watching tv
By mlh8087
@mlh8087 (368)
United States
August 3, 2008 1:00pm CST
I have a question. When did watching TV stop being free? The federal government has more or less said we are all going to digital. That means everyone will need to get a digital receiver, which costs money, or go to a service provider that can provide them a receiver? So, how much longer are we as an American public going to let our politicians dictate what we have to pay for? What else are we going to let big brother take away from us?
From what I understand, government is allowed to take away our laptops and such when we come in from another country. They can hold our communication devices for as long as they like without probable cause. All in the name of homeland security. Does this not sound a lot like what we've fought against in all our wars?
What's going on and why are we allowing it to happen? Someone please explain.
4 people like this
9 responses
@Angra_Mainyu (377)
• United States
3 Aug 08
Don't get me wrong but you are confused.
You had to purchase a television so it is not free. What is the difference between buying a television and purchasing technology that allows you to watch television? It is the same.
If you purchase a new television you will not have to get a box. So therefore it is still free. You just have to upgrade.
1 person likes this
@mlh8087 (368)
• United States
3 Aug 08
My response to you is this; horse hockey! Remember in the day all you needed was to get a working television plug in the bunny ears or the antenna and oops-there it is-you got a television signal. There was no paying a monthly bill for it. You bought the equipment and it was free. So no you are the one confused. Next time don't presume to know more than what I have written. My parents did not have to pay a monthly bill to get television. Buying a high definition digital television doesn't save you from the monthly bills. Look at the big picture, how many people are making money now because of television and who is paying for it. We are!
@Angra_Mainyu (377)
• United States
3 Aug 08
I agree with you. But there is an initial investment of the equipment that allows you to view the transmission. Correct?
I do not believe in paying the fees to receive television. If a company pays 5 million to air a commercial then WHERE is our cut for having to deal with having to deal with them.
Next it is the station that provides the free to air signal. You should still be able to get them when they become digital. They are still free. You have to invest in the technology.
When it comes down to it the government is to blame. Digital isn't necessarily better like the commercial says. They changed it because signals are cluttering the analog air waves. That is the only reason.
But when it comes down to it... you can still buy a television today and receive free television.
1 person likes this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
4 Aug 08
There are actually digital antennas available; this allows you to get around the entire cable tv or satellite monthly bill issue.
Also, there are coupons available to assist in the purchase of converter boxes; therefore, purchasing a new television is not required.
I'm still fairly young, but I do remember the days when the antenna still reigned supreme-- at least, out where I grew up.
As to the rest of it, our liberties have been steadily eroded over the past several years. This has happened because we have allowed it to.
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
4 Aug 08
I think buying a tv costs money, plugging it in to the electric outlet costs money too. The choice is yours. There are those who would rather give up other things than giving up TV. I don't watch tv at all. I have no tv set. Cheers!!
1 person likes this
@o2bnocn (2992)
• United States
3 Aug 08
My cousin got a digital receiver and she said she only gets like five channels. They are the local channels that she gets. She did have cable from comcast but she is low on money so she had to cancel it. So now she doesn't have many channels to choose from when she wants to watch television. She has been renting movies from the library. She borrowed some of my dvd's and I was suppose to get them from her yesterday but we both forgot about it. I will just get them from her later on. It seems like everything is about money.
@mlh8087 (368)
• United States
3 Aug 08
You are very correct my friend. It is all about the money. You have the movie and tv stars getting their cut. Then you have the communication companies getting their cut. Then, what? well where the heck is our cut? We watch their shows. We purchase their products when we see their commercials. When do we get a cut of all this money floating around out there because of the entertainment industry. They have us so brainwashed that we believe we have to watch television. We have to have a radio. We have to have a computer with internet. We have to have a telephone. Look at all the people who are getting money from the money that we spend because we are being convinced we have to have them. Where is our cut of that money?
@paisleylass (440)
• United States
3 Aug 08
I really dont think the USA is a free country anymore. We have so many rules and so many taxes. Dont get me wring I love the USA but we are not any bettter than a lot of countries anymore as far as our rights. Our politicians sit and make all these rules on how to control us, tax us, spend our money while they ge big fat paychecks and dont have to pay for anything. It seems it is time for another Boston Tea Party. Maybe someone else has a better idea. I am willing to listen.
@mlh8087 (368)
• United States
3 Aug 08
I absolutely agree with you. I've suggested to a few people maybe the American Public need to all get together, turn off our TV's, our cell phones, our computers and leave them off for a week. See how that hits their pocketbooks. I'm not saying anyone should not go to work or anything. But maybe even if we all turned off our tv's for a 24 hour period. I don't know. Maybe there are other ideas out there. I do not condone violence but there's got to be some way to get the powers that be's attention.
1 person likes this
@justhunter (11)
• United States
4 Aug 08
Look governments were set up to protect its people and to promote the advancement of their people. I do not care if I have to give money so that I and my fellow people can live and grow in a safe enviroment. The main reason why America is forcing the switch to digital is so that the frequencies that analog is on will be freed up for other tech. One of thoses tech. is the cellphone. With the new singles that cell is getting will allow for better quallity and stronger singles.
Now the only reason people have to buy digital recivers to get the publicly broadcasted channels is because it is the cheapist option. They could have gone with TVs that had both analog and digital but that would have cost more and would have taken awhile to fase out analog. To me this is a very smart idea.
1 person likes this
@mlh8087 (368)
• United States
4 Aug 08
Justhunter
You are saying that every person that has an analog tv should go out and buy they expensive high def digital tv's that are selling for more money than I make in one paycheck. But you know that's what the communication's industry wants us to do. Get rid of the old and spend more on the new just so we can keep up with what everyone else has. It's just a way to get more money out of us poor old folks working from paycheck to paycheck.
1 person likes this
@wallie (405)
• Sweden
3 Aug 08
C'mon mlh8087 don't be sad if you lived in my country you would have to pay a fee
just for having a TV and all the government owned channels are horse manure here.
And WOW we actually got something before America we've had digital for some time now and we were forced also, YAY!
1 person likes this
@DarkDancer (1011)
• Dayton, Ohio
3 Aug 08
TV has never been free, you have just had the illusion of freedom. You've always had to buy the tv, the rabbit ears (if you used the external type that are not integrated with the tv) or the roof antenna.
Of course now it is going full digital. So, if you don't want to get cable or satellite, or but a new tv, you have to get a new set of digital "rabbit ears". You pay for them once (and the government (admittedly read tax payers) will even help you do that) and use them until something else comes a long. I'm not sure where you got the idea about the monthly fee.
@tlb0822 (1410)
• United States
4 Aug 08
The government loves to have control over everything we do. It's all about money any more. Everything is about money. The whole t.v. thing is just another way for the government to get more money from us. So now those who don't get the reciever will be passed by, and do you really think the government cares, NO. If you think about, what exactly is the need for this digital transferring? I surely don't understand it. It is surely benefiting the cable companies, and satelitte companies though. Because now their prices are going to sky rocket right after this switch over happens.
@blackmantra_x (2732)
• Philippines
4 Aug 08
Good day...Two words false sense of security and added revenue. Doesn't really if it's justified or not.
