So many posts at DU are about television programs--what are we doing?

[janx]

Are the major media trying to use us as echo chambers for television? Of course they are.

Note the growth of "online" polls, completely "unscientific," etc. Also note the devotion of some to watching television and posting simulataneously.

There's a battle going on.

I realize it's late in the evening to post this, and it's past my bed time, but please think about it. Political forums are much better if we are evaluating media, not just reacting to it and becoming tools of it.

[uppityperson]

1. jnax, there's a bunch of us who don't watch tv

The ones that do and enjoy posting about it post about it. I know what you mean, sometimes there does seem like a lot of tv threads going, but most of us don't post in them.

They can have their fun and relaxation their way(not trying to sound condesending, sorry if I do, not meaning to at all). DU is a big house with a wide set of different people.

[usregimechange]

2. And hitting the streets to register Dems, distribute flyers, write!

[ReadTomPaine]

3. I feel it’s a matter of modern cultural literacy as well as entertainment.

Modern culture in this country is in part defined by the entertainment we all share, whether it be classical forms such as music, theater, dance and art or more current media such as television, film, video games etc. To fully understand a culture, you cannot ignore the most popular forms of expression in a society, even if they seem retrograde to your eyes at first.

Shows such as Lost, Deadwood & The Simpson’s are worthwhile fare, and those are just three first run titles that come immediately to mind. I enjoy the classics, but I see no reason to deny that plenty of high quality thought provoking entertainment exists today.

There’s the further aspect of television as a casual learning tool. Documentaries and young children’s programming are especially strong areas these days, and the latter are shown commercial free in many instances.

You won’t get any arguments from me regarding commercials or propagandistic news spin but there’s no need to watch something you don’t enjoy or support, and commercials are easily edited out of a home video library.

[Wilms]

4. kick n/t

[blm]

5. Some of us monitor the media because it's where the right's agenda shows

its ugly face first. We are better able to fight back and inform our side and our activists when we know what they are doing.

If it wasn't for the Cspan thread on Washington Journal last week, I would not have known that they were denying the Downing Minutes article, and I would not have taken the initiative to make that call to Landay to share what I learned.

Our actions here at DU in those two days made a huge difference.

[kentuck]

6. Because TV is where the majority of people get their information.

And it would be unwise to ignore that fact, even if we know it to be a vast right-wing wasteland.

[OnionPatch]

7. Sad, but we need to know

what the TV is telling the millions of Americans who watch faithfully. I say good on the people who keep tabs on what's going on there....I don't have the stomach to watch TV news and talk shows.

As for entertainment, I see nothing wrong with a little TV. There are some great shows on. (HBO especially) I think way too many people spend way too much time in front of it, but, hey, it's a free country, right? (or maybe not anymore)

[AndreaCG]

8. I doubt if more than one thread per page is devoted

to recreational TV viewing so relax!