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US cable TV bleeds subscribers as online grows

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Not necessarily, though our tastes in games may vary or even be opposite that doesn't necessarily mean we have the same or opposing views of television.

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Australia has 80% of all (local & world wide general, popular) shows on Free to Air.

Never paid for TV, never will, especially when SBS News and Top Gear is about the only thing I like to watch LOL

I like some of the Pay-TV channels that are on technology and Doco's etc ..... but I wouldn't pay for them LOL

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Well Vilas, I'm a hero then. I have no job and all I do is sit on my bed and listen to music/read. :p

@(Sorry phone loads too slow for me to go get your name) The Pacific is even better than Band of Brothers in some ways, but its almost not right to compare them. Definitely worth buying though.

@NodUnit - most of them, unfortunately something always interrupts me while I'm watching. Oh, and I hate to say it but I have watched an episode or two of iCarly also. I blame the fact that out of 300 channels it was the only thing worth watching. (Either that or something on E relating to the sexiest men in the world)

I can't explain it, but every so often I believe its acceptable to watch one of those shows. My dad is in his 40s, spent 26 years in the United States Army, has seen more shit then I care to think about, but to my surprise I found him watching Spongebob one afternoon.

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Huh..well...I could just be too judgemental (most likely)...or I'm just biased against nickolodeon, I remember watching it when I was a kid when it had tons of cartoons (looking back on them now they were pretty screwed up) so seeing it become much like the Disney channel IE lots of teenagers with what is "In" right now gives me a sour taste.

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Screwed up? Yeah I guess that's the right word. :D Can you believe there are people who call Tom and Jerry violent? :p

I actually won't be sitting on my arse much longer. I move to Tennessee on the 7th, to a house with 5 acres. Shortly after that I will be bringing my 2 horses from Texas to Tennessee, so plenty of my mornings will be spent shovelling horse manure into a wheelbarrow and dumping it into a pile/truck. But the horseback riding is worth it, and I've shovelled crap in conditions worse than I will find there. :p

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@(Sorry phone loads too slow for me to go get your name)

Buy a other phone :p

The Pacific is even better than Band of Brothers in some ways, but its almost not right to compare them. Definitely worth buying though.

well i was watching some episodes again from BoB ;) its still keeps me hooked on the tube when i see them, even when i know the storry. if i get at least the same effect on the pasific i will deffenetly buy it :yay:

Can you believe there are people who call Tom and Jerry violent?

Ohw yeah and those people are saying chame on them that they let them kids watching that crap LoL :rolleyes:

regards

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Screwed up? Yeah I guess that's the right word. :D Can you believe there are people who call Tom and Jerry violent? :p

they should see: Ren & Stimply, Rocco's modern life, Thundercats, Captain planet...the OLD sonic cartoons, the saturday stuff not this sonic X junk (robotnik saying its okay to threaten but not harm..HA) And more, between somewhere these had twisted humor, blood, violence and suggestive overtones.

Edited by NodUnit

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Darkohorse

of course for us in East Europe Tom and Jerry is very violent

thats why we say about violence in US cartoons, if you would see our cartoons from 70s/80s, you would see they promote friendship and peace not competition

we had cartoons comparable to Winnie Pooh

and i hate to see scenery when only one chase/hunts/try to kill another

those are US cartoons in general

believe me, but for us, which grown on completly other type of cartoons - those are violent

now in capitalism "cooperation and friendship" was replaced by "competition, rats race" and i cannot stand it :/

people instead of be cool and easy, are violent, agressive, only push further instead of to have some lazy sit like it was in "communism"

so yes, Tom and Jerry always was something that i turned off, cause i didnt want to see those hunt for each other, for it was not funny

while Muminki, Winnie Pooh, Mis Uszatek (YT search http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbHIVaLZJnE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwcNLMVIAPo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkXUEk8TxVs ) was super :) those were peace-loving cartoons which we were shown by TV in "communism", in our cartoons you haven't got any hunt, shooting, violence

which are normal in US cartoons where animals/human shoot to each other, put TNT and try tu hurt/kill another one

US culture looks like killing culture (Rambo, Papay etc. ) it looks like for Americans - shooting to other is something normal, not violent and evil act

look at Disneys Mikey Mouse when they use guns, Papay and face smashing, boxing each other etc.

looks like so called "behind steel curtain" we were taught for peace much more than US

it is because capitalism is buit on competition and rats race and hunting each other, while socialism had other ideas (and thats why it was hated by rich, cause they would have less money here) so it is visible in type of broadcast, cartoons, movies, television

believe me but for us movie with blood was violent one, cause many movies were simply psychological-family-life or comedies etc.

but mostly US (not west, not French, not English) movies always had blood, killing etc.

now my TV turned from educational to "show me more dead bodies, more disco/soap operas about not-existing love ala Harlequins, some boobs and once again blood and 15 minutes of commercials every 20 minuts of broadcast" , which i don't like

but it influences real life :( TV has big role, but mostly it spoils society for politicians and the rich needs

Edited by vilas

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Violence was/is not the only thing on television, I recall growing up with a few things, sadly m most of which I do not remember the name but what was going on..

There was translated winnie the poo, Mr Rogers neighborhood, a show with a man teaching us how to pain in a rather laid back, woodland environment..he'd show how to paint lakes, bushes, tree's, clouds and all things to do with natures landscapes, we also had educating such as School House Rock which to this day I would not remember the preamble had it not been for that, such a terrific and proven learning tool yet mostly forgotten today, a shame too..just a few re-runs of those tapes would set you to remember far more than you could learn within a year of a few classes.

There were many other children based or even family based TV shows and series based around helping friends and understanding, all of which seem to have vanished..in fact even educating cartoons seem to be on the brink of exctinction from north american telvision. Up to the age of 13 I watched cartoon network every Saturday, every morning they had a few hours segment of various cartoons but one in particular taught of science and the ways things work.

Edited by NodUnit

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Here in the states it's standard to get stuck with a 2 years or more contract with the introductory rates lasting only 1 year...if that.

And once you become a full customer they really s--t on you. You'll see ads everyday with cheaper prices than you're paying, except since you are a long time customer you are not eligible for the discounts.....unless you call a special dept telling them your going to cancel. Only then do they "TRY" to please you.

For me it's documentaries, science ,toons, news and thats it. I have direct tv, although I wouldn't mind trying the free air sat dishes, or the large world reception dishes out there like in the old days.

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I think that particular cartoon your thinking of Nod, might be The Magic Schoolbus, or a similar name.

@Vilas - Yes the US has some violent cartoons, but Tom & Jerry isn't that violent. In the end they eventually ended up friends etc. :D There isn't any REAL violence, like in the simpsons parody "the itchy and scratchy show" where they kill each other, blow each other up, behead the cat etc., its things like pulling whiskers, and the classic sticking the tail in something hot, or the flattened/accordian cat.

Edited by Darkhorse 1-6

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please also look at links i gave in my post , like this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwcNLMVIAPo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbHIVaLZJnE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwcNLMVIAPo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkXUEk8TxVs

there is realy difference that might be hard to spot if you have grown not seein other cartoons (cause you used to something, like people who only eat hot food won't taste delicate not peper/salt/chili prepared food , and say it has no taste , or oposite, like when i am in Asian restaurant i dont taste anything except peper and chili)

the same goes to cartoons, watch them by curiosity , no need to understand language

there is no single shot, hunting, kick in single of them

you could be surprised that T&J is violent, but for us it can be

it is like with music - i am metalhead and i can say that Iron Maiden or Helloween is light music to fall asleep, someone who listen to Barbara Straisand or Cohen will say that i am crazy :]

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Iron Maiden is light music to fall asleep to? My god man you aren't even human! :p

I understand what ya mean though. Everything is relative.

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I think that particular cartoon your thinking of Nod, might be The Magic Schoolbus, or a similar name.

Well there was that but what I'm thinking of is by the same people who made Home Movies on adult swim, I just can't think of the name argh! and now I have the interjection song from school house rock stuck in my head...oh joy...now the "I'm just a bill" has joined in. Seriously, why can't they use SHR in todays education..the last time I listened to "I'm just a bill" was at least 8 years ago and I still remember the lyrics word for word.

EDIT: Oh hello conjunction junction..what's your function..

Edited by NodUnit

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Wow, I'd never thought I'd see so many people express their (perceived) cultural superiority on a PC game forum.

I don't understand the constant need that people who don't watch "low quality TV" have to call the people that do watch "low quality TV" dumb, lazy or whatever other derogatory term they can think up.

Humans have always and will always look for simple, easily digestible entertainment, some more so than others. In the good old days people read crappy novels (some of these "crappy novels" were written by authors who we today hold in very high regard, like Monsieur Balzac) or watched some contortionist or circus act to escape from the dreary every day life. Today people watch Let's Dance, Biggest Loser, Big Brother or Survivor... Some even waste their precious time critiquing other peoples entertainment habits on the Internet!

I don't watch very large amounts of TV, I usually pick out what's good and watch it on the internet services many channels provide today. But every now and then I get home from a boring lecture and watch whatever tripe that is on, sometimes I do not enjoy it, at times I do.

My point here is that people entertain themselves in many different ways, not everyone wants to sit down and watch a documentary about some obscure scientific discovery or read Jean Paul Sartres autobiography after a hard day of work. They want something to take their mind off of things.

The fact that you read Crime and punishment or La Comédie humaine instead of watching Survivor on fridays does not in any way make you superior or more cultured than any "TV viewing slob" out there. In fact, when I read people professing the fact that they absolutely don't watch TV and think it is below them to do so, my spontaneous reaction is that they are perusing whatever other "higher" cultural utterance for all the wrong reasons.

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i listened to lecture of one profesor "demeaning of high education degree", and he said: "political corecntess, what is this a bullshit ? west says : don't be judgmental

bu to what it leads ?

it leads to situation when someone will say that f** cow or cat in hole is okay , it will lead to situation when stupid will not be developing himself and they will say don't critic him

critic and being judgmental is very important cause show what is value and what is not,

there must be difference between high educated man and not educated, we cannot put all on one line, cause then your high education is demeaned and vanished by someone who only drink beer"

so when you say - don't critic people who not like intelligent broadcast - of course i will be criticizing people who stay at stage of primary school, Let's Dance

until they have right to vote and choose my future , if you will take away voting right to people with IQ lower than 100, okay, no problem

dumbs and ignorants won't influence my future life :]

those dumbs make dumb decisions voting for liars - they choose my future, until they are dumb, they will be voting on and on and on for "tall handsome" not for "one who care about our economy"

you say that we do it on game forum ?

BIS games always required more brain than straight-line shooters, thats why straight-line shooters fans say that Arma is shit , and okay

let they say it, they are too dumb to use menu system, let they rot :)

there must be difference between mob and high-ambitions-intellectual people, must be

otherwise it will depreciate all intellectual effort and put us to stone age, eat, shit, sleep , f** and die

what than will be difference between human and animal if we depreciate all intellect by saying that we can't criticize dumb mainstream ? cultural IQ 90 ?

people should fight for intellectual development through media, not intellectual putting down by media to level of redneck sleep, drink, eat, shit, die

TV should open people mind to think, show facts, show some science, show some literature that cause people's brain to think about world around him

that what media was doing in past - at least in so called socialistic-countries , showing math, physics , scientific broadcast, showing classic of art, theater , classic literature from Antigona, through Balzac or Shakespeare to XIXc. 500 pages novels

brain was awaken - now it falls asleep

i understand that sleeping brain is always good for elites - than human role is only being consumer of cheap shit

but ... do you like to be only consumer of cheap shit, fast food and Let's Dance ?

or more Discovery than Let's Dance, more "12 Angry man" or than Steven Seagal ?

it depends if individual aim to be elite or aims to only reduce to be usual consumer imprisoned by new shampoo and dancing actress all hours after work

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So Discovery is a qualitative channel? Bullshit, it airs much of the same tripe as all the other channels albeit with a scientific pretence. And the role of the media is not to educate people or to make them think (unless we are talking about public service) it is to entertain them, and it's been that way more or less since the dawn of commercial entertainment media. The fact that some people are entertained by documentaries is seen in the fact that there are several pay channels that air nothing but documentaries, but again, the majority of people do not want documentaries... They want Let's Dance and Survivor. This fact does not make the people who want to watch Survior stupid in in any way.

I don't agree with your blanket statement that most people are idiots. Nor do I think that television programming makes people stupid, nor do I agree that reading a classic novel in any way makes you better than anyone else, anyone (who is not analphabetic) can read The Iliad or Dantes' Divine Comedy, it's just that not everyone wants to. And calling people idiots or cretins for watching Let's Dance is hardly the way to lead more people to pursue the finer forms of culture. In fact, it just rather makes people think that everyone who reads, watches art films or enjoys a few paintings now and then is a complete twat. Which to be quite frank, seems to be more correct than the statement that people who watch TV are idiots.

If anything, it is the concept of "cultural elitism" that has made serious literature, art and what have you less popular and less of a matter for the people.

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I don't agree with your blanket statement that most people are idiots.

they may become idiots thanx to TV

how about this :

IQ Description % of Population

130+ Very superior 2.2%

120-129 Superior 6.7%

110-119 High average 16.1%

90-109 Average 50%

80-89 Low average 16.1%

70-79 Borderline 6.7%

Below 70 Extremely low 2.2%

it is not about to be in middle on high, it is about aiming some direction, aiming high or aiming middle (love series, only rambo without anything more, only let's dance, only...)

if someone knew those "books" and than says he has enough it is other situation than place where some just never touch it even once or TV won't allow them to touch

they could touch if they had it in hand... but hand from TV gives them shit instead of development

i want science broadcast , i want ambitious movies - they are not present

i have to go after work to cinema, i have to pay for ticket, i have to go to library, theater

why i cannot see it in home 8 PM on my bed eating dinner ???

why ?

before 1990s i could ! now i can't cause it is not present unless i will go to cinema building or theater building , why i cannot see it in my home like in past

Edited by vilas

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Haven't had a TV for the last 7-8 years or so. When the final one I had broke down (like all the others), I got sick of having to spend a fortune on something I really never used much (was limited to pretty much watch the news before I went to work). So I wanted to see how long I could live without one. And I haven't looked back since.

Now I download whatever I need to, stripped off the commercials which I hate to the near explosion point, and I can see them when I have the time rather than base my schedule around the shows, and I get to choose my shows, rather than the stupid american sitcoms I'm just too fed up with. The downside is, my shows always gets cancelled mid season, while the crappy drama and sitcoms prevails.

AND I get to watch the shows in their original language rather than some forced dubbing you can't turn off. I love the Discovery channel, but not having to pay for it AND getting a lot of other stuff I don't need in the process (bundled) AND getting endless commercials AND having some stupid norwegian translation ruining everything AND having it dictate my schedule.

TV? No thanks. Never again if I can help it.

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