Social Question

ibstubro's avatar

If you suddenly had no TV reception, what would you do with the time you now spend with your television?

Asked by ibstubro (18804points) December 21st, 2015

Would you go nuts?
Fall back on video?
Yawn, and go on?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

34 Answers

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

Read books. Play games. Talk to my family. Write. Draw. Take photos and organise the ones I’ve already taken. It would depend if it’s night or day.

DrasticDreamer's avatar

I already don’t really watch TV. I watch everything on streaming services. :D However, I do draw, write, take pictures, read, etc.

Cruiser's avatar

I would drop to my knees and scream Hallelujah and go back to reading my book.

Seek's avatar

That depends on your definition of “losing tv service”.

I already don’t have live tv. I have Netflix, and I access various shows not available on Netflix through another internet based service.

If all access to those things went away, I’d go back to checking out DVD from the local library. That’s how we got our tv entertainment from 2008 until about six months ago.

And I would likely read even more than I do now, though that’s no small amount.

Jeruba's avatar

It would make no difference to me because I spend zero time watching TV.

JLeslie's avatar

Lots of options.

Fluther

Text or call a friend.

Clean my office.

Take a nap.

Depending on the time if day I would go to the supermarket if I needed groceries, or go to the pool, or just sit outside.

Get the mail.

Book the hotel I need to book, but haven’t yet.

Catch up on bills.

Mimishu1995's avatar

I wouldn’t even notice.

Coloma's avatar

I haven’t watched TV in over 13 years. I watch Netflix DVDs & youtube videos and go to the movies on occasion. Viewing of my choice when I so choose. TV is a waste of time and money. I refuse to pay for it.

SQUEEKY2's avatar

We haven’t had TV for years watch all we want from the net including the news, so we wouldn’t even notice if tv went out.

Judi's avatar

I haven’t had cable or satellite in years. I get any TV I watch from iTunes.

LuckyGuy's avatar

I’d either fluther or read . When I am watching TV I am usually doing something else: eating, exercising, starting a fire in the wood burning stove and am waiting to kick on the afterburner.
I play a game with myself: never sit through a commercial. If I notice that I am watching a drug ad I get up and leave. I’ve had too much TV.

jamesruesch's avatar

I would go to my laptop and watch documentary films in Youtube.

Lightlyseared's avatar

Who watches TV these days?

Jeruba's avatar

Wow, if these responses reflect current reality—which is dramatically different from what it would have been just a few years back—TV broadcasters must really be feeling the pinch.

stanleybmanly's avatar

Waste more time here ?

LuckyGuy's avatar

@Jeruba I do not have cable. I get about 15–20 channels over the air, for free. I am a dying breed. Cable TV can be added to my internet service for less than $10 per month but I resist. I wouldn’t do it even if it were free. I simply do not like the idea of one company having a monopoly on my entertainment . I do not like the fact that they can see what I am watching, or when (not if) the market is saturated and a future CEO is offered a bonus for raising profits and they decide to double or triple rates by charging for bandwidth.
We stalwarts are an opposing force keeping cable rates down. Like a beach house on the South Florida coast, I’m doomed in the long run but, I’ll continue to resist as long as I can.

jca's avatar

My daughter watches our one TV which is why I spend time on computer. I rarely watch TV, only when she’s not home, and then I may watch 20/20 or other TV news show, or the 11 o’clock news. I may watch a documentary or PBS. Holiday season I was watching different Nutcracker ballets.

I watch Netflix sometimes. I was binge watching The Tudors. I also have Amazon Prime but have not yet watched anything on their streaming video.

I may have music on the TV while I clean up or organize.

So to answer the question, TV is not a huge part of my life, 90 percent of the time that I’m home. When I do watch, I usually am on computer, on phone, opening mail or something else.

Pachy's avatar

One thing I would definitely do is spend less time, maybe even zero time, obsessing over news and politics.

CorneliusHerkermer's avatar

I haven’t watched television in quite some time. I stayed at a motel last night and out of curiosity decided to turn on the tv set. After watching it for a while, all it did was succeed in confirming why I don’t watch television.

ibstubro's avatar

The few nights a year that I spend in hotel rooms account for all my TV watching. It’s a hoot to watch how impractical the plot-lines are, and how cheesy most of the acting.

I think the commercials are probably the best of TV. They seem to be the only things that actually make an impression, and there are some real gems out there.

elbanditoroso's avatar

Read and listen to music.

Love_my_doggie's avatar

For quite a few years during the early-1980s, I didn’t own a TV. That was the heyday of really bad sitcoms about children (“Webster,” “Punky Brewster,” “Head of the Class,” “Charles in Charge,” “Full House,” “Gimme a Break,” “Saved by the Bell,” “Silver Spoons,” “Growing Pains,” “Diff’rent Strokes,” and the list goes on and on). I can honestly say that I never watched a single minute of any of those shows, and my life certainly wasn’t diminished for that. I was too busy being a socially-active young lady with lots of hobbies and interests.

After the VCR had become really popular, I decided to break down and buy a TV and VHS machine. Videotape gave people the amazing ability to see television’s quality shows, but on one’s own schedule and without sacrificing real life.

Coloma's avatar

@Love_my_doggie Ugh….bad sitcoms, my worst nightmare, trapped in a room of sitcoms running for hours. haha
I have never been a sitcom fan, the only 2 I have ever liked were “Seinfeld” and “Frasier.” The dialogue between Frasier and Niles was superb. lol

ibstubro's avatar

I had TV during that time, @Love_my_doggie, and the only one of those shows I’ve seen an episode of is Growing Pains. I just liked some of the cast members.

jca's avatar

My daughter watches Full House now on some channel and we’ve seen about every episode.

Another one I remember my sister watching (not me, she was a way younger generation), was Who’s the Boss.

Silence04's avatar

Is this question in reference to cable service or TV content services in general?

I’m on year 2 of cutting cable, and exclusively using streaming apps. Took some time to get used to, but now the idea of channel surfing and following a predetermed show schedule seems so ancient to me.

longgone's avatar

[Mod says] Moved to Social with OP’s permission.

KarenP's avatar

Read book or stream shows on my computer. A TV really isn’t necessary these days.

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

I would keep flipping channels aimlessly.

ibstubro's avatar

That’s sad, @stanleybmanly.

How about a nice ant farm?

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