Do you think broadcast tv is fading out?

**Sara Noel** · 09-10-2009, 03:06 PM

I mean obviously there's competition for eyeballs now because of computers, but what do you think will happen in the future?

**Thevail** · 09-11-2009, 12:28 AM

I think the regular broadcast channels are going the way of the dodo...

Not only are there much more specific channels for people to watch, but all their best shows end up on HULU or netflix etc.

Their news is utter codswallop, so unless you're into soaps.. why bother.

**Nada.Leona** · 09-11-2009, 08:02 AM

DH is a cinophile and tv-ophile.

He loves TV and watches a bunch of the new shows -- True Blood, Mad Men, Dexter, etc. I can't keep track of them. I didn't have television for over 8 years before I met him, so I almost never watch anything.

My "TV" is the Internet. I have several little cartoons I watch, comics I read, FV, blogs, emails, articles, etc. I could easily spend hours on here (been on for about 2 now already). It's too easy to get swallowed by mind-numbing entertainment. I watch one show with him now -- The Big Bang Theory (I have a pseudo-crush on Sheldon) -- and a little TV in the kitchen that I sometimes turn on while I'm puttering around. The tube is going on it, but the sound still works. Most times I will turn the radio on, though. I love love LOVE the radio.

TV just isn't interesting anymore. If it's not some crapola-drama on Fox (Seriously? Do we need to make light of the Canadian military?), it's some celebrity garbage that no one cares about (I DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW MUCH JON HATES KATE THIS WEEK!), or some superficial talkshow host who used to be a celebrity and now talks to her peers about how great their latest project is.

Booooooor-ing! :yawn:

At least with the Internet, your choices are much more broad. Don't like the clothes that designers are touting as "the latest craze fashion"? Look into "modest styles" and see some decent clothing!

Can't deal anymore with how much some superstar mother is buying her strangely-named babies? Look up the awesome families who are built on adoption of disabled children!

Got no time for how the government is spending billions on bail-out money for the car companies? Look up the latest in research purifying drinking water in Africa for less than a dollar a year!

In my life, TV has virtually no place. Whatever I want to watch or listen to can be found on the radio or the internet. The choices are endless. I see the Internet as one of the most beneficial expenses I can make.

**semo_mom** · 09-11-2009, 08:15 AM

Well if it is, they really did theirselves in with the digital switch (I know the government did this not the tv companies). Living out in the middle of no where (like most of southeast MO is) most people lost all signal from the aerial antennas. Not that you could get that many here before the switch (I grew up with 3 channels) but they did have some way of knowing if bad weather was heading their way. I do have to say it's been great for our business though.

Ok back to answering your question (I always get off track) I don't that it is, not just yet. Atleast not in the area of the US I live in. (under a rock most of the time). I do believe with my generation it will though, being a more computer savvy generation.

**Saydee** · 09-11-2009, 08:31 AM

That's a good question. I think it might fade a little but I think there will always be tv's in the household.

**imagine** · 09-11-2009, 09:04 AM

By broadcast tv do you mean the free tv stations (like ABC< NBC< CBS< PBS) or are you including cable stations that broadcast over and are shown on tv?

If you mean the later I do not think broadcast tv is fading. Most people I know in real life do not know you can watch shows on the computer. Just the other day a new family moved into the neighborhood and the direct tv satellite company was there almost before the movers.

I think of all the digital converters that were bought. The government understatement how many people would need them or want them.

My son still gets a tv station with only this rabbit ears (guess it is low enough broadcast to not have switched to digital). So out of the two stations he was getting before the switch, he is getting one now ( no more PBS) but that one station is coming in clearer now.

**NikoSan999** · 09-11-2009, 09:27 AM

While I could live with the computer for my entertainment and husband also. Wow..we have since about Nov of last year since we cut Netfix and Dish due to finances. We borrow alot of DVDs from library and friends. We cannot get cable where we live but it is as high as satellite anyway but point is moot.

I don't think regular tv ( abc, cbs, nbc ) will go by the wayside for a long long time. My reason being not everyone does entertainment by the computer. This would be the age thing. Not everyone can afford the cost of internet and or the cost of the computer. While I understand it can be gotten for $10 a month, again the age thing...they aren't going to bother with it ( for the most of them ) when they can just take the controller and flip the tube on. Honestly, when I WAS watching TV the 3 basic channels were my favorites. Especially Monday night with Big Bang Theory, How I met your mother and 2 1/2 Men etc.

The very new generation coming up..??? Yes very possibly but not the ones now. In my opinion.

**miss_thrifty** · 09-11-2009, 11:52 AM

nah idont think reg tv will go away for awhile. But then if digital goes cheaper prices u may never know .

**MRAHoffman** · 09-11-2009, 11:55 AM

I think broadcast tv (ABC, CBS, NBC) will eventually go away. I have VERY basic cable (14 channels) and especially on the weekend there is an ever growing # of infomercials. I know the ad revenue for broadcast tv has declined like newspapers and they are having more reality shows (like the cable networks) as it costs less to put on a reality show than a drama or sitcom. I heard on the radio the other day an interview with the CEO of Netflix and he says that in the next5- 10 years all tv's and computers will have wifi and all tv will be broadcast over the tv through wi-fi or computers. Glad I did NOT upgrade my tv w/ digital if in the next 5-10 years I would have to upgrade again. I like having basic cable as I buy video/cds at the thrift store from my son (this helps me control what he watches). Take care and God bless.

**shoiji** · 09-11-2009, 12:02 PM

I don't think it will go out for a while. Years from now I could see it fading out once technology and prices even out. But I would think some kind of warning source would have to be seperate from how information would be recieved. Meaning if most/all information was received from a computer than either tv or radio would be used. Probably radio since you could use a radio with batteries and not electric. Basically in emergency or when power was down. Then again if everyone was off the grid probably would not be a problem.

**imagine** · 09-11-2009, 12:07 PM

So while driving and listening to the radio broadcasts. I did some more thinking on this subject.

I thought there is still regular radio, radio over computers, radio over tv ( cable) and there is satellite radio. There seems to be room for all the different kinds at present.

I also thought this subject seems to mirror the question. While download able book eventually replace hard bound books. On NPR a while back they discussed this and it seems that no down loadable books will not completely replace hardbound books. There seems to be a nitch and place for both.

Maybe it is like that for all the different forms of tv.

**Palooka** · 09-12-2009, 01:44 AM

This might be a good place to ask how Netflix works...What do you get with it and all the options and how much? I have Dish and don't venture out much. Is it just movies?

**frugalfranny** · 09-12-2009, 03:30 AM

Fading out only at it's own fault........the shows are so crappy that a lot of people I know don't watch a whole bunch of TV. Not like they used to say, even 5 years ago. But fading out totally......no. And I don't think it will go away in my lifetime.

For too many people it is still their connection to the outside world....with no computer.......they will need it for emergencies.

We will see many more newpapers fall before TV goes.

**Thevail** · 09-12-2009, 10:54 PM

I love netflix. It costs me $8.99 per month (less than your average fast food meal for one person). I get one movie at a time, but an unlimited amount of them overall. I average getting about 2 per week, so about 8 or nine per month.

I love the "no late fee" thing, but we tend to watch them the day we get them and send them out the next morning to maximize the number that we get per month.

Also if you have high speed internet there are a lot of shows you can just download online and watch them instantly. Love it!

They have movies, documentaries, TV show series (it's nice to watch a whole series in a row), BBC series, educational DVDs (Standard Deviants, languages, etc.), and a lot of new release movies as soon as they come out.

We started using it when we were homeschooling, but like it so much we've kept it. If we have to choose TV.. or Internet /Netflix, we'd cut the TV no questions.