It's still a routine

We still sit around our sets to watch our programs, and tune into our favorite radio program in the morning on the drive to work/school. This is where the comparison lies, we still put aside our endeavors to fulfill our weekly or daily fix. It doesn't really matter what we watch, but i'm sure we all have that special show that we tune into every week. Back then, my Dad and I would listen to Bob and Tom on the way to school everyday. Now, it'll take something important for me to miss an episode of Entourage, Weeds, and Californication. These programs have become a part of our weekly or daily routine. So what has changed? Regulations on what can be seen during the day and night. Adult programs at night, and kids shows during the day. The family sitcom back then, to the numerous Reality TV shows today. So it all boils down to finding that one particular TV show that we'll make part of our routine. That's where the comparison lies between now and then.

The most obvious blog post ever...TV history relates to TV today...

Ya know…I spend all weekend trying to find an intelligent connection between the history of radio and television and to be honest, I still can’t. Whenever I hear about the history of radio and television (or anything for that matter) I just think about the ways in which we are both different and equal to the past. The main things I notice are the (in my opinion) stupid mistakes that those in the broadcast services have made in the past and how these mistakes will soon repeat themselves. One mistake that I see as simple racial insensitivity is Beullah (sp.) due to the fact that the main character was a false representation of an African American person. In my initial viewing of this show I was outraged that the writers of this program would allow these things to be broadcast over the air…but as the show went on I began to think about today’s broadcast media and the various racial representations that are being made. The main player of these false representations is the one and only Carlos Mencia. The main part of this show that pisses me off is the fact that he can hate on other races with words such as “beaner” is simply because he is a minority. If this man were white he would be thrown off the air in no time.

Clearly the history of television has a major impact on the television that we view today. But the main involvement of this history lies in the main developments of technology. When I think about the original broadcast companies buying up airspace I see a main connection to cellular communication corporations purching the airspace that recently went up for auction. Throughout history companies have been buying out the “little guy” and people to follow constantly bitch about how bad it is that companies did this. The only words that come to mind now are “wake up, and get a fucking clue!”. This idea of companies purchasing the rights of the little guy will go on until the end of time…

In-A-Gadda-Da-TV

I found both readings to be different in that they presented the chronology of radio and TV history from separate angles. Barnouw's history recap was filled with the "wonder boys" theme that Epley pointed out in class. I find this type of history to be grueling and filled with too many names, dates, and congratulatory tales about the men behind the machines. People still use this angle today when talking about TV, but I personally find it more helpful to relate a technology with those who use it as well as the people that created it. I actually found Marvin's to be the more easier history to relate to current media conditions. The anecdotes represented how new forms of media technology incite shock and awe or fear in the public. I like this particular view of technology, because it gives a presence to the machine. In this case, TV is viewed as a non-static creation that has the ability to interact with those viewing--for good or evil.

If you look at a lot of the fears of telephone and radio people developed almost all of them resemble the fears people had or have about TV. People thought these things would make life too easy, and idle hands as we know are the devil's playground. They also thought this would destroy the family unit. Remember all those PSAs about taking a break from the TV to eat dinner with your family at an actual dining table instead circled around the tube with TV trays? Class structure was also threatened with each invention. In this sense class structure is threatened by television because lower classes would now have the availability to be informed by news broadcast. There were no premium channels for the upper class. Also programming began to reflect the lower class's preferences with shows aimed at entertaining the lowest common denominator instead of catering to higher, more educated classes.

This mentality has never stopped. We all still have fears about TV taking over in similar ways. We all grown when we think of the mind-numbing programming being put on air, entertaining masses who actually enjoy Tilla Tequilla--and her antics and lifestyle promote values that many fear will infect the audience like a hypodermic needle. I think it is safe to say that this cycle of looking at technology will continue.

Habit or Hobby?

Listening to the radio shows in class last week honestly made me wonder if the listeners just tuned in every week to zone out and fall asleep. As hard as I tried to pay attention to what was going on, I could only feel my eyelids getting heavier and heavier. After further thought on the subject I realized there were both strong similarities and differences between radio and television audiences today compared to their beginnings.
A major difference I noticed was that radio shows then took more creativity and imagination to listen to, then an average weekly scripted television show of today. Unless you really get into the plot and put yourself into the action, I think it would be very easy to let your mind wander to the point you forgot you were even listening to the program in the first place. They didn’t have actors and actresses performing in front of their eyes, and everything was left up to each listeners individual imagination.
At the same time, I noticed a definite similarity in the radio programs and some of the shows I see on TV today. A few reality television shows broadcasted today remind me of the radio programs we listened to in class. Many times I will turn on the TV with no intention of just sitting there to watch it and do nothing else. Radio programs were easy to listen to back in the day because they didn’t force you to sit in one spot and monopolize all of your attention. Housewives could carry on their duties while listening to their favorite program. If I were to watch an episode of something like " Housewives of Orange County" I could get up, leave for 10 minutes come back and not have missed anything, and would be able to pick right back up in the story. This TV show also proves that even with all the advancements of technology, people have not become more picky in the kind of entertainment they choose to watch/listen to. Personally I don’t find watching a bunch of wrinkly tanned older women drinking and traveling through their 3rd marriages any more exciting then the black face actors performing scripted meaningless dialog over the radio. However there are people out there that won’t want to miss an episode to see what the 40 year old ladies will get themselves into next, just as people back in the day tuned into some of these radio shows every week. It seems to be almost more out of habit then hobby.

Dearest Radio...

I need to be honest with you, radio. I think we should see other people.

Recently, I’ve come to the realization that, I don’t really like you like I used to. I don’t like listening to you, I don’t like talking about you, and I don’t like trying to think up creative little quips about you every time I reference you in class blogs. Lately, when you come up in conversation, my mind wanders to other forms of media. I can’t help it…I just need something more. Honestly, I just don’t feel that same connection we used to have. I feel guilty for doing this, but I’ve been going through some really confusing times lately regarding technology and my time. Seriously, it’s not you…it’s me.

You’re great...really. You’ve been doing what you do for a really long time now and you’ve gotten really good at it. But I’m getting bored with the same old thing, radio. I just think it’s time for both of us to stop pretending that we care about each other so much and move on with our lives.

We had some good times though, right? Long drives home…hot days of working construction…hell, for seven years you were the first thing I woke up to every morning. It was a good ride, wasn’t it…

I just want to make sure there are no hard feelings here. I’ll miss you a lot and I really want us to stay friends. You know…I’ll listen to you if you’re around…but I don’t feel I can really put 100% into our relationship right now. I wish you the best and I hope you understand.

Reality Bagel Bites

After a short discussion several days back, a friend and I came to the conclusion that Bagel Bites aren't really that good. They are, perhaps, even bad, but they are still, for most, undeniably enjoyable. Whether enjoyable back in the day because you and your friends that were staying the night got to eat something out of a bright and colorful box just like on TV or nowadays because of the simple nostalgia for those bygone sleep-overs, the enjoyment doesn't come from the quality of the Bagel Bite but from the act of eating a Bagel Bite.

TV shows/sports have become the center of our society. For a conversation to stray away from such topics without being somewhat awkward generally requires the conversation's participants to be more than casual friends. Because the decline in pricing has allowed for, and the incredible increase in programming (with everyone now wanting to watch something different) has given rise to multiple-TV homes, watching TV isn't the same let's-sit-in-the-same-room type of communal activity that is used to be. However, it's still communal because the majority watches and then the majority talks about it, and if you're not watching then you can't join the conversation.

Like Bagel Bites, it's not really about the quality but the act, thereby allowing you to join the conversation.

All Alone Out In That Shed For Hours

Andrew Carnegie, the steel king, was also a mad wiz at the telegraph. He did his job extremely well so and continued on to the top where he made history and lots of money at the same time. His story is also very boring. The history of an invention and the similar actions taken by like minded groups or individuals after an inventions unveiling way, way back when is a sad thing to have to read, but you read it and you get the idea. Radio was something to be harnessed and played with, then totally enjoyed. TV was something to be harnessed and played with, then totally enjoyed. The internet was something…you get where I’m going with this.

Oh boys and their child-play-things, they never really get anywhere when they spend all day tinkering around. What is cool to think about is that there has always been an independent spirit lingering somewhere in the haze of radio and television’s collective history. Though it was pretty much guys out in the tool shed with no women in sight there was somehow still a great deal of progressive thinking being done from the dawn of radio communications. I think that is maybe what I can get from the subject matter other than a head ache and several hours I can’t remember. There was the little guy before there was the big guy, and even though they were all guys we can still see some thought put into what ought to be done with a medium that can bring people together as opposed to what ought to be sold with it.

Out with the old in with the new

As much as I try to make myself think that listening to the radio was interesting to everyone back in the day, I can't. I really don't see how it was possibly fun to sit next to a radio and listen to people's voices without ever being able to see them. Maybe I lack that great imagination that all the kids had back then, but I doubt that. I have a wonderful imagination but I need something visual in front of me to keep me entertained for a period of time. I think it just goes with the saying out with the old in with the new. No one would be able to find a group of kids who would be more then excited to sit next to a radio and listen to it all afternoon. That is just how it is today. Even in class just listening to all those clips from radio shows bored me to death. I just can't handle not seeing anything. I wanted to fall asleep. I don't think that radios are even used as much in cars anymore. I know that I hook my iPod into my car once I get in it. Most people I know have CD players or do the same with their iPod. I hope that the radio never goes away completely, but it can't count on being as loved as it once was. Here is my great example of why the radio isn't so sweet anymore. I worked at an ice cream shop all through high school starting my freshman year. When I first started there we had a radio that we listened to. That was it for the whole summer, just rocking out and making ice cream. The next year when I went back we had cable. WHOA I know...an ice cream shop that has cable...crazy...but ever since we got that first television down there with the cable it's like a sick addiction. One night it stormed and the roof leaked onto the TV and broke it. Could we go without television for a while? Nope of course not, my boss was out at the store that morning purchasing a new television. Now what happened to the radios you might wonder?! Well they are back in a room all dust and gross...sad story I know, but what I am saying is that television seems to be so much better that no one can resist dropping a radio like it's hot for a new TV.

We're not much different...

I think that some of us make the mistake of thinking how "stupid" it was to sit around a radio at a certain time every week to listen to the next installment in a radio series. We think it seems ridiculous almost. But, we all have our loyalties today. Some of us wouldn't miss a new episode of Desperate Housewives.... well, some of us would do anything we can to avoid Desperate Housewives. Some people are more relaxed about the time constraints because they have Tivo or DVRs. Or before the complete digital wave, they pulled out that old manual and figured out how to program the VCR and taped it on a VHS cassette. Today, in many cases, we can just go online and watch the episodes, whether it's legal or not is a separate question. But, aside from all those key points of technology that help us stay on track with our current TV obsessions, some people aren't necessarily willing to use them. I know people who would be downright pissed off and angry if they couldn't sit down on Thursday nights and watch Grey's Anatomy. They don't want to watch it online or any of those other alternatives. They want to see it at the same time the world sees it for the first time. Now, in the time when radio shows were at large, the general public didn't really have the opportunity to record shows and listen to them later, so if they were going to listen, that had make sure that they weren't doing anything and nothing had better not interrupt them. But, if they did have the ability to record shows back then, I think that, while some would have taken advantage of it, others would have still rather just make sure they had nothing planned and would have listened as it was broadcast.

Distraction as the key component

When comparing the radio of today with the radio of yesteryear there seems to be more differences than similarities. Today the majority of what is being heard on the radio is music and commercials. You may catch the occasional sports or weather update or you may even catch a snippet of an actual news story (and I'm not talking about the lastest celebrity pregnancy gossip). This varies greatly from what we listened to in class on Tuesday. Back in the earlier days of radio it seems it was used more of an entertainment instrument than that of a musical distraction. I envision whole families gathered in the sitting room and listening intently to these radio dramas. This obviously wouldn't happen today, families can't even seem to gather around the dinner table together anymore. But back then radio was a new technology and was exciting and stimulating to its listeners and brought people together. Much like television did and still does for our generation. The closest example I can foster in connection to the family gathered around the radio in my life would be that of my Sunday nights way back in the day. Everyone in my family would gather around the tube and we would drink shakes and eat popcorn for dinner and watch America's Funniest Home Videos. This went on for I don't remember how long, but long enough. My point is this, it was a family tradition and brought everyone together, even if we did have to listen to Bob Seget tell really horrible jokes. I think one major connection that old school radio programming has with today has to do with public radio. This form of radio seems to be much more similar. Public radio has many more talk shows than FM radio. It also has a lot more news programming as well. It also seems to me that people who are listening to public radio are actually listening and processing the information they are recieving better than their counterparts who are mainly focused on the music. This seems more like the listeners of yesterday. I do believe that the commitment that the listeners had back then is still evident in today's society, just in a new form. The form is television, and most everyone has their favorites that they really want to watch and really try to catch. Ultimately I think that people used radio back then as a lot of people use television today, as a distraction. When people get home from a long trying day of work, or school, or whatever, they just want to relax. These two mediums allow people to do just that, without a lot of mental concentration or thought.

Radio Back Then, Compared to Today...

Today’s society is very visual and believe in the saying, “Seeing is believing.” After listening to the “sitcoms” that played during the 40’s on people’s radios, I realized people back then had way better imaginations and really appreciated technology. Today’s radio consists of mainly of music, commercials, and weather updates. The only almost comparison to today’s radio and back then would be some morning show programs like Bob and Tom. They do impersonations and little skits; mainly they’re big on one liners and interviews with comedians. If there was a show on the radio today that consisted of reenactments of famous novels (like the Jungle Book example) I don’t think people would take the time to listen. We’re always in a rush now and have an attention span for like 5 seconds. Think about how many times you change the station on your radio when a commercial comes on, you know they’ll be back with more music but I guess we deserve only what we want. Plus, radio in today’s society is mainly heard by people when they’re driving, taking a shower, or some employment places allow for a radio to be played. It’s not in our living rooms and the center piece of our entertainment these days, nor do I think it ever will be. I work in the radio industry at the moment and I’m shocked on how many people listen to the radio and remember certain things I say, and for the most part radio is an advertisement for the internet because everything said on the radio can easily be found on the station’s web page and you can look at that at your own convenience. The internet plays a huge role in the radio business these days form promoting events, emailing requests, and keep people up dated on what music is being played. I brought up bringing back the “Fire Side Chat” these days because what if it actually continued on over the years after FDR left. I think a lot of people would actually listen to George W if he kept us updated on current events he’s trying to fix. A lot of people want to know his plans and feel like they’re being left out, much like why FDR started it in the first place, to reassure people that things were being taken care of. Plus, some people would tune in just to hear the next stupid thing he has to say or lie about, either way they could have something going there, at least in my eyes. Radio will never be like it used to, but as for right now it is still a huge form of media that I see standing the tests of time.

Problems with TV

While I agree that there is plenty about TV that sucks today, I would also have to say that some of it is actually entertaining and worth watching. But lets start with what sucks about TV. First off, like a lot of people said, there is way too much advertising going on. While the commercials are obviously the worst form there are countless other ways they slip in even more advertising. Take a show like "Friends" or something, watching that show is like watching a 22 minute long advertisement. You're lead to want their clothes, their apartments, their furniture, etc., etc. It is one big distraction that leads you to desire things that you probably can't afford. Not to mention how depressing it is when you compare your life to theirs. Another reason TV sucks today is that so few have all the power over what is being aired and made. While we, the American people, have to suffer through it. It is an elitest's field, its not what you know but who you know. It seems like it would be very hard to break into this business. That is the trouble, individuals that could help change and improve television can never get anywhere to make a difference. Maybe if their was a better public forum where artists could broadcast their work we would get a more varied content and better material to watch. Public Television is certainly not the answer. The last reason TV sucks is its lacking of a good music television station. What happened to Mtv? Now I am not saying it was perfect back in the early and mid ninties, but it was a whole hell of a lot better than it is today. I remember when they actually played videos, and not only videos, good, quality videos. Not only were the videos better the shows they played were better as well. Three examples: Beavis and Butthead, Sifl and Olli, and Liquid Television. I'd lke to see a music channel that is not trying to sell the latest shitty album to a bunch of teenagers. Some good things about TV, Adult Swim, Stewart, Colbert, and The SImpsons. Oh, and Tim Gunn.

Daytime = Lametime TV

Honestly one of the biggest problems I have with television today is all about the timing. Of course the program schedule was designed to make people with normal jobs happy to come home and watch "exciting" television and relax. I on the other hand only really have time to watch T.V. during the day. For the most part its like getting stuck with the reruns that the stations so happen to replay 5x a week at seemingly the same time everyday. If its not reruns its some stupid news show about the latest ficaso Lindsay Lohan has gotten herself into, or a dating show which has a predictable, written outcome. In turn I end up watching my favorite television shows on the internet instead and watching little television live on the actual T.V. set.
Another problem with it is the writing on some of the shows. Crime drama shows serve as a good example. I was told in my playscript class last semester that almost all crime drama shows follow the same outline. They give you a little taste of what happened and then lead in to questioning suspects. If you pay close attention, over half of the time this pattern will occur: while they question the suspect, randomly in some part of the questioning the suspect will go off on a tangent completely irrelevant to the questions they have been asked, most of the time leading to lengthy monologues about something that at the time seems like a time filler. This is because the writers are lacking the creativity/effort to work in the bizarre detail that in the end always ends up connecting them to the crime. Instead of thinking up a logical smooth transition, they throw it in with the rest of the script.
Thirdly, the commercials are getting ridiculous. I have short attention span so instead of staying and watching the commercials I honestly will either get up and do something else and fail to return/remember I was even watching the show, or change the channel and also forget that I was even watching a show. I really don’t need to see trailers of what’s going to happen next week on some other show every 10-15 minutes for the commercial break. If the show is good enough that I do stay for the commercial break it wastes so much of my time. Watching an hour long television show wastes approximately 18ish minutes of my time that I can never get back.

'Find out what sucks about TV! Next, when we return."

Currently, I'd say what sucks the most about television is that it's not even pretending these days. Costs are down, stocks are up, ad revenue keeps pouring in and still they keep squeaking the content-advertisement ratio closer and closer to 1 or below. Used to be that they'd run the program for a while then sneak in a little "Brought to you by..." and then show some money-makers. But time went by and they decided to sneak just one more in and we kept watchin' so they tossed one more in again and we kept watchin' and then they threw on more in and we still didn't shut it off. Sure we started to change the channel but there was a one-in-three chance that we'd end up on another channel of theirs and so they'd get to count us as a viewer for that channel too.

These days they just stretch 5-minutes of material into a half-hour program with endless recaps and when-we-come-back's. At the root of it all, I think sporting programs are the main blameholders. At the root, before all of the crazy graphics Matrix-freezeframe cams, they are incredibly easy to produce. One simply sets the camera up and follows the action. Not too hard. Then they started putting ads in during the breaks and then realized that they could put more ads in and make more money if the game went a little bit longer and suddenly football was the national sport because it was new and broadcasters could shape it too their wants. A few more time-outs, the advent of the media-break, pre-and post-game commentaries and BOOM, ya gatch yourself a sport that you've made everyone want to see with a minimum output on your part and a very healthy intake. Re-freakin-diculous.

We've got three to four guys each on at least two or three different channels intimately discussing the pros and cons of a certain star player who's gonna get chewed-up and spit-out faster than 5 o'clock news teams toss out their over-30, slightly-less-perkily-breasted-than-this-cute-new-girl anchorwomen, all while C-SPAN and PBS are literally begging for money.

What sucks the most is that TV tells us we're consumers, rather than citizens. They've been telling us that for a long time and the "If three people tell you you're sick" effect did it's thing and the message slowly, slow enough that we didn't even see it moving, slowly it sank in, and these days it doesn't even need to pretend.

What's The Deal With "Whatever's"...?

Television has been called a lot of things – exciting, stimulating, and even interactive. Unfortunately for network TV, I’ve never called it any of those. Although most of my life has been within the vague vicinity of a television screen, it’s always seemed like a temporary fix between my moments of wanting to do something more important. I believe I lived a pretty active life as a child, so there’s a strong possibility that I’m in the minority when it comes to my dependency on the tube. That being said, Television History and Critique begins.

My biggest issue with television today is the grandeur in which they promote…how can I put this lightly…all the shit that doesn’t matter. The façade of bullshit that is hyper-flashed across the screen each day doesn’t let you escape to another program or another channel…ever. Around every corner, the network executives seem to be pulling out all the stops in their efforts to keep you watching. It was one thing to promote your own shows during commercial breaks, but now there are CG banners taking up 1/3 of the screen, sometimes even with their own sound and video. What the hell already! Let me watch the watered down version of Blow on USA without being interrupted by Glenn Close and her outdated sexual promiscuity.

Everything from “reality TV” to 24 hour news stations to ridiculous entertainment game shows tries to pull you in by any means necessary. They cast contestants who are camera-friendly and those that possess “personality.” Reality TV is no longer unrehearsed, game shows no longer use “real people”, and the stuff they stir and bloat out of proportion on 24 hour news channels makes me wish I read the newspaper more. These days, television gives off a desperate-and-unattractive-pedophile-with-candy vibe. They’ll do anything to get close to you by this point.

Don’t get me wrong. Not all television is bad. There are well-written television programs on today, most notably the recent wave of off-the-cuff and semi-improv comedy shows. And while all programs may have respectable writers working for them, the fact is that if America truly believes that there is some strategic element to Deal or No Deal then our civilization is crumbling from the cerebrum outward.

As a very open critic of our current television situation, it becomes increasingly difficult for me to watch television and think of productive alternatives to the spiraling black hole that I believe TV has become. I’ve always been quick to point out the flaws, but when it comes to finding solutions, it’s troubling how difficult it is to find a good answer.

The best I have come up with thus far is the idea of customizable programming. In my perfect world, I want to be able to watch what I want to watch when I want to watch it. And I don’t want commercials or advertisements. Hell…I’d pay so much more for cable if I knew I could just choose shows at my convenience. My honest opinion however is that, in general, people are lazy when it comes to finding what they like. Just like with music, it takes real research and time to find your favorite. Unfortunately, it’s easier for everyone to watch “whatever’s on” or listen to “whatever’s on the radio.” The general public talks about it like it’s a real choice. Country, Oldies, Top 40, or Rock? What everyone fails to understand is that somebody somewhere is still choosing what music receives airplay. People like to believe that they impact what is being played or televised, but in reality they are only choosing from very limited choices. It’s like being presented with five jellybeans and having to choose your favorite. It feels good to choose…until you realize you live a block away from the Jelly Belly factory and have just never bothered to take some time and look around.

On second thought, maybe it’s not TV and what is on it that pisses me off. It’s the people that watch it mindlessly without ever asking why. I mean, really…can that many people care about Dancing With The Stars?

Not as bad as watching it all

To me, the main problem with television today, is that there isn't enough good shows to go around. Most of the good shows that I watch, aren't even on cable, they are on stations that you have to pay extra to receive ( showtime, hbo , etc. ) Having Mediacom, you have to pay extra for almost everything, I believe nate touched on that and I agree totally with what he is saying about all the HD and extras that come with experiencing TV. I'm a big fan of watching HD TV and all the surround sound and all that good stuff, but when there are shows like "I Love New York" and all the "Real World " shows that keep coming out, I ask myself why bother watching. The booze is free on the Real World and therefore getting more "edgy" and having more action to boost the ratings. Now, I understand that shows are out mainly to get ratings and make money, so I can't completely fault MTV for barely showing any music, but its getting to a point that almost anyone can become famous and have their own TV show( Tila Tequila anyone??) I think the best thing that cable companies could do would be to offer more premium services on basic or maybe a basic plus package. I really believe that people shouldn't have to pay extra to watch certain packages and premium stations. Also, I think it would be better to everyone if all reality shows were either taken off the air, or put on a separate channel , just a channel with all reality TV and nothing else. If that were to happen, I wouldn't have to worry about avoiding 5 or 6 different channels to skip each time I'm scrolling through my guide looking for something to watch.

I'm not nearly as behind as this makes me seem

Maybe I’m not the best to ask what is wrong with TV today, seeing as I don’t watch too often, but I’ll give this a shot. No, I don’t condone reality television getting it’s own channel (truTV), but still I can’t really disregard all reality series as garbage. I have more of a problem with sitcoms and the programs that require real honest work from people I once thought I respected. Writers are on strike so coincidentally watching TV sucks right now unless you like reruns more than new shows or progressions of returning shows (I’m speaking in terms of written programs now, not reality shows). The reason we have heroes that receive recognition and respect is because they do more than the average person put in the same scenario. My heroes used to be writers. The people who were unrepresented and underappreciated. The cool kids who didn’t have friends in high school because no one really ‘got’ them.
The thing I most appreciated about writers was that they were artists. Making people laugh is not easy, making people cry is not easy, and keeping people interested is not easy. Great stories are art, no question. What I don’t appreciate is when people step on the way wrong side of the fine line that is walked when creating art that is meant for consumption. The fine line I am speaking of is that line between being a great and giving member of society that wants to share a gift with people for a sense of self-respect plus understandable profit or the other side is being a douche bag about how much you get back for giving to others. There is a selflessness that I always found appealing in artists, that I don’t see in writers anymore.
Yeah they deserve the extra percentage of the profits from the different series’ they made that became really successful, sure, but they don’t deserve the credit they once deserved from the fans of the stories they told us. Here’s where I see TV and, well pretty much most other aspects of entertainment or artistry of mass scale, going to places where everything looks a lot like money, even people. I see much of the WGA as being the type of people who write when they have to or know that they can get plenty of money for it. That’s cool, that is totally cool for people to make profit by being a talented artist and a savvy business person, but it is not cool to be a great artist who sucks with business and yet still feels they should be given something extra even though they suck at handling business. Writers got jipped on DVD residuals a long time ago so now the viewers suffer because they want payback, that is not cool.

Proposition:

You want payback, do it when you aren’t relying on the people who screwed you in the first place to hand you something new. So act like adults, stop holding your breaths like four year olds, and give me back Scrubs and the Office before scabs start writing their own episodes that get you replaced. I want to look up to these people again, the people who make TV worth coming back to even when I have to watch something new instead of what I already know is great all because they have so many ideas that they can’t stop creating stories for the rest of the world to enjoy, for an understandable profit.

TV Today

Today’s TV choice of programming is based on a reality aspect, but all the so called reality shows they run are far from actually reality. Any show on MTV and VH1 like Next or I Love New York are so scripted and manipulated taking away any reality aspect it might have had. Shows like American Idol are seeing a decrease in viewers because the show has lost all respect it started with. Just last week a 40 plus year old man sang a self written song about stalking Paula and there is an age limit to win the American Idol but they let him sing anyway just to show how stupid he is, I guess. Reality shows are a joke. The people on them don’t become stars and the people they “pick” at the end to go out with are usually frauds and they don’t stay together. There’s already a casting call for a new Shot of Love and Flavor of Love shows. When will it end? In all reality people don’t meet their true love on a TV show and just because people vote you to be the next rising star doesn’t mean you will be one. TV has gotten so involved with the whole behind the scenes aspect. We see celebrities with their families and somewhat being a parent rather than just them entertaining, but in all reality who cares? What really saddens me about these shows is that the celebrities they choose to do the shows are barely C list celebrities. You know they are short on cash and are using what celebrity ability they have left to make ends meat. I find myself watching these shows because for some odd reason I get enjoyment from watching celebrities looking like tools and seeing how messed up their lives are makes mine not seem so bad. It’s weird to say that but it’s the truth. Some shows amaze me that they are actually being aired. This show called Parental Control on MTV takes a couple and allows one of them go on dates with other people while the other watches the dates with their lover’s parents. Talk about not being realistic at all. From the dates to the things they say it’s all set up by MTV and so scripted and retarded in my personal opinion. Shows with actors and plot these days are actually pretty entertaining to me. Heroes, Lost, and Scrubs are some shows that are very entertaining and put together well. I’m not saying every show should be like these, I’m just saying reality shows should improve there content by maybe having a celebrity that’s actually popular and have situations occur that happen in everyday life. Like working, no reality show ever shows a person working. Reality is that people work, like all the time. Partying and buying things happens every once in awhile, not everyday. Anyway, TV today sucks because they try to sell shows as being “real,” but in all reality the shows are staged and poorly produced. It’s what we’re stuck with and guess we’ll have to deal with it for now till something new and fresh comes along.

Television today is full of some of the most trashiest shows I have seen in my whole life. Almost any "reality" show is far beyond what reality is for most people. I hate that every time I turn on my television set I find myself engulfed in shows like The Real Housewives of Orange County where one wife said the other day, "I have to have sex with my husband every night otherwise he won't be able to sell cars and do well in his business." That might be one of the most stupid things I have ever heard of. I mean honestly them having sex has nothing to do with him selling cars. Another thing that really bothers me with television is how it is a cult of celebrities. Everyday the news has something along the lines of Britney's latest crazy breakdown or who just got released from rehab. I can critique this all I want but I (and I am sure almost everyone else out there) still loves to watch it. It has nothing to do with our lives and really doesn't effect anything here in Iowa, but somehow we are still consumed with this celebrity obsessed news. And how about the lack of creativity that goes into making a television show. How many times do we have to watch New York and Flava Flav try to find someone to marry. It didn't work out the first three times, why would it now?! I think that the only good television is the twenty four hour news stations, which I love to watch. They usually contain good solid news stories, but some can stray back to the celebrities. Now I am not going to lie, I don't constantly watch news. I have to fit The Hills in there sometime. But that doesn't mean that I don't think that that is trash television, because it is. What can we do to fix this repetitive cycle of shitty television shows? I for one think that it might not be able to be fixed. I don't really see to many people complaining so there is probably no end in sight. I mean if it keeps the ratings rolling in then why try to stop it? Just because some people think that it sucks doesn't mean the other 3/4 of the population doesn't love it. And plus we all need to see someone more dysfunctional then us on television to continue to feel good about ourselves!

Timeshifting...one step closer to time travel.

Currently one of the main problems I have with the process of watching television is the terrible service that is provided by networks while watching a previous episode online. The biggest problem I have with this idea is that while you are able to watch the content that you missed for free it is in piss poor quality that can lag and take away from the original feel of the show. The main problem with this is that viewers to not have the same experience watching a show online that they would in the comfort of their own home. The creators of the show and everyone involved in the process suffer the most in that their original idea has been butchered through the terrible quality of this viewing experience.
Certain shows, such as the ever-popular reality show American Idol, wouldn’t suffer any loss (in my opinion) due to the fact that the picture quality isn’t what makes that show popular. Viewers are not watching this show for the amazing spectacle that is Paula Abdul, but instead the drama behind each episode.

However, with a highly cinematic show such as Lost or Heroes the viewers concentrate on the choices made by the director through the use of lighting, costuming, sound design, or the script in general. When a show of this caliber has been degraded to the quality of streaming media, the viewers experience has lost the initial shock it once had.
For the even bigger question of how to overcome this problem…
Well, networks need to allow viewers to download the original show in its full quality with commercials to help pay for the cost of doing so. The creators could also encode a DRM that would allow the viewer to see the particular piece of programming once all the way through (much like iTunes movie rental service). The users could then watch this piece of video, while on their computer screen, in full quality instead of the blocky and pixilated form that they originally had to resort to.

Isn't Their a Show Like this on VH1? Oh wait, there is!

Alright, so I will be the first to admit that I enjoy SOME reality television. However, I do feel that the quantity of it is outrageous, and I don't see the point of having five shows with people living in a house and not getting along. Okay, I got it. We want to see the major hook-ups and break-ups and all the drama that the world has to offer...seven strangers...picked to live in a house...and end up drinking themselves into a coma before the show ends...sounds like a winner...put it on the air! But instead of putting one show like that on the air, we put seven different shows like that on the air, all with the same basic concept but with one difference. Maybe they are looking for love, maybe they are wanting that music contract with Diddy, cuz we all know that he was so five years ago....or maybe they just want to see hot girls get drunk pass out or hook up with some random that happens to be there roommate.
Alright, back to my point. I enjoy it because honestly, I think its funny. Its entertainment to me to see average people act like asses on national television. What gets me is the reunion shows where they all confess, " I didn't think I was that drunk..." well guess what, you were and now the whole country and maybe even the world knows that you hooked up with a random when your girlfriend was back at home and couldn't wait to see you.
Honestly I think what sucks about it, is the lack of creativity. Take the Real World, I think that was the first actual reality TV show....but I could be wrong, but lets just say it was. Now, I like the Real World, but what I don't like is when someone makes a knockoff and then another knockoff and another knockoff, and pretty soon, the whole world is consumed by reality TV. And I don't think that there is anything you can do to fix it, I think its only going to fix itself because I'm hoping that people will get sick and tired off it and stop watching it and the ratings will go down and some shows won't be on the air anymore, but I don't see that happening any time soon. Its like a domino effect in the opposite direction, and it seriously just ruins television.
All I want is for us to get it under control. One show of people living in a house of chaos, one show of people falling in love, one show of people singing and getting ridiculed, JUST ONE! NOT FIVE!

technological determinism

There is a decent and decently short wikipedia article on Technological Determinism.

I need a date...

So far I've seen a couple of posts about "reality" television. I put reality in quotations because I think it's debatable how much reality is found in these shows. However, I want to take it a step further: Reality Dating Shows. Recently, I've seen advertisements for such shows as Flavor of Love (I think they're up to season 3?) and Rock of Love with Bret Michaels (now on it's 2nd season). What is it that is appealing about these shows? Obviously, these particular shows have taken it a step further than the average reality dating elimination show that is with 'normal' contestants of sorts, and put the star of the show as a washed up celebrity. I don't mean to be inconsiderate of anyone who might enjoy these shows, but what is appealing about watching a bunch of women compete to have sex with a middle aged or older celebrity that has sold out to be on a dating show who will dump you 2 days after the show is over because they have resigned their contract with VH1 or whatever network it might be? That sounds like a bit of a rant, I'm sure. But, what I think we need on television is one, a storyline, and two, something to which we can relate. People do enjoy shows such as The Office because they have at one or more times in there life have had a boss that's made some ridiculous announcement. Or, they've thought about pulling a prank on a coworker. That almost seems more like reality than the shows we do see labeled as reality television. I don't know if there is one set thing we can do to "fix" television, because I think it could be a very complicated process, especially when you think about how popular television shows vary from the past just to today (i.e. Family Ties and Who's the Boss? vs. Scrubs and The Office). But, if there's one thing we could do, it's get rid of these damn dating shows.

Reality bites

I think what sucks most about TV today is Reality TV but also getting the essentials to actually WATCH TV. First of all, I could flip through my extended basic TV package from Mediacom and count AT LEAST 5 shows that are reality TV currently on. Not only are they taking up TV time for better shows, but they are completely annoying. I could care less about a group of high school chicks from Laguna Beach that are having relationship problems. And I could care less if you're trying to find true love from a group of chicks/dudes that only want your money. So what sucks is that our society cares too much about other peoples lives and not their own. Quit trying to make an acting career out of reality TV.

The other thing I think sucks about TV is getting the essentials to watch what you want to watch. I sit here and look at our cable bill and see that we pay $50 for extended basic cable, $13 for extended family, $15 for digital 2-star (Starz, Showtime, TMC) and another $50 for internet per month. Add more for HBO and Cinemax. That's almost $80 for TV. $80 for stuff that I hardly watch and could care less about. Where is the package for the stuff that I only watch? Lets keep going with this. What if I want to watch sports, movies, or the discovery channel in HD? Tack on another $9.99 for HD from your provider and more money for installation and the HD box from your provider. Oh you forgot the HDTV you need to buy that costs $1000+. I bought a '50 HDTV last summer and can't even get an HD box because Mediacom has them on a 3-month+ waiting list. Cool. Until we get our box, the only use I get from HD is from my Xbox 360. Throw in additional money if you want a cable box for each TV.

So how do we change this? Quit watching reality TV so they get terrible ratings and eventually cancelled? I know that people are obsessed with reality TV and honestly don't know how we can change to a new genre yet. As far as the cable TV packages go, there should be an option to choose what channels you want to receive. I think I watch about 5 out of the total 70 we are given. Promotional deals help the cause, but cable providers should throw in more perks like boxes, HD, and installation for free.

Reality TV bites

The problem with television today is a hard subject to narrow down. The biggest annoyance to me would be the popularity of "Reality" TV. Of course I indulge and/or get caught up in some of these shows, but I don't feel there are enough alternatives. The first problem is that these shows are much more easy and inexpensive to produce, thus the overabundance. In most cases the "stars" of those shows are not paid (unless of course it is a "celebreality" show) and the shows are unscripted and no writers need be hired (unless of course we are talking about "The Hills" or pretty much any reality show on MTV).

The second problem is that so many of these shows lack creativity in their concepts. I don't really care about the lives of celebrities and their families (especially if they're a washed up hack like Scott Baio). I also don't care about the lives of "ordinary people" put in "extraordinary" circumstances (like seven strangers picked to live in a house is so extraordinary... and did you ever notice that the Real World house is always located by bars and clubs and have a kitchen stocked with booze, but they always seem to be given jobs with no tolerance rules?).

And then there are reality shows with an arguable purpose which often aim to help their subjects or encourage contestants to fulfill some goal. To me these are the most acceptable of the types of reality TV because they often produce some type of desirable outcome at least (I don't really know what happens to the winners of Project Runway, but I still guiltily love it). But the fact is there are way too many of these shows as well and they often ignore their staying power.

Possible solutions...
1) Create a Survivor-esque reality show in which reality TV stars compete to be the last one standing... and breathing. When they are voted off, audiences can text in their votes to determine the form of execution.
2) Create a charity to raise funds to pay reality stars to not appear on television ever again (yes I am talking about you Tilla Tequilla)
3) Rally for the writers on strike so that we can get back some intelligent/entertaining/compelling SCRIPTED programming. (see Fans4writers or WGA for information on the strike)