Comments on: The Digital Let Down http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/23/the-digital-let-down/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:39:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: grumpypilgrim http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/23/the-digital-let-down/#comment-17891 grumpypilgrim Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:21:37 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2496#comment-17891 My views closely parallel Erich's -- television is a huge waste of human potential. Paying for it makes it an added waste of financial potential. The most sensible strategy I've seen so far is the digital recorder -- a device that records television programs while deleting the advertising. Speaking of the advertising: advertisers have become very clever in inserting ads into programs. For example, ads back in the 1970s aired every quarter hour (i.e., one ad block in the middle of a 30-minute program); today, they air every ten minutes (i.e., two ad blocks in the middle of a 30-minute program), thus cutting program time (which is a cost to the television network) and increasing ad time (which is revenue). Also, when a network airs a major Hollywood movie (e.g., Harry Potter), they will typically load most of their ads toward the end of the program, thereby maximizing the number of eyeballs that are watching. I've seen movies on television where the first 30 minutes were nearly commercial-free (to pull in the audience), but the last 30 minutes were packed with ads. Magazines use similar tricks; for example, loading up the right-side pages with ads, because that's where they eye naturally falls each time the reader turns the page. My views closely parallel Erich’s — television is a huge waste of human potential. Paying for it makes it an added waste of financial potential. The most sensible strategy I’ve seen so far is the digital recorder — a device that records television programs while deleting the advertising.

Speaking of the advertising: advertisers have become very clever in inserting ads into programs. For example, ads back in the 1970s aired every quarter hour (i.e., one ad block in the middle of a 30-minute program); today, they air every ten minutes (i.e., two ad blocks in the middle of a 30-minute program), thus cutting program time (which is a cost to the television network) and increasing ad time (which is revenue). Also, when a network airs a major Hollywood movie (e.g., Harry Potter), they will typically load most of their ads toward the end of the program, thereby maximizing the number of eyeballs that are watching. I’ve seen movies on television where the first 30 minutes were nearly commercial-free (to pull in the audience), but the last 30 minutes were packed with ads.

Magazines use similar tricks; for example, loading up the right-side pages with ads, because that’s where they eye naturally falls each time the reader turns the page.

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/23/the-digital-let-down/#comment-17885 Dan Klarmann Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:09:25 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2496#comment-17885 I'm going through withdrawal on my new TV diet. I am trying something new: Not cold turkey. But I will only watch recorded shows that I can argue to myself have some redeeming value. A few hours a week instead of per day. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=3_gebFHutLw" target="_blank" title="Ode to Zach Braff (Silly)" rel="nofollow">Zach Braff</a> is on my list. But I am resisting reruns. If I've seen it, I shouldn't need to see it again for a few years. I am no longer watching hours a day. But my brain is fighting me. It wants to escape from the incessant chatter of my overactive imagination. It wants to hide from everyday frustrations, rather than doing the work of fixing them. It wants to crawl into YouTube, or my well worn collection of (Pohl) Anderson through Zelazny. From experience, it will be about a week before I feel normal without staring at the flicker box. Every previous time I quit, it was during a change of pace: In college I did 5 years without it. I've quit a few times by going on a trip; I don't do TV while I travel, so withdrawal is masked by actual experience. I’m going through withdrawal on my new TV diet. I am trying something new: Not cold turkey. But I will only watch recorded shows that I can argue to myself have some redeeming value. A few hours a week instead of per day. Zach Braff is on my list. But I am resisting reruns. If I’ve seen it, I shouldn’t need to see it again for a few years.

I am no longer watching hours a day. But my brain is fighting me. It wants to escape from the incessant chatter of my overactive imagination. It wants to hide from everyday frustrations, rather than doing the work of fixing them. It wants to crawl into YouTube, or my well worn collection of (Pohl) Anderson through Zelazny. From experience, it will be about a week before I feel normal without staring at the flicker box.

Every previous time I quit, it was during a change of pace: In college I did 5 years without it. I’ve quit a few times by going on a trip; I don’t do TV while I travel, so withdrawal is masked by actual experience.

]]> By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/23/the-digital-let-down/#comment-17878 Erich Vieth Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:48:43 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2496#comment-17878 Dan: I am one of the 17 people in the United States that has never purchased cable TV. I have a $50 radio Shack antenna in the attic (it’s been there for 20 years. Twice each year I go up there to adjust it. We’ve had pretty good reception on most broadcast channels. I hope that the change in broadcast method won’t interfere with my free enjoyment of good quality reception. If I had paid $40 per month for cable for 20 years, that would have been almost $10,000. We really can’t justify cable at my house. We only watch one or two broadcast shows, Scrubs and maybe one other (and we tape those and skim through the commercials). Our children have only rarely seen any broadcast shows live. When they do, they are mesmerized by (and I am aghast at) the commercials. We do watch a tiny bit of TV but, for my family, TV is something you consciously attend to or you turn it OFF. We treat the TV set like we treat people! We force ourselves to stand up and turn it off when were not really watching it. That’s where so many people lose so much time “watching” TV—they let the set keep yapping at them. I know how that goes, because I’ve been there before. We bought the cheapest Netflix subscription ($14/month) for movies, mostly for our kids. We’ve bought a few DVD sets of TV shows from years past, including Allie McBeal, Star Trek Voyager and Combat! (the latter being a show from the 60’s that I really do enjoy—it’s the series starring Vic Morrow). We can now watch many cable shows online. My kids and I really enjoy watching Cartoon Network’s “Courage the Dog” http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/index.html online –I’d never heard of that show until a couple months ago. It’s delightful and macabre. Once in a while I watch some highlights to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert online. There’s really no need for cable. We aren’t interested in sports, the local “news” has no news, and Scrubs is in its last season. I’m not totally weaned of TV, but I’m fairly close. The more I stay away, the less I miss it. It’s not like “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Rather, it’s “Out of sight, out of mind.” Dan: I am one of the 17 people in the United States that has never purchased cable TV. I have a $50 radio Shack antenna in the attic (it’s been there for 20 years. Twice each year I go up there to adjust it. We’ve had pretty good reception on most broadcast channels. I hope that the change in broadcast method won’t interfere with my free enjoyment of good quality reception. If I had paid $40 per month for cable for 20 years, that would have been almost $10,000.

We really can’t justify cable at my house. We only watch one or two broadcast shows, Scrubs and maybe one other (and we tape those and skim through the commercials). Our children have only rarely seen any broadcast shows live. When they do, they are mesmerized by (and I am aghast at) the commercials. We do watch a tiny bit of TV but, for my family, TV is something you consciously attend to or you turn it OFF. We treat the TV set like we treat people! We force ourselves to stand up and turn it off when were not really watching it. That’s where so many people lose so much time “watching” TV—they let the set keep yapping at them. I know how that goes, because I’ve been there before.

We bought the cheapest Netflix subscription ($14/month) for movies, mostly for our kids. We’ve bought a few DVD sets of TV shows from years past, including Allie McBeal, Star Trek Voyager and Combat! (the latter being a show from the 60’s that I really do enjoy—it’s the series starring Vic Morrow).

We can now watch many cable shows online. My kids and I really enjoy watching Cartoon Network’s “Courage the Dog” http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/index.html online –I’d never heard of that show until a couple months ago. It’s delightful and macabre. Once in a while I watch some highlights to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert online.

There’s really no need for cable. We aren’t interested in sports, the local “news” has no news, and Scrubs is in its last season.

I’m not totally weaned of TV, but I’m fairly close. The more I stay away, the less I miss it. It’s not like “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Rather, it’s “Out of sight, out of mind.”

]]> By: Chinso http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/23/the-digital-let-down/#comment-17865 Chinso Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:34:54 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2496#comment-17865 I used to watch an absurd amount of television when I was in high school. When I got to college, I decided that I was going to give it up in order to focus on other things, such as my studies. Even though my roommate watched close to six hours a day, I abstained from watching the "boob tube," instead choosing to read, study or listen to music. I am now a Fulbright Scholar graduating Summa Cum Laude with high honors, getting ready to start graduate work to pursue my Ph.D. In high school, I was barely holding down a 3.0. Good things can happen when you give up t.v. I used to watch an absurd amount of television when I was in high school. When I got to college, I decided that I was going to give it up in order to focus on other things, such as my studies. Even though my roommate watched close to six hours a day, I abstained from watching the “boob tube,” instead choosing to read, study or listen to music.

I am now a Fulbright Scholar graduating Summa Cum Laude with high honors, getting ready to start graduate work to pursue my Ph.D. In high school, I was barely holding down a 3.0.

Good things can happen when you give up t.v.

]]> By: SylvieMac http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/23/the-digital-let-down/#comment-17839 SylvieMac Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:21:57 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2496#comment-17839 My TV watching has dropped off so drastically (never very heavy at best) that I find myself bored by the return of shows I used to enjoy. Since my set is almost ten years old and I can't really afford to replace it any time soon, I may just upgrade my Netflix subscription. I watch far more movies than TV shows anyway, and since most series eventually show up on DVD, I can avoid both the cost of cable (which I don't have) and converting to digital. And books do more than fill in the gaps or provide escape. My TV watching has dropped off so drastically (never very heavy at best) that I find myself bored by the return of shows I used to enjoy. Since my set is almost ten years old and I can’t really afford to replace it any time soon, I may just upgrade my Netflix subscription. I watch far more movies than TV shows anyway, and since most series eventually show up on DVD, I can avoid both the cost of cable (which I don’t have) and converting to digital. And books do more than fill in the gaps or provide escape.

]]> By: Erika Price http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/23/the-digital-let-down/#comment-17833 Erika Price Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:29:12 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2496#comment-17833 I say, try to give it up! If even just for the experience, see if how long you can go tv-less without missing it. See if it makes you more productive, or at least if it makes you engage in more interactive ways of winding down. I don't watch any TV, really- my only exposure to the thing comes via my roommates' sizable TV habits. Does the lack of TV in my life give me extra time to get things done? No...the internet has myriad diversions, "fun" books prove much more tempting than school books, and the occasional video game might as well be as mindless and wasteful as TV. I guess the only manner to really do away with time-wasters is to unplug completely. But I know many people who are going the opposite route- who use the new need to upgrade TVs as an excuse to go all-out and get a huge, high-end unit. I say, try to give it up! If even just for the experience, see if how long you can go tv-less without missing it. See if it makes you more productive, or at least if it makes you engage in more interactive ways of winding down.

I don’t watch any TV, really- my only exposure to the thing comes via my roommates’ sizable TV habits. Does the lack of TV in my life give me extra time to get things done? No…the internet has myriad diversions, “fun” books prove much more tempting than school books, and the occasional video game might as well be as mindless and wasteful as TV. I guess the only manner to really do away with time-wasters is to unplug completely.

But I know many people who are going the opposite route- who use the new need to upgrade TVs as an excuse to go all-out and get a huge, high-end unit.

]]>