No TV – anyone else?

No TV for about 25 years, I don’t miss it and don’t have to be part of boring conversations about crappy programmes. I prefer R4 news, the papers, books.

Have a TV license and intend to keep it that way.

How do you think the programs you watch on iPlayer get paid for in the first place? Or the (mostly) very good BBC web site?

If you can afford a great big flat screen TV you can afford ~£3 per week for the license.

You assume we still watch iPlayer. Wrongly. Also, that £150odd a year can be better spent IMO, still pays for a Netflix sub with half left over. You also assume we have some all singing and dancing TV. Wrongly. A lot of assumptions there.

I’m all for going to the German model where public channels are paid for through general taxation but retaining independence from governemnet influence. Means we don’t need to have this debate.

“Who can’t control the amount of TV their kids watch?”

Would that do?

Nope, the problem wasn’t with the child child, the problem was with the adult children. And we could control, just still ended up being convinced we had to watch some nonsense because it was “interesting”.

keeps the mrs and kids entertained because we don’t spend every moment of our lives outdoors, or being creative, or whatever people say they are doing all day

Not sure who has said anything to suggest that. Like I said, we’re not that family.

Ironic billmc

“Who can’t control the amount of TV their kids they watch?”

Of course but it’s the amount of shit you watch for no other reason than it being of partial interest. You have no interest really but you feel compelled to watch it.

I don’t.

I get that some people have no self control and sit watching all manner of crap.

Personally I don’t. So I’m happy to have a TV and it doesn’t entirely ruin my life or mean I can’t go outside or read a book or whatever else it is that “no TV” people seem to think TV owners never manage to do 🙂

TV? What’s that??

I haven’t had a TV for about 2000 years!

Aye, I slipped the clutches of the goggle box around 5 years ago. Get more done around the house as well as more reading and cycling, yadda.

Had I received the gift of fatherhood, I’m not sure what call I’d make on the matter of having TV in house. Judging on what I hear about TV, recently, I’m convinced I’m not missing much.

Orses fur coorses

I do enjoy these posts. “Look at me, I don’t watch TV”, except for BBC iplayer, netflix, 4 on demand, catch up TV and youtube.

But other than those, I prefer to be outdoors and doing something interesting – posted on an internet forum 😉

I get that some people have no self control and sit watching all manner of crap.

Thanks for the sanctimony. Must be great to be you. Since we’re on the subject of self control did you stop to consider that you might come across as a self rightious twunt when posting that?

I do enjoy these posts. “Look at me, I don’t watch TV“, except for BBC iplayer, netflix, 4 on demand, catch up TV and youtube.

Who said that?

FFS this is just classic STW, you say one thing and then everyone is claiming you said another. Whatever. Another win for the Single Track Warriors.

Hang on. You posted this…..

Which suggests you think that people sit and watch “shit” they have no interest just because it happens to be on.

I then agree with you, that some people do exactly that….

And somehow I’m a “sanctimonious self righteous twunt” 😕

Because I agreed with a point. A point that you made in the first place 🙄

I do hope you have the Ironing board out.

Runs over the to the lunch thread, grabs popcorn, runs back here…

If anyone’s still counting, and it’s not drifting into bickering hereabouts, add me.

I’d watch programmes about the things I’m interested in and be sadly disappointed: facile, misleading, downright incorrect came to mind. Add to that the frequent jumps and flashes between scenes would hit me somewhere behind the eyes.

Three and a half years without, there will be a set in the next holiday rental, I’ll soon become bored with it.

I’ll chalk that up to a lack of tone. I obviously took that the wrong way, you can call the bunkers and have them stand down 😛

I wouldn’t say it’s so much a lack of self control as opposed to something people get into a gradual habit of doing. If something else was needing doing of course it would get done; my point was more that, on reflection, a lot of the stuff we thought was interesting was in fact utter guff. Grand Designs being a good example. The only thing I learned from that is that people are by and large not good at doing things they were unqualified to do in the first place (and the wife always seems to get pregnant halfway through a build).

I’ll chalk that up to a lack of tone.

Somehow I feel like I’m being told off for not agreeing with you “properly”

I was sort of expecting an apology for the unwarranted name calling, but never mind, there is probably some repeat on Dave +1 that should take my mind off it

Hang on. You posted this…..

squirrelking » Of course but it’s the amount of shit you watch for no other reason than it being of partial interest. You have no interest really but you feel compelled to watch it

FWIW I understood sqk to say “you” in the sense of “one”, i.e. “me”. In other words self-deprecating, not inviting others to pile in criticising him.

But this is STW.

Apart from the news and Peppa Pig there is very little “live” tv watched in this house. If the wife and I sit down to watch something it’s usually box sets or something. Might discuss cancelling the virgin tv and license with herself tonight.

In the past three weeks I’ve watched the news, cycling and F1. Oh and a documentary on BBC4. I could give up the TV tomorrow without issue (except from the rest of the famille TiRed, of course). Now radio, however, that is a totally different matter!

Somehow I feel like I’m being told off for not agreeing with you “properly”

I was sort of expecting an apology for the unwarranted name calling, but never mind, there is probably some repeat on Dave +1 that should take my mind off it

I thought the smiley face might have conveyed the tone. I guess not.

Unwarranted perhaps but I already explained myself, your post did come across as rather sanctimonious. I apologise for the name calling nontheless.

FWIW I understood sqk to say “you” in the sense of “one”, i.e. “me”. In other words self-deprecating, not inviting others to pile in criticising him.

Exactly.

@squirrelking – I wasn’t saying that you necessarily watched iPlayer etc – just having a pop at those who do and don’t contribute to the making of the programs. I should have said ‘if one can afford’ etc not if ‘you can afford’ to depersonalise my comments, sorry. It was about 5:00 this morning!

Someone in my family does exactly this and it pisses me off.

I appreciate that it is perfectly legal to watch catchup TV, listen to the BBC radio channels and use the BBC website without a license – that is what needs addressing.

What about Game of Thrones, life without it is unimaginable.

What about Game of Thrones, life without it is unimaginable.

Easy. I started watching it and couldn’t keep up due to work, not missed out on much.

Yeah sorry again, I assumed you meant me. I do get your point though.

Drac, how do you know you haven’t missed out on much if you haven’t seen it all?

Drac, how do you know you haven’t missed out on much if you haven’t seen it?

Well it’s a TV show so I can really live without it.

Do you want to give me the answer to the other question you found hard too?

Oooh you found it far too hard so edited your post.

@squirrelking – no worries 🙂

Well it’s a TV show so I can really live without it.

You one of these numpties who says they dont like a certain food but have never tried it.

I’m all for going to the German model where public channels are paid for through general taxation but retaining independence from governemnet influence. Means we don’t need to have this debate.

Missed this – didn’t know about it and liking it already. Sounds like a very good idea – increasing taxation in this country isn’t something that most people would go for though!

All I do is watch TV. Without TV I’d waste more time than I currently do, posting even more balls on here.

I was about add, with a dash of sanctimony, that I don’t watch anything I don’t have to watch before realising that Britian Sees Red: Caught On Camera is on in the background. It’s kinda like this thread, without the cameras. 😀

You one of these numpties who says they dont like a certain food but have never tried it.

No you couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ll try any food as I like food a lot.

Just like I tried Game of Thrones but I didn’t have time to follow it so stopped, I managed to carry on without watching I’m not sure how much clearer I can make it. Any more insults you want to try?

“What about Game of Thrones, life without it is unimaginable.”

really ? sounds exciting.

I’m all for going to the German model where public channels are paid for through general taxation but retaining independence from governemnet influence. Means we don’t need to have this debate.

Missed this – didn’t know about it and liking it already. Sounds like a very good idea – increasing taxation in this country isn’t something that most people would go for though!

not really general taxation, and hence, not really a tax increase either. instead of being obliged to pay for use of a tv, with almost everyone having a tv, they just changed it to being obliged to pay and if you don’t want to watch TV, or use the online sites, or streaming, or whatever, then that’s your problem.

so it’s essentially a household surcharge rather than general taxation.

probably the easiest way to do that in UK is to scrap licence fee, and add tenner or whatever per month surcharge on the council tax bill (which already collects surcharges for all sorts of other things, depending on where you live).

I have a TV. Apart from Top Gear, F1, and Cycling and IoM TT on ITV4, there’s bog all on the gogglebox.

I have a tv, don’t have a tv license, and I’ve no intention of getting one. I also have an interweb connection, so I don’t pay for any tv, but still watch what I like when i like. 🙂

I expect some of you loonballs will expect me to feel shame for this, but I don’t!