We've had enough of television programming.

[jjp8182]

Been at my current home for 14.5 years now and I've never had cable or satellite TV here. The only thing I've ever gotten was cable internet, which permitted streaming video and a VOIP phone line.

Had both streaming and DVD Netflix for a while, dropped the streaming side a few years ago -- but got it back through my new wife's account when she moved in last spring, can't say that I really missed it though. Kept the DVD side of the Netflix subscription since the catalog of movies is much larger there (lots of the older movies available there).

Occasionally watch some Amazon Prime streaming, or some of the other free services, but on the whole not having the "easy"/addicting option of endless & mindless television has been okay with me ... much rather watch a movie or play a non-online PC game (most of which are also relatively old), or even reading a book.

So not having any sort of television, and minimal streaming has likely kept me from spending lots of money on that, but instead spend it on physical hobbies (and tools, firearms, implements, etc.). I did however, take the time early on to set up a projector-based home theater (still the only practical way to get much larger screen sizes ...e.g. 110") which is hooked to a computer & bluray player (through a receiver & speakers for sound).

Have found it's far more enjoyable to watch a movie on a "big" screen without having to deal with sticky floors, or people who just can't/won't be quiet in a movie theater - and being able to eat whatever I have/want and be attired as I wish has an added plus.

Occasionally see some television while on travel...and it generally tends to reaffirm my decision not to have it in any form (cable/satellite/broadcast) - of course my current set up also allows me to avoid movie theaters (and their costs) as well....

 

[sixdogs]

When we first gave up satellite TV, we actually ran out of things to do. We were so caught up in mindless TV shows, excessive commercials and variable sound levels that the break from that left us time to do all the things we never had time to do. It is so much better now since the monkey is off our back. The TV show producers must think we are all idiots.

I just finished waxing my truck and I feel wonderful driving it all clean and shiny. It's not a chore, I just like a nice truck but never had the time to even clean it. I regularly sharpen my pocket knife now and my tractors are way up to snuff on maintenance. The magazine articles I used to set aside to read now get read. I wasted my time watching TV shows that didn't matter one way or the other.

I would like the time I spent on TV back.

 

[oosik]

Such a waste. Any of the shows I want to watch are still in reruns. I don't give a darn about all of the Walking Dead and the spin-offs. Or the reality shows or who is sleeping with who ............

The only thing new - the commercials. And on an hour long show - the commercials seem to be longer than the actual show.

 

[Jstpssng]

In 2005 I bought my first new television set; an "assembled in USA" Samsung. 4 years later everything went digital and that TV has been in my shed ever since; there's no way I will pay for the drivel which passes for programming.
I visit my 84 YO mother and watch shows with her which she never would have wasted time on when she was more active; what is the attraction of Dr Phil? She has 100 channels but after watching her game shows at night has a hard time finding anything to watch; although the last time I was down there she'd found a public television station which seems to have decent programming.

 

[Oaktree]

Such a waste. Any of the shows I want to watch are still in reruns. I don't give a darn about all of the Walking Dead and the spin-offs. Or the reality shows or who is sleeping with who ............

The only thing new - the commercials. And on an hour long show - the commercials seem to be longer than the actual show.

Rarely if ever watched tv in my 20s thru 50s, but as I've gotten older I do some, mostly something to do in the evening. Daytime tv is a wasteland, and I'm not about to pay for any of the subscription channels but we do have a Roku and there's some interesting free stuff there. Even some of the reality shows aren't too bad, kind of like the Amazing Race and Storage Wars is kind of entertaining in small doses. Portlandia is kind of fun in where it pokes fun at the whole west coast ultra PC lifestyle.
Someone here once mentioned the Pluto channel. Unlike most streaming channels, this one is not on demand...it's like regular tv where you see what's running at the time, but there's a lot to choose from.

Commercials, yeah that's the price you pay for "free" programming. I wouldn't mind quite so much but it seems like it's just the same half dozen ones that run every break.

 

[ljjhouser]

I had DirectV - Then ATT bought them. Price went to $185. I called to cancel them. Well, we can get you the same service for $130. OK, let's try that. 3 months later, $180. Called to cancel. They ask "how much do you want to save. I said $180, cancel it.

Now I use Tablo for air tv. Tablo does not require an antenna wire to each tv. Just one to the Tablo unit. It then broadcast it's own wifi stream to all tvs in the house. I think it costs about $50. Then if you want a 2 week tv guide, there is a onetime lifetime fee of $150. It is good. Connect a SSD (solid State Harddrive) to it and you can record any program on the tv guide. And, if you get tired of commercials, for $20 a month, it will skip commercials when you record a program. I use that and netflix. $50 + $150 tv guide = #200 setup cost. Commercial skip ($20) and Netflix (15) - $35 monthly fee.

I discovered when I had Directv, there were only 6 channels we watched. I can get those channels on Sling if I want them.

 

[Jstpssng]

I could understand commercials when the signal was coming via airwaves. When paying over 100$/month for the privelege of watching though, I find it ridiculous that up to 30% of that programming is commercials.

 

[ljjhouser]

I could understand commercials when the signal was coming via airwaves. When paying over 100$/month for the privelege of watching though, I find it ridiculous that up to 30% of that programming is commercials.

I would estimate the time of commercials Is closer to 45%. More if they are including Medicare Commercials.

Many years ago, when satellite tv began, (provlin dish) there were 2 bands. And all was free. Then it was HBO that began charging with the promise that was because it was "Commercial Free." They are the first, and I will never and have never paid a dime to them. In most 30 minute shows, I would be not surprised if almost 1/2 is commericals.

 

[TheMan419]

I would estimate the time of commercials Is closer to 45%. More if they are including Medicare Commercials.

Many years ago, when satellite tv began, (provlin dish) there were 2 bands. And all was free. Then it was HBO that began charging with the promise that was because it was "Commercial Free." They are the first, and I will never and have never paid a dime to them. In most 30 minute shows, I would be not surprised if almost 1/2 is commericals.

Well you would be wrong. In a 30 minute show there are 6-7 minutes of commercials. In a 60 minute show it is 16-18 minutes.

 

[Oaktree]

I could understand commercials when the signal was coming via airwaves. When paying over 100$/month for the privelege of watching though, I find it ridiculous that up to 30% of that programming is commercials.

What frosts me is the additional fees on cable packages. We have the very basic cable package from Spectrum...mostly OTA channels from Portland, Me. plus a handful of cable channels we never watch (CSPAN, a couple shopping channels and a me-tv like channel. Then they tack on a "broadcast tv surcharge" that's almost as much as the cable package itself! On a package where if you took out the broadcast channels you'd have almost nothing. What exactly am I paying for? (I asked the lady at the office once and got a total non-answer).

 

[lman]

I record OTA shows on my Tivo and can watch a recorded 1 hour show in 40 minutes after skipping the ads.

 

[JasperFrank]

When designing our house in the mid-nineties, we had to decide if we wanted to bring co-ax cable up the hill. Because it was a long line, we would have had to buy a 1,200 dollar "amplifier/repeater." At the time there was no broadband internet available and we were behind a hill from the local TV station transmitters. 1,200 dollars was a lot of money back in 1995. We instead just bought a VHS player and got movies from the local VHS rental stores. Over air TV was instantly, a thing of the past. We didn't miss TV at all. 10 years later we got "minimal" high speed internet. And even at the low rates of 10 Mbps down and .78 upload we could watch what ever we wanted. The tech changed so fast, that we never even used all the Cat 5 I had wired in to the house: Its all wireless now, and works even if its the old N standard for zoom meeting and such. We still have a netflixs account, but mostly now just watch Youtube content mixed with the occasional online netflixs and DVD service. A age of the standard real time TV model is over. It is fun that this discussion brought back a memory. It was way back at the start of Cable TV, when in a movie theatre, they would run an anti-pay-tv ad, before the feature. Early '70's as TBS was getting started. They would show a cartoon of a TV that was eating money and then slowly turned into a monster. Wonder if anyone else remembers that.

 

[ljjhouser]

TheMan419
Well you would be wrong. In a 30 minute show there are 6-7 minutes of commercials. In a 60 minute show it is 16-18 minutes.


Well, I could be wrong. And you might be also where I am. You seem sure and exact. I was just guessing. But I did take the time to check it out.

I watched a random channel, 30 minutes of Man From Laramie -
There are eight minutes and thirty seconds of commercials.

Then I watched another random channel - it was Family Fued
The commercials included - Walmart, Clorox wipes, Kusqali Medication, An advertisement for the programming on the channel, Facebook Portal, Stoffers Lasagna, News Nation, Fox station, Medicare Joe Namath, GMC Truck, Caseys Pizza, and Branson Silver Dollar City and one other that I did not get the name.

The times were measure by stopwatch from when programming stopped to started again.
Time for this 30 minute programming 9 minutes and 30 seconds.

It was less than I thought. But neither of us was correct. It was more than you stated. But you were closer than I. Maybe Jstpssng was very close at 30%. Best wishes

 

[sixdogs]

The thing with all these commercials is that they snip pieces out of classic TV shows and the result is an original program that now becomes confusing and incomplete. I exercise to 30 minute shows that have been cut to the point that some episodes aren't worth watching.

 

[3Ts]

Well you would be wrong. In a 30 minute show there are 6-7 minutes of commercials. In a 60 minute show it is 16-18 minutes.

It seems to depend on several factors. I talked to a producer that runs his programs on the outdoor channel and he says his programs have to be limited to 18 minutes.

 

[Locoweed]

We were visiting relatives last week & were amazed at the nonstop Medicare Advantage commercials.

 

[Pixguy]

We were visiting relatives last week & were amazed at the nonstop Medicare Advantage commercials.

It's due to the annual open enrollment period. They'll disappear on Dec. 8th.

 

[Oaktree]

We were visiting relatives last week & were amazed at the nonstop Medicare Advantage commercials.

Don't feel bad, one of our U.S. senators began running (presumably re-election though they don't specifically state it) ads back in July, sometimes more than one run in a single commercial break. I have no idea why, it's not like anyone formidable has come forward to challenge her seat. Another 11 months of them to go...at least the Medicare ones will be done in a couple weeks.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Well you would be wrong. In a 30 minute show there are 6-7 minutes of commercials. In a 60 minute show it is 16-18 minutes.

I think it's all in what you call a commercial. If you mean selling stuff, I would believe your numbers, but when you add in station ID, coming attractions, previews, etc., only the FCC regulated OTA stations broadcast a full 42 minute program in an hour. Cable stations do 38 minutes of program with 22 minutes of "other" an hour.

 

[Jstpssng]

Don't feel bad, one of our U.S. senators began running (presumably re-election though they don't specifically state it) ads back in July, sometimes more than one run in a single commercial break. I have no idea why, it's not like anyone formidable has come forward to challenge her seat. Another 11 months of them to go...at least the Medicare ones will be done in a couple weeks.

Be glad that you didn't have to put up with the "Powerline referendum" ads for the referendum we just had. I was counting the days until the election...