programming from those networks.

I haven't had network TV in years. I started streaming more than 10 years ago, but finally cancelled cable at the end of 2018. I like it better than watching live network T.V. because most of what I stream is ad free. Plus I'm paying only about a third of what I was paying cable, where I had to sit through ads, which take up about 18 - 20 minutes of an hour show.
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Yes, I know what you mean about cable being expensive. A TV is usually on at my house just so it's not so quiet here,, but I don't think I spend more than an hour, maybe 2 a day watching it, so it's not worth paying anything for TV to me.

Much of the programs are older, but that's okay, and I don't think newer sitcoms are funny. Even some new sitcoms are on free TV, and a few are good. I like "Happy's Place", Reba McIntyre.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Yes, I know what you mean about cable being expensive. A TV is usually on at my house just so it's not so quiet here,, but I don't think I spend more than an hour, maybe 2 a day watching it, so it's not worth paying anything for TV to me.

Much of the programs are older, but that's okay, and I don't think newer sitcoms are funny. Even some new sitcoms are on free TV, and a few are good. I like "Happy's Place", Reba McIntyre.
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So are you using an antenna or streaming free channels? I thought about watching Reba's old and new shows. They look funny. But I have so much on my TV plate that it's just ridiculous. I had gotten away from comedies but found Mom and 2 Broke Girls to be funny, though "Girls" depend too much on raunchy humor IMO. I only watch them when I'm in the mood. I just added Damon Wayans' new comedy Poppa's House, which also stars his son Damon, Jr., to my watchlist. It's on CBS & Paramount+ . Haven't checked it out yet.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
So are you using an antenna or streaming free channels? I thought about watching Reba's old and new shows. They look funny. But I have so much on my TV plate that it's just ridiculous. I had gotten away from comedies but found Mom and 2 Broke Girls to be funny, though "Girls" depend too much on raunchy humor IMO. I only watch them when I'm in the mood. I just added Damon Wayans' new comedy Poppa's House, which also stars his son Damon, Jr., to my watchlist. It's on CBS & Paramount+ . Haven't checked it out yet.
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Yes, I have a "Leaf" antenna for free broadcast stations. No, I don't stream anything. My favorite OLD comedy is Three's Company. I've probably seen all of them, but over time, I forgot how they turned out, so I watch them again. If a show throws in something a bit offkey now and then, I can deal with that, but off it goes if it gets really raunchy.

Thanks for mentioning Poppa's House. I'm going to look that one up.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Yes, I have a "Leaf" antenna for free broadcast stations. No, I don't stream anything. My favorite OLD comedy is Three's Company. I've probably seen all of them, but over time, I forgot how they turned out, so I watch them again. If a show throws in something a bit offkey now and then, I can deal with that, but off it goes if it gets really raunchy.

Thanks for mentioning Poppa's House. I'm going to look that one up.
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You're welcome MACK. I used to watch Three's Company. I'll never forget, I saw John Ritter being interviewed on a late night talk show. He was funny and seemed fine. A few days later, he was dead! That was a shock. I also got hooked on Resident Alien, which is irreverent, but quirky funny. I found out several years ago that I like quirky comedies.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Yes, I have a "Leaf" antenna for free broadcast stations. No, I don't stream anything. My favorite OLD comedy is Three's Company. I've probably seen all of them, but over time, I forgot how they turned out, so I watch them again. If a show throws in something a bit offkey now and then, I can deal with that, but off it goes if it gets really raunchy.

Thanks for mentioning Poppa's House. I'm going to look that one up.
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I don't know how I forgot to mention that I also watch Ghosts on Paramount+. Another quirky comedy. If you start watching Poppa's House, let me know how you like it. Still haven't watched it yet, but I've always enjoyed Damon Wayans' shows. Also, a friend of mine worked on one of his sets and said he's a nice guy.
 

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