Why I cut off my cable TV service in 2001 . . .

[Triana]

[Blue_Adept]

1. So... don't watch the news?

Then again, I've been told enjoying entertainment programming like TV shows is feeding into what's wrong with the world.

[Triana]

14. Watch whatever you want. I'm not telling YOU what to watch.

The OP states what *I* chose to (not) watch.

[Blue_Adept]

18. Yes, with a superior attitude.

Which is what we often get from these types of posts. It's a smugness and eliteness.

[Triana]

28. Or maybe a different way of looking at something

that for some reason hits a nerve with certain folks. Interesting!

[hatrack]

40. Gosh, I do hope you recover from this slashing, painful (and highly original) criticism!

[Skittles]

162. ELITENESS

that is redmeat code word

[Democracyinkind]

31. LOL. The OP simply posted a picture. Seems more like your issue than his/hers.

[Le Taz Hot]

50. Don't be silly.

You don't know this poster. He/she is merely relating his/her experiences living without cable TV. Any conclusions drawn after that belong to you.

[agent46]

68. Interesting "Blue Adept"

Superior attitude? I got no such "psychic hit" from that opening post. Must be what you Blue Adepts refer to as projection.

And the OP is correct.

[Blue_Adept]

70. No

This conversation came up a few weeks ago and has regularly come up in the decade+ that I've been here. Just look at the Onion satirical article itself, that pretty much sums it up as to how these discussions go. It's just more pointless infighting and division.

[agent46]

76. Globalizing leads to false assumptions

Take each case on its own merit or be consigned to the herd. In the decade you've been here, you've offered a sampling of your own superior attitude and gotten away with it - more or less.

[cprise]

78. On pointlessness

Which appears to be your attitude, not Triana's. She's criticizing an institution that pretentiously claims to keep us informed, while you just attack her ad-hominem.

No surprise that there's nothing informative about your responses at all. I'd recommend you go watch some TLC but that channel gave up on its mission almost as soon as it started.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

100. What you said is stupid. nt

[Enthusiast]

168. A huge plus one!

[HuckleB]

142. Your logic is the same as someone who says a gay couple shouldn't show affection in public...

... because it offends him or her.

Cut the crap.

[Enthusiast]

167. Smugness and eliteness?

You do not have a clue.

[WinkyDink]

2. Some of us can mix 'n' match, and don't choose Depression All Day/ All the Time.

[reformist2]

3. In total agreement. I'm down to basic-basic ($18 a month), because I like clear pictures.

It really is 99% garbage. And even MSNBC isn't that great. But I still have what's called the "broadcast" service, which brings in the "free" channels crystal clear. I can't cut the cord altogether, I guess.

[hobbit709]

4. And cable has what effect on anything in column a?

[Triana]

7. Cable provides misinformation, disinformation to the public as per column B. It causes IGNORANCE.

And IGNORANCE prevents humanity/Americans from developing solutions to its own problems - or even being AWARE of its own problems (listed in column A)

That's what.

[Blue_Adept]

9. Maybe twenty years ago

When most American's didn't have the whole of the internet at their fingertips. Now it's just willful ignorance as opposed to force ignorance.

Sometimes you have to actually blame the people rather than the tool.

[Turborama]

11. That's another reason why giving up TV is a good idea. More time to spend online reading. n/t

Last edited Mon Mar 3, 2014, 09:16 AM - Edit history (1)

[Triana]

13. I refuse to pay to be fed propaganda.

If others want to pay to be programmed w/ corprat propaganda - their choice. I chose not to. Waste of money.

Interesting you call it a "tool" - because it is. And it's being used against us, rather than to help us. TeeVee "news" exists to create and protect corprat profit - and that's all. It is no longer used to inform, educate, or help humanity or Americans in any way to recognize and/or solve their increasingly serious problems.

So yea, I blame the tool - and those who profit from its use against us. And I will continue to do so.

[Blue_Adept]

16. Again, take the news out of the equation.

The vast majority of americans do not get their news from the TV. Most of it comes from other people in their lives. Maybe a snippet of local news.

[Triana]

25. Even with that. Nothing there but garbage.

I don't find anything entertaining (or informative) on cable. Nothing worth paying for.

[Blue_Adept]

27. That's unfortunate.

There's a lot of great material out there. TV and cable in particular has been going through a good revival as more talents from the film side are working on shorter run dramatic series and really upping the production values to make some engaging and thoughtful shows.

[go west young man]

130. Netflix at $10 a month can easily cure that.

[Blue_Adept]

134. It hasn't in all the years we've had it. They like live TV. Everyone has their things. nt

[Enthusiast]

169. Show us some evidence that

the vast majority of Americans do not get their news from the TV.

[we can do it]

127. Me too and pay for non-stop commercials. No thanks.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

109. Have you watched the fucking "History" Channel lately? All UFOs and aliens almost all

the time!!

WTF????

[hobbit709]

26. Only if you let it.

[zeemike]

53. The brain is a computer too.

And fits the same rule that says "garbage in garbage out"

And it took me longer than you, but I finally got rid of it, and I don't want it back.

[Inkfreak]

20. None. But condemnation of it does make one feel nice & superior. (nt)

[Blue_Adept]

21. Which is what we ultimately see every time this subject comes up. nt.

[bemildred]

5. Yep, I'm just about to lose mine. It makes you stupider just watching it. nt

[Blue_Adept]

6. Only if you watch stupid stuff.

And sometimes the mind really does need that to clear out the cobwebs and look at things in a new light.

[bemildred]

8. It's all stupid stuff. Shallow all the way down.

Loud, violent, drenched is sexuality, deeply unserious, and manipulative. The last thing they want is thinking, that fucks up the buying mood.

[Blue_Adept]

10. So what entertainment should we partake in then?

Quite serious, I'd love to get some recommendations.

[bemildred]

12. Books. Go for a walk. Listen to someone who is not paid to talk to you. Fix something.

Read, look, do; not listen, eat, fart. I spend a lot of time on current events on the web. You can never read it all. You'll never run out.

[Blue_Adept]

15. I do a lot of that already.

I read many books a year - which have much of what you described as wrong with TV, such as fantasy and science fiction. Woo, long amounts of Game of Throne to read.

I walk ten miles a day. I interact with a slew of people. Some people can do a whole lot of stuff. I raise two kids, run my own business, take care of lots of afternoon activities for said kids, prep meals and engage with them about the world. At the end of the day, I sit down for a few hours and enjoy all sorts of TV shows from a wide range of providers. Zero news though.

[bemildred]

17. So why are you bothering me about it? nt

[Blue_Adept]

19. I was curious if you'd offer anything, well, new.

But no, you didn't. It was the standard idiot box routine we've heard for fifty years from people.

[bemildred]

22. Yep, you are in deep shit if you think I'm here to entertain you. nt

[Blue_Adept]

23. Oh, come on.

You said to be done with TV. I said fine, offer up some suggestions. It was a simple question and you seemingly get all offended by it? Relax.

[bemildred]

24. Yawn. nt

[Blue_Adept]

29. My apologies.

I did not mean to engage you in a discussion on a discussion board.

[bemildred]

30. Please see post #24. You don't owe me any apologies. You haven't done anything. nt

[cannondale]

32. See above

Suggestions given several times.

[Bluenorthwest]

86. And yet you recommend talking to those not paid to talk to you as a form of entertainment

So which is it, really?

[bemildred]

88. Which is what, really? Try to be clear. nt

[agent46]

172. the standard idiot box routine

You must like to make special distinctions that make you feel smarter than the average bear. Just so you know, the standard idiot box routine, as you call it, isn't about television and network technology. It's about the exploitation, disinformation and obscurantism that's practiced by all major commercial programmers.

What they were saying in the fifties is as true today. But thank heavens there are superior people like you to raise our consciousness.

[agent46]

170. Wow

Not only are you a Blue Adept, but you're SuperMom too! I suppose that qualifies you to repeat any clever little nonsensical talking point you latch onto - and expect to be taken seriously. After all, you are a "Superior Normal" type of person.

Yep. It's a "tool" and people who don't know how to use the "tool" in a superior way (as you do) deserve to wallow in their own ignorance and bring society down with them. You are no doubt a staunch defender of the status quo in other areas of your life as well - whether you know it or not.

And remember! Guns don't kill people. People do!

[jeff47]

97. Try video games. You'd be surprised what's actually in their stories.

For example, the "Gears of War" series. Looks like a shooter where you mindlessly wander around blowing up things.

It's actually anti-war, pro-environment.

Humans are on this alien world, where a yellow goo called "Immulsion" is used as an infinite power source. The series starts late in the war, as humans are getting driven towards extinction. A native species that used to live underground is bursting forth and butchering humanity.

Why? It turns out immulsion is alive. And it is not taking kindly to being consumed. So it's taking over the non-human species. The ones that remain free were forced to the surface as they fled the immulsion-controled versions of their species.

By the end of the series, humanity is nearly extinct on the planet, but you're able to use a WMD to destroy the immulsion, and the non-human species. And leave humans with no post-stone-age power sources. And there's a whole lot of "what's the point of war?" along the way.

If you'd prefer more puzzle-solving, try the Assassin's Creed series. If Republicans knew the stories in those games, they'd be desperately trying to ban those games instead of gay marriage.

[Blue_Adept]

103. My gaming days are mostly behind me unfortunately.

Time is always difficult while raising kids. I do play a lot of the various LEGO games that come out since we do that multiplayer as a family and have a blast with it. A few other games here and there on a few consoles with good range. Looking forward to the new Mario Kart game. I really like the games you mention, but the time investment is hard, which is why I tend to stick to multiplayer drop-in games than anything else so I can play anytime for a few minutes or more if I have it.

[reformist2]

37. I kept cable for years, I wanted access to the "good" channels. But I realized there weren't any!

[bemildred]

43. I got cable internet about 5 years ago.

I let them talk me into a deal on cable TV, ordinary TV plus some "premium" channels. I wanted to see what they were up to and had some time to kill. Started at $70/month for both plus a phone. Never used the phone, got rid of it. They just jacked it up from $105 to $150, for TV and internet, and $100 of that is TV. That is money I can use.

[HuckleB]

141. +1,000,000 ... 000 !!!!!

[lame54]

59. You're better off reading Shakespeare - which is drenched in all of those things

[bemildred]

60. Yes, you would be. nt

[Logical]

135. I assume you picked the wrong stuff. nt

[Perseus]

33. Not sure why so many people are criticizing Triana on HER reasons for cutting cable

We also cut our cable service, and we don't even get the regular channels anymore. Our reasons are pretty much the same as Triana's, it doesn't make us "superior" like someone suggested below, it is just a list of reasons that helped us make the decision and can help some realize what it is that keeps them hooked, like zombies, to the TV.

Someone also asked "what suggestions do you have?" Suggestions were made and it is great that you are doing all that already, but I do have another suggestion, get "Netflix", which you may already have, and then you have the control to choose what you want, they have tons of "Ted Talks" that are very informative, tons of great documentaries on politics, food and the dangers of GMOs, etc., they also have great comedies and the added advantage that if you don't like a movie you can stop it and find another one.

If you think you are going to miss sports because you don't have cable, the Internet can provide that with less commercials.

Triana, thank you for the list.

[Ichingcarpenter]

42. The want people to be stupid and accuse people

who don't watch TV as being snobs.
Think about that for a moment.

Where have I heard that shit before?

Anyway

Top Documentaries . com has thousands of free documentaries of all genres that are free and mostly on you tube.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/watch-online/


People need to hook their TV to their computer... The TV is just a viewing screen now days that you can control not the networks. That's why net neutrality is such an issue for control of what you watch.

The OP list is great.

[justhanginon]

71. Thank you so much for the tip on

top documentaries. Looks like a great site and a huge selection. I am right on the edge of getting rid of my satellite dish. Too expensive for the lousy programming that's on.
I have my large TV hooked up to the intertubes and find I use that a lot more anyway and I have an outside antenna for local stations weather warnings etc.
I do realize that if I cut the dish I can expect a visit from from Georgio Tsoookalalalakos's ancient alien friends so I shall keep a close eye on the sky just in case.
There are some programs I will miss but not enough to justify the expense.

[Ichingcarpenter]

77. I watch almost everything I want on line

including the latest shows, movies etc they may be a day or two late but so what.

You got to know how to search and word of mouth.

[kcass1954]

101. thanks for that link.

I find myself watching less and less tv because so much of it is shit. I liked a lot of the documentaries that were on Current.

[Triana]

94. Tx. Exactly.

And welcome to DU!

[Rex]

132. Projection?

Would be a good guess imo.

[Logical]

137. Says the person with a TV Show clip on their sig line. LOL. n-t

[Logical]

136. Hmmmmm.......Discussion board! Get it now? n-t

[KansDem]

34. Yep...

That's why we got rid of cable in 1996.

The rate was going up and my cable provider was eliminating "C-Span 3" which I watched frequently. Besides, we were watching only a couple of channels anyway.

Couldn't see any reason to continue...

[MADem]

35. I've seen progams on every single topic on the left...on my cable TV.

I know the infotainment channels cover the stuff on the right, but I have this thing called a remote, and stretch out my indolent arm, I pick it up and push buttons until I find something worthwhile to view.

I do enjoy the odd cartoons, I like Bill Maher's program, and I enjoy the HBO and Showtimes films and series. I don't go to first run movies, so I justify the expense that way. I'm enjoying the HELL out of True Dectectives this year. Looking forward to the last go-round with MAD MEN, as well on AMC.

[Blue_Adept]

44. True Detective is amazing.

Definitely making for some fantastic viewing during one of the quieter seasons of the year. And easing the pain until Game of Thrones returns.

[MADem]

176. I know a lotta people love that GoT. I have a feeling I'll have to wait until I'm up north

where I don't have cable, and somehow get ahold of the DVDs. That's how I see a lot of stuff I missed!

I just never got into it, but I know it has a huge audience. I like MAD MEN, too, and I like that PBS show CALL THE MIDWIFE--spot on UK in the fifties!

[Blue_Adept]

177. Mad Men...

Definitely a very solid show, but I despise that the last season of 16 episodes is getting an 8/8 split with 8 this spring and the other 8 next spring. They're just drawing it out as long as possible.

[MADem]

178. That annoys me as well. I imagine they're looking around for something that will be half as good!

AMC got lucky with that show--it's been a gold mine. Same w/Breaking Bad.

[Blue_Adept]

179. Yup

They at least handle Walking Dead right and that's the cash cow. I'm really interested in Turn when that debuts. But with Mad Men ending and Breaking Bad gone and The Killing not working right, you can sense the desperation.

[Lost_Count]

36. The Onion beat you to it....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-tel,429/

CHAPEL HILL, NC–Area resident Jonathan Green does not own a television, a fact he repeatedly points out to friends, family, and coworkers–as well as to his mailman, neighborhood convenience-store clerks, and the man who cleans the hallways in his apartment building. Jonathan Green, who tells as many people as possible that he is "fully weaned off the glass teat."

"I, personally, would rather spend my time doing something useful than watch television," Green told a random woman Monday at the Suds 'N' Duds Laundromat, noticing the establishment's wall-mounted TV. "I don't even own one." According to Melinda Elkins, a coworker of Green's at The Frame Job, a Chapel Hill picture-frame shop, Green steers the conversation toward television whenever possible, just so he can mention not owning one.

"A few days ago, [store manager] Annette [Haig] was saying her new contacts were bothering her," Elkins said. "The second she said that, I knew Jonathan would pounce. He was like, 'I didn't know you had contacts, Annette. Are your eyes bad? That a shame. I'm really lucky to have almost perfect vision. I'm guessing it's because I don't watch TV. In fact, I don't even own one." According to Elkins, "idiot box" is Green's favorite derogatory term for television.

"He uses that one a lot," she said. "But he's got other ones, too, like 'boob tube' and 'electronic babysitter.'" Elkins said Green always makes sure to read the copies of Entertainment Weekly and People lying around the shop's break room, "just so he can point out all the stars and shows he's never heard of." "Last week, in one of the magazines, there was a picture of Calista Flockhart," Elkins said, "and Jonathan announced, 'I have absolutely no idea who this woman is. Calista who? Am I supposed to have heard of her? I'm sorry, but I haven't.'"

More at link...
____________________________________

[Paladin]

73. +1,000,000

Thank you, Onion, for skewering this sort of pretentious attitude that turns up, over and over again, here at DU.

[greiner3]

107. "...pretentious attitude that turns up, over and over again, here at DU."

WTF????????????????????????

[reformist2]

38. Just having access to 100 channels increases the time you waste just surfing. Turn the TV off!

[Blue_Adept]

46. Or use a DVR?

I can't remember how many years it's been since the whole surfing thing made sense. It's just easier to DVR a number of shows you enjoy, watch on your own time and easily skip all the commercials.

[jeff47]

91. It makes even more sense to cut the cable and watch those shows

via Netflix/Hulu/etc.

"Basic" cable in my area is about $60/mo.

Netflix and Hulu plus are less than half that.

I loved our TiVo. But we won't be getting another.

[Blue_Adept]

95. A good option for those that can do it.

With my family of seven (four adults, three kids), it's a non-starter. Especially with bandwidth caps and me watching 20 streaming series from Japan for work purposes. I've done some streaming for my parents that I take care of in the house but they're simply not going to deal with it and prefer live TV.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

120. What and how do you stream from Japan?

As a J>E translator, I'd love to know.

[Blue_Adept]

121. I work on simulcasts

Crunchyroll.com streams about 30+ new shows per week out of Japan every season. They're streamed an hour after they air on Japanese network TV.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

123. I've seen that in the Roku channel store

I'll have to look into it further. Thanks.

[Blue_Adept]

124. They're an interesting case

They originally started as a group of fans that took fan subtitled works of legal shows and distributed them, which is pretty much illegal of course. They then capitalized on their fanbase, turned legit, and started charging $8 a month for most services to get access to everything they put out. They got so big and do things other streaming providers don't in terms of viewer retention that they got bought out by the Chernin group since it was so profitable and has a very good business model about it.

Hit me up in message if you have any questions on them.

[totodeinhere]

39. Staring at that screen for hours at a time will turn your

brain to mush. And eliminating that $100+ cable bill will be good for your finances.

[onenote]

52. We watch a lot of tv, including entertainment, sports, news, etc.

Apparently you think my brain is "mush," which (since I assume you don't mean that literally), I take it means you think my intelligence and intellectual capacity has been diminished by my viewing habits. Which is an interesting claim to make for someone who thinks of themselves as being intelligent. My wife and I both have post-graduate degrees. We are both successful attorneys. I'm with a law firm and have, among other things, written briefs in Supreme Court cases and published articles. My wife provides a wide range of legal advice to an environmental non-profit and speaks regularly on environmental issues.

So, I suggest you get down off your high horse. I have no problem with people who choose not to watch TV, or not to go to movies. I have no problem with people who don't like the things I like. Indeed, I find people with different interests to be, well, interesting. Until they cop a superior attitude and tell me that my choices are bad.

[RKP5637]

83. And, one can mentally filter what they watch, none are making one watch what they

feel is ridiculous, etc. We also use Roku in conjunction with the TV. So, we use multiple sources for entertainment, news, etc. Cable TV is just another option. The world is filled with dribble and the enlightened individual will filter out the crap regardless of the source.

[totodeinhere]

110. I guess I can't make a tongue-in-cheek comment without raising someone's cackles.

But be that as it may, here is some more tongue-in-cheek for you.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/10/6-ways-tv-affects-your-brain-and-sperm.html

[Turborama]

41. We cut ours off mainly because we want to be fully in control of what our daughter watches

Plus, we never really had much time to watch anything anyway.

Now we just get a movie to watch, if we ever feel like just 'watching' something.

[Skidmore]

45. Believe it or not, you can find good programs

which address issues in your first column and can avoid watching anything you list in the second column. For example, Sunday there was an excellent discussion on Melissa Harris-Perry's program of sentencing and prison policies and how it affects communities. You may want to watch it.

http://on.msnbc.com/1mXAQwB

[karadax]

47. DVR = content filter

You trim away nearly all of the garbage. Watch only what YOU want.

It's cool that you're one of the pioneers of "cutting the cord". My wife and I went a few years without TV service while living in Europe. We ended up with a huge DVD collection as a result. I figure we probably contributed to the spread of garbage media propaganda in an indirect manner as a result since every company is owned by somebody else in today's times. You can't really escape contributing to that machine.

[allGoodThings]

48. I got rid of TV all together and am far better off for it

I suppose getting rid of cable is a good first step in the right direction. But if you really want to free your mind from the dreck you need to get away from TV altogether.

What comes over the airwaves is no better than the cable.

But it is good to see someone making the first steps.

[Le Taz Hot]

49. We got rid of our cable

a couple of years ago due to economic issues. Even though our financial picture is greatly improved we have no desire to go back. A complete wastes of time and money.

[Vinnie From Indy]

51. Ended my cable service in 2005

Have not missed it.

[Sunlei]

54. no cable tv, no extra cell phone = a savings account for me.

[AnneD]

55. I became unemployed in 1989....

I was in energy and at the time had no prospects. I had x amount of severance and so many weeks of unemployment (far less than today. The first thing I did was go through the budget with a meat cleaver. I kept my land line but got rid of cable. Honestly never missed it. Computers were not as necessary as they are today so I could get by without it, besides there was no wireless at the time.

Learned to love my library and for a time used their computers, video library, newspapers and books. It is a poor man's friend. I managed to stretch everything out for almost 2 years. I got a part time and then a full time job. It was rough, but I made it through. It forever changed the way I look at things-for the better. I am not all doom and gloom but I don't waste my time or money on foolishness either.

News hasn't been news for some time. When I want news, I want hard news, not fluff. I don't waste time.

[bigwillq]

56. I watch programs all the time about topics in the left column (nt)

[Bluenorthwest]

61. At random, I picked 'how to grow food' entered it as a search with TV series

Growing A Greener World, PBS

[LittleGirl]

57. we cut cable in 2011

and don't miss it at all. I just get mad when the wind blows the antennae stand over and my husband has to climb up on the roof (one story) to set it back up again. bwahaaa.

[Bluenorthwest]

58. In childhood, I knew a few 'TV is Satanic' sorts who also did not see films.

In adulthood, of course, I met folks who were certain that not watching television made them much better people. Perhaps it does, but not without a hint of the Amish.
I like mass communication, I know TV and film has done more to make social change that is valuable to me than most any politician. I see events from Lincoln Center without having to go to NYC, many never go to NYC and yet they see great performances. Once I watched the entire cycle of Shakespeare plays on BBC. Currently I see most documentaries via television, which is the widest exposure for non fiction films across the planet. I like documentaries and I like anything that makes them viable and visible. Like the vast majority of Americans, I never see cable commentary shows which you call 'news' but I call commentary, because that's what they are. Those shows are lightly watched, a niche backwater of the media.

Loving the series Vice on HBO in that regard. I assume the OP has moral objections to it.
http://www.hbo.com/vice#/

Here is Out There, a two part series from Stephen Fry. When folks say they hate TV, this is what I assume they dislike, because this is television.

[bemildred]

62. I like the Internet, you can talk back. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

81. That's nice. I think the point I was making however is that the 'I hate TV' folks assume

others think 'gee, they have high standards' when I personally think 'probably so conservative they are bothered by the cultural diversity and educational subjects that are present in better television programming'.
I assume the 'don't watch that shit' folks are calling Stephen Fry and Lincoln Center 'shit' because they claim there is nothing of value on television, it is all shit. The OP is not even aware of the shows that do speak of the 'left column' issues listed. There are shows that teach how to grow food, how to make permaculture. To declare they do not exist makes the OP seem dated, retro and kind of Pentecostal Moral Frothy.
I do not see 'I hate arts and culture' as a very good signal of a person's depth and intellect, I understand the OP thinks they are saying 'I have high standards' but I disagree. In my life, arts and culture are central and since I do not have endless airfare to attend events always live and because I am aware that there are others who can not travel for other reasons, even to a local theater or cinema, I value the fact that a shut in can watch Tosca from bed. Others do not value that, and think it makes them 'better'. I think it makes them sort of small minded.

[bemildred]

82. So you think you are "big minded" or something because you watch TV? nt

[Bluenorthwest]

85. I would have said that if I meant that. But I did not. You did say it is 'all stupid stuff'

and yes, I assume 'all' includes some of the things I've listed, such as Fry's documentary, the segments of Vice or Live from Lincoln Center. Either you spoke in hyperbole, or you are calling those things 'stupid stuff'. The OP in thread says it is 'all garbage' and as I did say, I assume that 'all' includes those and other excellent programs. All garbage, all stupid stuff. All. I don't think Fry's program is garbage nor stupid but you and the OP include it in 'stupid garbage'. One assumes there is a reason for such an opinion. I am personally grateful for what that particular show has brought to light in Uganda. Stupid garbage that it is.

[bemildred]

87. You said if I think TV is crap, that's close-minded.

Like being open-minded about crap was a good thing, somehow.

My wife likes the PBS newshour, I think it's crap. We still get along somehow.

[Bluenorthwest]

96. No, I said claiming that the examples I cited are 'stupid garbage' suggests small mindedness

I would note that you have not addressed any of the examples I offered. Your claim was 'it's all stupid' the OP's that it is 'all garbage' and to me, calling illuminating documentaries or Puccini from Lincoln center 'stupid garbage' is absurd. To say 'there's a lot of crap' would be wildly accurate, to say 'there is nothing of value and it is all crap' is as inaccurate as claiming it is all excellent.
I gave specifics. And my point over all is that when I read a person nattering about all tv and cinema being stupid garbage, I think poorly of the person because much of it is very valuable and has helped to make a better world, like it or not. You think Fry reporting on the Ugandan anti gay situation is 'stupid garbage' and I do not agree. If you do not think that, then saying 'it's all stupid' is probably not expressing what you actually mean.

[bemildred]

98. OK, a little bit of it is not crap. nt

[HuckleB]

143. That's quite a thin skin you've got there.

Hmm.

[JJChambers]

63. False dichotomy

I maintain my full cable service and I am thoroughly entertained by numerous programs. I don't get my news from cable and never will. Cable is more than news networks.

[Blue_Adept]

64. But by having cable, you support said news networks!

Therefore, you become the villain as you support the villain. Directly funding it!

[JJChambers]

65. That's silly

[Blue_Adept]

67. That's how some people think though.

Total guilt by association.

[SamKnause]

66. I don't get my news from

cable (that would be satellite in my area; no cable available).

I am familiar with all the things you listed on the left.

My TV is for entertainment purposes only !!

Occasionally there may be a documentary on Link TV or HBO.

I am not familiar with the majority of things on the right.

[randome]

69. Broadcast news is brain pollution.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[roody]

72. I have never lived with it.

I remember the great promise of cable was going to be no commercials because you already paid.

[bemildred]

75. Sort of like FM radio, and TV in the beginning.

We were letting them use the public airwaves to serve the public good, back then.

[valerief]

80. Bwahahaha! I remember that bullshit, too! nt

[Samantha]

105. No commercials, no repeats and a higher quality of content

Those were the responses when people asked years ago, why should I pay for television.

Sam

[onenote]

108. Can you watch any movies on broadcast TV without commercial interruption?

You can watch movies on cable without commercial interruption.

That's what the selling pitch for cable was in the beginning. That, and improved reception and a broader choice of broadcast television (with commercials) channels, particularly in rural areas.

[Samantha]

154. I hardly watch movies on cable but that is not the point

The point was cable companies would not have to solicit sponsors because of the subscriber fees. So the few shows I do watch are interrupted by commercials.

Overall, the cable service is a rip-off for the price that must be paid. Quality is just not there to the extent it should be.

[dotymed]

74. I still have my satellite tee vee.

I do not watch the "reality shows" because IMO they are helping to ruin our society.
1. undercover boss- teaches this generation that deceptiveness is fine.
2. the insider- much the same as number 1. These shows also teach: trust no-one. big Brother may be watching you at all times.
3. There is no reality in any of these reality shows. They are scripted. They push the narrow RW views on the people and show that being uneducated idiots is the way to be (hillbillies in Beverly hills, duck dynasty, swamp men, etc.)
4. It seems that "they" choose (from self videoed "businesses I assume) the most uneducated people in our society and then pump lots of cash into these situations along with scripts to make them more zany and convince people that this is reality for a lot of Americans. Actually they want this to be the reality of Americans.
5. Ever notice how these shows start off with a shoe-string budget and when they are picked up by networks, they drive escalades, have the best high-tech equipment and live in the lap of luxury?
This is just off the top of my head after 1 cup of coffee but I truly believe that these "shows" are meant to turn Americans into an Idiocracy.

[valerief]

79. TV is prolefeed. nt

[freshwest]

161. Mushroom food to keep us in the dark. Uh, yeah, it's bullshit. n/t

[riderinthestorm]

84. I really grieved when i learned there was no tv service here (I'm rural)

Only get the local channel (WGN) and PBS. I was beside myself for about a year and then poof! I just got over it.

That was 25 years ago.

Haven't missed it since.

Now I actually get annoyed at the noise when I visit people who have it on all the time. They seem utterly oblivious to the pervasiveness of the chatter. I love the peace and quiet.

[bemildred]

89. +1. nt

[Triana]

93. I get like that when I visit friends and family. The constant noise is so pervasive.

And...annoying!

I have relatives that sleep with the TV on - it's 'white noise' to them, and a distraction from worries that might keep them awake. I can understand that - but if I sleep over, it's earplugs for me!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

122. Had cable for years, especially back when channels like Discovery and A&E

were actually intelligent.

As they got dumber and dumber, I kept cable simply because it was a way not to have to replace my analog TV, but I gradually dialed down to local channels plus public access only. And that's how it was for maybe three years.

Then, in the fall of 2012, Comcast announced that it was discontinuing analog cable and would require customers either to buy a converter or get a new TV.

I chose to get a new TV. When I set it up, I discovered that I could bring in all the local channels with just a $30 tabletop antenna, and not only bring them in, but also in full HD. I was astounded at how good PBS nature documentaries looked in HD.

Comcast told me that if I wanted to receive HD programs on my new TV, I would have to pay $10 a month extra, or else I would get low-definition broadcasts. I knew what those look like, since my mother had a small HD TV in her assisted living place with first tier cable, and the picture looked worse than an analog TV.

So here I was. I could receive beautiful HD over the air at no extra charge. I was already streaming Netflix with a Roku. There was nothing on the cable-only channels that I wanted to watch except MHz Worldview on public access, and then MHz Worldview developed an app. I added Hulu Plus and AcornTV, and now I have more content than I have time to watch. To further enrich my viewing experience, I won an Apple TV as a door prize, and I use it to stream programming purchased from iTunes. This is how I watch the newest episodes of Doctor Who or HBO programming.

I don't watch pro sports, I'm not a fundamentalist, and I have no use for shopping channels or "reality" shows.

Therefore: no cable.

[Lizzie Poppet]

90. Haven't owned a TV in well over a decade.

Don't miss it. I watch a handful of things (mostly soccer and a couple-three shows) as online streams. For that sort of entertainment, I prefer to watch movies in theaters (big screen and expensive, bad-for-you popcorn that I really love!).

TV's certainly not where I get my news, as I don't consider fleeting soundbites of dubious accuracy to be "news." Not that online news doesn't contain plenty of bullshit, too...but it's easier to dig deeper and access multiple sources.

[Triana]

92. You and me both.

Last TV I had was an old 27" analog monster. I never missed television. I can watch anything I want online or in a theater (I like the experience of going to see a film too!)

[PasadenaTrudy]

99. Recently got rid of ours, too, and the TV

We just read the news now, or watch online. The apt. is much quieter now without TV. And I'm saving $$. All good!

[rickford66]

102. I'm 67 and never had cable or satellite service.

I've been able to stay informed with over the air TV, radio, books, magazines and now also the internets. We live in a rural area with no cable service. Most of my neighbors have satellite dishes and half are disconnected. High on a hill, we get 10 digital TV channels for free.

[Texano78704]

104. Um ...

Some of these what you should know about's are somewhat biased/misleading. For example, there is no proof that GMO's are a (consumption) problem. And it's likely there is little or no proof that organic foods are better for you, so why would they be "important?"

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

106. Spoken like a true Monsanto PR rep. Um ...

[Texano78704]

111. Wouldn't it be simpler ...

to post a link a scientific study? You know, something based on science.

"Then, there is the fact that not a single credible study ever conducted has found GMOs to be anything but safe – and that numerous food safety agencies in the U.S. and around the world have reached the same conclusion. Even the founder of the anti-GMO movement, activist Mark Lynas, has succumbed to an overwhelming torrent of scientific evidence and publically reversed his position."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardlevick/2014/01/09/are-gmo-free-cheerios-the-first-domino/


"The National Academies, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, the Royal Society and the European Commission are all on the same side. Although it’s impossible to prove anything absolutely safe, and all of those groups warn that vigilance on GMOs and health is vital, they all agree that there’s no evidence that it’s dangerous to eat genetically modified foods."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/genetically-modified-foods-what-is-and-isnt-true/2013/10/15/40e4fd58-3132-11e3-8627-c5d7de0a046b_story.html

It's science that tells us climate change is real. However, it seems to me that you reject that same science when you talk about GMO food.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

113. Um ...

Big Ag/Monsanto corporate sponsored studies performed by paid shills does not constitute science.

[Texano78704]

114. Anytime

You want to provide scientific proof, I'm happy to listen. I don't go for unsupported assertions, ad hominems/insults, or junk science. And I'm certainly not going to sit through an hour long documentary that you purport to be scientific.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

115. Um ...

From the description:

About this video:
Sandra's (last name withheld by request) presentation is based on the book and DVD, "Genetic Roulette," written by Jeffrey M. Smith and presented by the Institute of Responsible Technology.

Synopsis of "Genetic Roulette:" When the US government ignored repeated warnings by its own scientists and allowed untested genetically modified (GM) crops into our environment and food supply, it was a gamble of unprecedented proportions. The health of all living things and all future generations were put at risk by an infant technology.

After two decades, physicians and scientists have uncovered a grave trend. The same serious health problems found in lab animals, livestock, and pets that have been fed GM foods are now on the rise in the US population. And when people and animals stop eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their health improves.

About the speaker:
Sandra earned a BS in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, and frequently speaks publicly about a variety of topics relating to health, healing and food, including: The Health Risks of Genetically Modified Foods, MSG and Aspartame, The Importance of Vitamin D, Clear the Confusion About Cholesterol & Fats, and To Soy or Not To Soy.

[Texano78704]

117. So ...

where's the link to the "two decades" long peer reviewed scientific study? It's kind of strange that a credible scientific study that accomplishes what no other scientific study to date has not received any notice by anyone, even science related media.

"While every major scientific regulatory oversight body in the world, including the National Academies of Science and the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, has concluded that genetically modified foods pose no harm not also found in conventional or organic foods, the public remains deeply suspicious of them."

“After 16 years of cultivation and a cumulative total of 2 billion acres planted, no documented adverse health or environmental effects have resulted from commercialization of genetically engineered crops.”

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/08/can_gmo_corn_cause_allergies_don_t_believe_elle_s_scary_story.single.html

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10977

I guess the National Academies of Science are wrong and Sandra with her BS in chemistry from CIT is right. Is it safe to say that you reject the science behind climate change as well?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

118. Um ...

From the description:

I've always said, even if you don't believe GMO seeds are unhealthy, there are many political reasons to reject the seeds. It's a blueprint for slavery. It turns food into a weapon of mass poverty.

The story of seed has become one of loss, control, dependence and debt. It's been written by those who want to make vast profit from our food system, no matter what the true cost. It's time to change the story. Narrated by Jeremy Irons.

Seeds of Freedom charts the story of seed from its roots at the heart of traditional, diversity rich farming systems across the world, to being transformed into a powerful commodity, used to monopolise the global food system.The film highlights the extent to which the industrial agricultural system, and genetically modified (GM) seeds in particular, has impacted on the enormous agro -biodiversity evolved by farmers and communities around the world, since the beginning of agriculture.

Seeds of Freedom seeks to challenge the mantra that large-scale, industrial agriculture is the only means by which we can feed the world, promoted by the pro-GM lobby. In tracking the story of seed it becomes clear how corporate agenda has driven the take over of seed in order to make vast profit and control of the food global system.

Through interviews with leading international experts such as Dr Vandana Shiva and Henk Hobbelink, and through the voices of a number of African farmers, the film highlights how the loss of indigenous seed goes hand in hand with loss of biodiversity and related knowledge; the loss of cultural traditions and practices; the loss of livelihoods; and the loss of food sovereignty. The pressure is growing to replace the diverse, nutritional, locally adapted and resilient seed crops which have been bred by small-scale farmers for millenia, by monocultures of GM seed.

Alongside speakers from indigenous farming communities, the film features global experts and activists Dr Vandana Shiva of Navdanya, Henk Hobbelink of GRAIN, Zac Goldsmith MP (UK Conservative party), Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser, Kumi Naidoo of Greenpeace International, Gathuru Mburu of the African Biodiversity Network, Liz Hosken of The Gaia Foundation and Caroline Lucas MP (UK Green party).

This film is co-produced by The Gaia Foundation and the African Biodiversity Network. In collaboration with GRAIN, Navdanya International and MELCA Ethiopia .

[Texano78704]

119. So ...

your argument boils down to "it's my belief against yours?" Fine, but it's not science.

There are plenty of non-GMO seeds that are IP protected, how is those seeds any different than "the blueprint for slavery" you suggest comes with GMO seeds?

I like the way you sidestep around the science of it and make it a "political issue."

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

125. So ...

... yet another post where you do little more than carp about lack of scientific proof in lieu of actually addressing the specific content of the videos I've posted.

Honest scientific inquiry into GMO's is a good way for any reputable scientist to become the target of smear and lose their position:

[Texano78704]

126. Who cares about content?

Besides you, that is. Show me the science. Where is the peer reviewed science study that proves your point, presumably that GMO seed/food is somehow dangerous? Then, and only then, will the content of your videos matter.

Since you keep redefining the issue, now it's "smearing reputable scientists," it's pretty easy for you sidestep.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

128. You're really asking who cares...

... about content? Amazing. I would venture to guess virtually everyone does with the possible exception of you.

Who thinks screeching on ad nauseum about scientific peer review in lieu of offering any substantive argumentation is persuasive?

I would venture to guess virtually no one with the possible exception of you.

[Texano78704]

129. There's no science to it?

Okay, that's all I need to know.

[HuckleB]

145. The shill gambit as a lead! WOW!

Now, that's some classic cable crap. In this case, youtube. Still....



PS:

Studies with independent funding
http://www.biofortified.org/genera/studies-for-genera/independent-funding/

[HuckleB]

144. Those things are definitely misses. -eom-

[penultimate]

112. Those are the same reasons why I don't use the internet or read anything in print.

[randome]

116. So this is your penultimate post?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font][hr]

[jtuck004]

131. K&R n/t

[Curmudgeoness]

133. Triana, I am sorry so many are beating you up over this.

It just makes me shake my head. I agree with you that there is a lot of reason to stop paying the cable companies for nothing.

[Logical]

138. FFS, it is a discussion board. Do you get that? Wow, this place is whiny at times. n-t

[HuckleB]

140. And your point?

DU has always been a discussion board. It didn't used to be so ridiculously ugly, however.

[Logical]

146. Really, give me a date it was not and I will find some posts for you. n-t

[HuckleB]

147. I'm sure you could find some anecdotal posts.

But that wouldn't actually offer anything of value, as you well know.

[Logical]

148. I do not understand people here acting like it has changed so much. I did not see any mean posts....

to this OP. People disagree.

I am not sure there is any evidence the tone has change.

The jurys are not as good as the admins. But sometimes the Admins were biased to some posters.

[HuckleB]

149. You don't have to understand.

No one is going to make you understand.

[Logical]

151. Quit being MEAN! n-t

[Curmudgeoness]

150. FFS

There are many on this thread who have been rude and nasty, and I don't think that is the way a discussion board should work. And I was just trying to be positive. Sorry that bothers people.

[Triana]

173. It's like a schoolyard fight. Attracts a lot of attention. Everyone loves a fight.

Meanwhile....stuff like this ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024595301 and this http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024589681 and this http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024595388 ) go practically ignored.

It's the epitome of why TeeVee "programming" works. Because people are so easily distracted about what's really important.

Attacking me is important, apparently. While I'm very flattered by the attention, I'd rather people on DU get their priorities in order.

[MADem]

180. Who is "beating her up?" Her thread has well over a hundred recs.

Some people simply have a different POV, and they are sharing it. This is a discussion board--is not the object to "discuss," not "agree mindlessly?"

What irony, that, given the topic.

Is there only ONE viewpoint "allowed" on this issue? Any disagreement or differing perspective is "beating up?"

[HuckleB]

139. 22 Years Without Cable/Satellite! It's Awesome!

We never bought cable after leaving college. We couldn't afford it at first, but then couldn't justify spending the money. It's been 22 years cable/satellite free! That's a lot of wonderful vacations paid for over time.

[Warpy]

152. I didn't get any kind of subscription TV until 2006.

I had turned off TV news in 2004 for the reasons you cited.

However, I've never been bored enough to turn it back on with subscriptions. Ir's useless, at best and disinformation at worst. I don't need either.

TCM is what's kept my dish functioning. Right now I'm watching "Drag Race," one of my not so guilty pleasures. I also watch science, the arts and what little historical programming there is.

But news? Nah. I tune in to Al Jazeera for some of their in depth reporting, that's damned good. The rest of the news outlets can suck it.

[DeSwiss]

153. Teevee is for programming humans.

- And if you're watching it, you're programmed. This isn't news. But very few people have the will to stop.

I don't watch it either. I stopped in 2001 as well.

[ReRe]

155. K&R

This is the number one problem in the United States of America. How can we call ourselves a Democracy anymore with the fractured news media we are presented with? What happened to facts in reporting, without propagandist adjectives and adverbs interjected that changes the news into winger politics?

Yip, you can take all of our ills in this country and put them below on the list, but the fracturing of the Press has to be placed at the top of the heap. Not only do we not have a free press anymore, but it seems as though many of them are accosted as being traitors.

[Cha]

156. Excellent Triana.. this person beat me by a year.

[ElboRuum]

157. Huh.

Picture presented.

On the left side we have things "[I/We] should know about". Ok, let's see, there are quite a few things there. I am aware of most. Most I would agree are important topics. However, quite a few are redpiller garbage, conspiracy mongering, and a few anti-tech/science positions I'd probably outright dismiss as ranting and lunacy.

On the right side we have things "the news tells [us] about". Yep, will not deny that there are quite a bit of not-so-serious things here. And I am with you on Lindsey and Kimmy and Kanye and Justin. However, there are some pretty interesting things in that list.

Who got murdered. You know, I'd call this "news".

Who said what that doesn't matter. I guess I can thank the person that wrote this trash for digesting this for me. Let's say "who" is Obama. Let's say that "what" has to do with healthcare. Or the economy. Or justice. Or some other completely not mattering thing. Do I still accept that this is more "who said what that doesn't matter"?

Car chases. I remember one that was kind of newsworthy... it involved a former NFL player and sometimes actor being placed under arrest under suspicion of murdering his wife. If you are referring to car chases of another sort, like when the Duke boys leave ol' Roscoe in the dust down in Hazzard county, I assure you that this is not on the news.

The stock report. Hmm. While there are those who disagree, there are still people who believe that the stock market still has a bearing on the strength of the economy. I'd be interested to know this. Seems like "news".

How many cars are selling. Also a good indicator of personal liquidity and general strength of the consumer markets. Seems like "news" to me.

Who got arrested. No, there is no way that could be construed as "news".

Drama in D.C. Well, considering that quite a lot of what happens in this country gets decided there, maybe the drama is something we should be paying attention to? Kinda why this website exists in the first place, but OK, not newsworthy or important, not in the least.

The housing market. Quite a lot of things of economic import in column B, not much at all in column A. Considering how the investiture of the middle class is almost exclusively in the value of what real estate it owns, do you not think this might be newsworthy in this regard?

Who got an award. Well, if its the Nobel Prize for X, I must admit a little curiosity there.

Gas prices. Seems to me knowing if they are going up or down gives me some insight into both mobility and future fiscal stress. Kind of like how the weather report gives me an indicator of how to dress for the upcoming days. NEWS.

Travel and leisure stuff. Yes, you are right, I don't need to know about any of this, because if I'm not going out of my mind with outrage about everything in the left column, I probably don't deserve a vacation or even a little fun. What interest could I possibly have in that when I must sit in the dark in a cold sweat thinking about the hazards of industrial pollution.

Reality show drama? I don't know what news you watch, but unless one of the reality show stars is engaging in racist commentary, I don't typically see this on the news.

Corporate products to buy? You mean advertising? I don't know which word in "corporate products to buy" I'm supposed to be bothered by. "Corporate"? "Products"? "Buy"? Judging by the list in column A, I'm certain that whoever penned this dreck expects me to be bothered by all three.

Who bought something expensive? Not newsworthy unless you count the merger between Time Warner and Comcast and the future implications it might have on telecommunications of every variety. No, not nearly important enough to mention.

Actually, given the topics I've listed, I'm genuinely surprised that "the weather" didn't make it on to column B. I mean, it only gives you insight on what you can expect from your atmospheric environment over the next week or so, and who gives a flying rip about that?

So... you're basically all proud of yourself because you've cut the cord and don't think the things in the second column are newsworthy. Some aren't. Some of them aren't even on the news, so whoever wrote this was clearly not up on what typically makes the news. This person can probably be forgiven because, presumptively, he/she probably hasn't watched the news for at least as long as you, probably longer. Memories fade and merge, so he/she can be forgiven a lack of accuracy.

However, the stuff in column A is no picnic either. Quite a few of those things belong on a survivalist reality show like Doomsday Preppers, and some are just fear or conspiracy mongering.

Congratulations, you've traded one impenetrable bubble for another. Kudos.

[Cha]

158. Kick!

[blkmusclmachine]

159. TV: "Tranquilizer for the 99%"

[indepat]

160. Incredible substance in what the news tells you about, eh?

[Corruption Inc]

163. Rec'd. Great post and it brought out many of the propaganda dupes

They don't even realize how duped they are. I watch some free TV including RT USA, Democracy Now, Bill Moyers and Tavis Smiley, they usually talk about things people actually find pertinent to our own lives.

[woo me with science]

164. And now this administration allows expansion of corporate power over the internet.

Systematically, every avenue for citizens to fight back is being eliminated by these corporate vipers and their purchased politicians.

[Triana]

182. That part really concerns me . . .

The gutting of net neutrality and this comcast / TW merger is truly frightening!

[cantbeserious]

165. TV Free Since 2000 - Deprogramming Is Difficult - It Is Worthwhile

eom

[Enthusiast]

166. Yes! This post should have hundreds of recommendations.

The fact that it doesn't have hundreds of recommendations is very disappointing.

This is our central problem. All of our other problems stem from this.

[PowerToThePeople]

171. About the same time for me. 24/7 Iraq war propaganda made me drop it. eom

[Crunchy Frog]

174. I cut it in 2004 after the election.

And I told the cable company that it was because I didn't want to have to see W's face all the time.

The truth is that there's not very much on TV that I actually want to watch, and most of what I do want to watch, I can find online. That's at least until the end of net neutrality catches up to things.

[JNelson6563]

175. I am out too! No TV here!

I have Netflix streaming and have been amazed at the great stuff I have found on YouTube! No commercials and no crap! I find out what's going on in the world on-line, BBC news radio on the way to work and, of course, I go out into the world.

I just almost never found anything I wanted to watch on TV and thought it was stupid to pay for it. Cable company makes internet more expensive if you don't subscribe to TV or phone but my bill is still a little less.

I often read here about annoying things on TV...outrageous bullshit on political shows, stupid commercials they play too frequently and other various & sundry complaints. It always makes me grateful I don't have TV anymore.

Excellent OP Triana!

Julie

[polynomial]

181. Cable is addictive

But free air television might be the future. The television panels are getting cheaper. I have a 42 inch diagonal high definition that is good viewing. I fabricated an antenna by chopping up a coax one end with the BNC connector to the television the other end connected to a simple length of wire making a dipole. You might have to swing the wires around to find the sweet spot for the wave however I get a few movie channels and a lot of oldie shows.

Saw Kevin Costner in dances with wolves one of my favorites, the stargate movies, Indiana Jones, also have a DVD connected for video store specials. The rental of Fringe is pretty cool, and 24 series rental is far cheaper than paying for cable. Sometimes the video store has a free DVD of many choices a two for one deal. From my view cable priced themselves out of the market.