TV not getting any better

I’ve had quite some time to watch TV during the last couple of weeks. That doesn’t mean I felt very well entertained or informed at all.

The gist of TV over the day is edutainment (with more entertainment than education), teleshopping, strange reality shows and soap operas. I’ve never been a fan of soap operas. I like information a lot, but I don’t like edutainment or infotainment programs. I never buy anything from teleshopping channels at all (neither from the teleshopping programs that run on certain TV stations in the morning and early afternoon). And while the strange reality shows (‘real life’ with actors and stories I don’t buy for a minute) have a certain morbid appeal, they are not something I can watch for long without laughing out loud.

Years ago I thought talk shows were bad, now I sometimes find myself wishing some of the first ones were still around. And that says something…

So I spent more time in front of my computer, usually not online (I do have my daily regime when it comes to the net), but writing, listening to music, watching DVDs or playing games. In addition, there’s always reading for me.

But I can’t help wondering whether this is the TV program people really want to see. I’ve never really been the ‘mainstream’ person, but I can’t believe I’m the only one who finds TV these days quite boring. The stations (especially those which receive money from the state and thus should make a better program) often complain about the loss of audience – so other people find something better to do than watching TV as well. They see the internet as an enemy or try to participate by putting their stuff online. Maybe instead they should use it to find out what people are interested in.

TV wasn’t all perfect and wonderful in the past. But it’s not getting any better in the present and may be really dreadful in the future.