Is it just me, or has Television been dumbed down?

Earlier i used to watch lots of TV.We had very few channels at that time but there used to be good programmes which we used to enjoy.But now so many channels have same types of programmes.I got bored of tv.hardly i watch tv for half an hour.It is mostly watched by my parents now.

I enjoy a lot of the "game show" style television that seems to be becoming popular. Here in the States we have "Deal or No Deal", which is basically a game of odds to win big money and one of my favorites "Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?". Which by the way, I evidently am NOT! LOL Are you smarter challenges an adult against a group of 5th grade students with questions that the students generally get right but we adults are clueless on because, well we're not in school anymore! LOL It's fun. I honestly don't watch much "regular" tv, such as programs other then the CSI type programs, sports and some game shows. I will catch some news type programs once in a while, 60 Minutes or Dateline but those are really getting so predictable with what they cover that it's not exactly earth shattering news anymore. So I can't judge what normal tv is like since I don't watch a lot of shows that are fictional, other then the CSI types.

Yes, of course it has! Although maybe it was always dumb! I think a book, knitting or embroidery is much more interesting and rewarding! I basically stopped watching television when we moved to Austria nearly 14 years ago, as I could not speak much German. Now I and watch the news, but movies, for example, I dont enjoy much, unless it is a DVD, which I can watch in English or Spanish. Late at night what we watch is mostly Eurosport (English) and end up seeing things like Snooker, tennis, car rally racing or Sumo wrestling!

Heh, just remembered my first feeling when i put at home cable t.v.Just the basic package of 40 programmes. And they made me mad! I am not a serious teleman too. Actually here i watch only few of them - 2 film channels, 2 sportive one and some mixed.

I really don't watch much TV myself anymore..usually in front of the computer..and since I don't have cable anymore, and now with my dinky little antennae, I only get a few channels anyway...so TV I find very boring...but yes, the quality of shows that are available are geared for I think the "average" person...I even lost interest in Greys Anatomy, which I used to watch..then you have the reality shows that are stupid--I have to laugh you have cable and 500 channels?? And you still find TV boring--my goodness!

Hi, Eskarena,it's so good that you have so many channels!Watching TV too long is totally dull. I agree with you. I live in China,our cable is not expensive at all.But channels are not so much as you have. We have only 60 channels available which are all in Chinese. It's enough to choose if you just want to kill time. Normally, I don't watch TV too much, but I like to download the TV show from internet, such as "Apprentice", "next top model" and many comic TV shows frrom U.S and all the world. Usually I download the whole season at once, so I don't have to wait for another episode next week. But maybe I spent too much time on the internet, that's a problem.

Yes I have that is why I rarely watch it now I find a lot of repeats are on or there is nothing on at all so my TV is on in the Background lol very rare I look at it though I think Gissi watches it more then me lol

it could be that with summer coming up, and people are out with their barecues etc. that they just put on all the "dumbed-down" stuff. It all seems to be quiz shows and talent-finding stuff that you're right, it very brain-numbing. We have cable with NTL (or Virgin now) and loads of channels to flip through with just... nothing. Saying that though, I must say I like to "crash out" in front of it for a while just to let go of "the profound" that I'm constantly focusing on. Even then, I find myself watching programs like Colin Fry or some drama that is based on some psychic ability. If I have done some intensive meditating or been to some workshop though, I notice a shift in consciousness and the TV sort of "prattles" away saying and signifying nothing at all. I think perhaps this is what you mean?