TV etiquette question: is "I'm enjoying the quiet" equivalent to "I'm watching that" when asked if it's alright to change the channel?

Yes, the battle for the hell-box rages on. Today I muted and CCed Judge Judy, and subtly sabotaged the remote control.
Ten minutes later, one of my co-workers – rather senior, and about four departments over – came into the peaceful break room and, taking the remote, asked if anybody were watching what was on. I replied that I was most emphatically not watching TV, and would like to keep it that way, tyvm.
She replied to the effect that she could watch TV if she wanted to, and to emphasize her point started trying to work the sabotaged remote. We went back and forth for a few minutes, me arguing the unfairness (there is but one break room, and it’s a million degrees outside), she emphasizing that the break room had a TV so that people could watch it (leaning on one of the remote’s buttons the whole time). Honestly, the hardest part was keeping a straight face. Baffled by my foresight, she eventually abandoned the TV-watching.
But I ask you, dear Jellies: is “not watching TV” effectively the same as “watching TV that you don’t like”?