In recent times we have seen mind-boggling changes in Television viewing, but is it really an improvement on what we had prior to
the introduction of Digital Television?

The single outstanding benefit that I can see and which is glaringly obvious, is that the quality of the Digital picture over Analogue is far superior.That as far as I can see is where improvement finishes!

With the plethora of viewing channels available, a run through the daily program guides leaves one dumbfounded at the absolute idiocy
of the excreta being fobbed off as "entertaintainment"

The Channel programmers fall over each other in a bid to cram in more and more commercial advertizing, in the process destroying the content of the "presentation" and subjecting the viewers to a very loud and brain-numbing assault on one`s intelligence.

Obviously, all or most of the Channels have closely monitored displays of rival Channels programs, which helps them to "crash-in"
their commercials all at the same time, with one VERY noticeable
similarity,...the volume, which invariably is much louder than the watched program`s volume setting, way above the viewers comfort zone, in a lot of cases is hazardous to one`s long term auditory health,
and why has EVERY Channel got a different VOLUME setting,..maybe designed to prevent one possibly nodding off during one of these moronic adverts.

The brain-washing technique utilized by continually repeated inane adverts, which in my opinion simply creates an intense dislike of the advert customer, rather than creating future business for them, and would be much better confined to places like Guantanamo Bay!

Why cannot these idiots who control the programming, utilize a little bit of commonsense and realize that if everybody gets up and hits the "off" switch, they will eventually all be out of a job, which may be the best thing for all of us in the long run.

Ah Clackup, you no understandi, is "Flee to air", so as Cofucious say, if it is flee, inscrewtably, is what it is worth, nothing!

May you live in intersting times.

Maybe that's why they're all going broke?

We don't watch it at all. Is there anything worth watching on it anymore?

Between the presstitutes and infomercials, is there a point to it?

Likewise, Raw Mustard.

I occasionally watch the ABC news and that's about it!

I don't watch much TV, my wife and daughters have it on a lot of the time but they're all on the couch with their laptops and iPads using Facebook so I don't know how much they actually take in.

Who needs it? I've got Youtube and Spotify and my computer games and books to while away the evenings.

Foxtel put up a large billboard ad. at Kings Cross for a movie ( Black Mirror) which depicted a bloke having sex with a pig ( part of the movie, apparently) this comes hot on the heels of Bernardi equating gay sex with bestiality!, how low can they go in advertising? it's been taken down of course but why allow it in the first place? it seems that the more we're subjected to the more accepting we're becoming, minority rules! and we daren't say anything for fear of being not 'PC" The truth is no longer the truth if it's not 'correct'

Crackcup, I think you'll find there's an easier explanation.

>>Obviously, all or most of the Channels have closely monitored displays of rival Channels programs, which helps them to "crash-in" their commercials all at the same time<<

I'm pretty sure that the channels simply collude on the timing of commercial breaks.

And you should keep that sort of thing for the confessional on Sunday, Ludwig.

>>I occasionally watch the ABC news and that's about it!<<

How on earth can you learn new stuff, or find out about what is going on in the world, if you limit yourself to looking at it through one tiny keyhole all the time?

But you do have a point, obliquely put though it is. We are free to choose what we view, and ignore the stuff we don't feel is sufficiently interesting, motivating or useful. No-one is holding a gun to our head, forcing us to watch bogan TV like a bunch of real-life Alex DeLarges.

The only people who should be concerned about the quality or quantity that is available should be the TV execs, whose paycheck depends on our being hooked on dross.

Firstly, "a run through the daily program guides leaves one dumbfounded at the absolute idiocy of the excreta being fobbed off as "entertaintainment"" could have been said at any time since 1956 in Australia.

I think you're missing the point, Crackup...

"Why cannot these idiots who control the programming, utilize a little bit of commonsense and realize that if everybody gets up and hits the "off" switch, they will eventually all be out of a job, which may be the best thing for all of us in the long run."

These days with around twenty free-to-air digital channels, PVRs, remote contols and DVD box sets, the 'idiots who control the programming' are the viewers.

<< How on earth can you learn new stuff, or find out about what is going on in the world, if you limit yourself to looking at it through one tiny keyhole all the time? >>

Ahaa, so you learn all your stuff from the old teev, do you Pericles?

That might explain a thing or two! ( :>)

Two of the most important devices I own are the remote control with mute and the digital recorder (formally VCR) I carefully mark what I want to view which is mostly the ABC, but anything on a commercial channel such as Downton Abbey, I automatically record.

With all the stations now available, I am never short of something to watch or record and am fascinated why so many will sit through all the "mind numbing" advertisements and rubbish that is broadcast. I do watch 60 minutes, but by recording it (always) not only can I zap the advertisements, I can also fast forward the uninteresting segments, and instead of being 60 minutes it's around "45 minutes" max
With discrimination there is actually a lot of very interesting stuff to view, especially the documentaries on SBS. 60% of my television viewing would be via the two digital recorders I possess. A free trial of Satellite recently made me feel it was no better so I handed it back. If I wanted to watch rubbish I had free to air !

Your logic escapes me once again, Ludwig.

What inferential process allows you to conclude this...

>>Ahaa, so you learn all your stuff from the old teev, do you Pericles?<<

...from this:

"How on earth can you learn new stuff, or find out about what is going on in the world, if you limit yourself to looking at it through one tiny keyhole all the time?"

Here's a short primer on deductive, inductive and abductive reasoning that might help you get back on track.

http://www.nordprag.org/nsp/1/Minnameier.pdf

Enjoy.

Yep that sounds like the way to do it, snake.

I have long aspired to doing the same sort of thing. But I suppose I have to be at home to do it, rather than travelling around and being a beachbumming drifter, which I have been doing for the last 18 months! ( :>/