In your opinion, is television better or worse...?

Question

than it was 10 years ago? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Yes, television has gotten worse over the last 10 years, but even more than 30 years ago. I grew up with "Leave It To Beaver" and "Father Knows Best", etc. where children RESPECTED their parents. And, if they were naughty, they were sent to their room, grounded, or spanked -- you were allowed to discipline your child back then without worrying that the Police will arrest you!!

Nowadays, everywhere you look -- TV, billboards, school, movies, etc. there
is drugs, violence, sex everywhere and influencing our children in n extremely negative way... Families need to spend more time together at the dinner hour, and discuss both personal and world issues. Also, wouldn't hurt to have God in your life !!

Answer 2

I don't think it's necessarily worse, just different.

Ten years ago, there were no reality shows. Now, reality shows are legion. Most stink. Actually, almost all stink. But, reality shows replaced shows that probably stank in 1997. So, is the prevalence of crummy reality shows a net loss or gain? Chances are it's a move left or right, not up or down.

An argument against reality shows is that they aren't scripted as were the shows it replaced. I'm not sure this is a good argument. There were many shows not scripted dramas aor comedies ten years ago. I think Dateline was on five days a week. You had 60 Minutes on Sunday and Wednesday. Plus some more 48 hours. And 20/20 twice or three times. Plus, PrimeTime Live. They were all basically news/entertainment shows. They cost little to make, just like reality shows, and they filled up time on the schedule, just like reality shows. The difference is when a reality show takes off, it will be more popular than the Datelines that were on nearly everyday (I exaggerate). So, Dancing with the Stars is big and women will talk about it.

So, reality shows mostly stink and I'd probably wish they were gone, but then they'd just be replaced by something else.

In terms of comedies or dramas, it probably was better in 1997, but this owes something to the fact that even just ten years ago, there was less content. Certainly, it wasn't like it was in 1980, when there was just three networks, CBS, NBC, and ABC, cable had next to nothing in channels, and HBO had no original content. Now, even the cable channels have original programming--Monk, Battlestar Galactica, Psych, The Closer, The Sopranos, Rescue Me, etc, which are often better than what you would get on network TV. So, the pie has gotten much bigger--which also accounts for all those reality shows on network TV or even on MTV.

I hope I'm not saying this because I've grown older and just want to be some old man saying "in my day...," but I think the seeds of originality have not grown since the late nineties. All the original stuff since 2000 has been with the emergence of reality TV. The dramas and comedies may push the limits of language and sex, but the actual underlying structure of the shows are not that different.

For example, Seinfeld was a phenomenon in the 90's. It broke with the traditions of earlier shows. If it didn't introduce it, it certainly perfected the dual plotline story. It also helped shape the pop-culture references/satire that is still with us today. It didn't do it alone. The Simpsons also came out at the same time, and it also brought this new attitude with intelligent storylines to the fore.

Without Seinfeld and the Simpsons, there would be no Scrubs (with a character going off into fantastical reveries), there would be no "Family Guy" (which I think is just awful), or "South Park". To those who are just teenagers, you might not realize how much a lot of the shows have an indebtedness to those two shows.

In terms of drama, "NYPD Blue" was a precursor to shows like "The Sopranos." It was on ABC and so had to abide by the censorship rules of the network, but it was a fine drama that broke ground in terms of realism. It wasn't a total break from what came before--more of an incremental one--but the the increments were tremendous.

Something like "Friends," on the other hand, didn't really break any new ground, but was just a good, entertaining show, that people liked. Same goes for "ER," a very popular show that didn't break any real new ground.

But, since 1997, the only thing original has been reality shows like "Survivor." I wouldn't count "American Idol" a reality show since it's basically a talent contest and those have been around forever.

So, is TV worse or better. I would think that if you wanted to TiVo just good quality shows for one day, you probably would be able to do that whereas ten years ago you wouldn't be able to. There's just more to see now than then. So, the availability of better shows is greater now.

But, originality has not grown. What is being done good now was largely being done then.

The one area that was original was the idea of "24," it being successful others copied it, almost all failing. I'd think without "24" we wouldnt' have "Lost" or "Jericho," but I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. "Lost," though I continue to watch it, has lost track of it's original mystery and now just keeps running stories that are either boring or pointless or introduces characters which seem to distract from the few original interesting characters like Locke.

"Jericho" I have not seen.

But, between "Survivor" and "24" there really has been nothing original. Shows like "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy" are just serial dramas/comedies, and we've had that since "Dallas" in the seventies and soap operas from the 50's on up.

Long story short: more quality shows, though less original or groundbreaking then the best of ten years ago, but a much bigger pie.

As for ten years ago in general, TV mostly sucked then too. We only know of the shows we still watch in reruns but we'll forget the hundreds of shows that were just time fillers for the network like anything on after "Friends" or "Seinfeld" or "Everybody Loves Raymond."

No one is going to mourn "The Single Guy," "Suddenly Susan" or "Becker."

Answer 3

To be honest, it's worse. They're doing things on tv that they would not have done 10 years ago. There's more violence, profanity & nudity. None of this is a good example for children at all. Plus, it's a little scary when you think of what the bible says the world will come to...the way tv is going these days, it looks like we're getting close.

Answer 4

I think it is better. Even though there are aspects that shows the negative effects of tv, I think we are definitely better off with the tv now.

1. very effective means of communication. it is able to communicate to bigger masses, with only one final ad which can be repeated over and over again.

2. since it is visually stimulating, more people opt to listen to tv for info, rather than, say, read the newspaper.

3. since it can also go live, it can feature the present happening even in a very far place.

4. content wise, there are many channels that offer programs that are educational, spiritual or children-friendly.

there are many more, though we must bear in mind that too much tv can fry up brain cells... too much of a good thing is bad. *_* :p

Answer 5

There were so many good shows on 10 years ago. I could barely find time for them all.

Now there's nothing on. Its all realitytv or stars doing some competing, or "Idol" type shows. The best thing on TV is the re-runs!

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Worse. There is more violence, profanity and cartoons which are really not suitable for children at all. Thankfully I have a digital cable box which has parental controls on it.

Answer 8

Sex sells, and anything goes. I think they are running out of outrageous things to do....so do you think in another 10 years it will be nothing but jackass/porn/fear factor/reality tv all in one?

Answer 9

Worse! It is sex sells and morals are gone...for the most part, sadly. You don't need cable to see it.
Reality and not many family show out there.

Answer 10

same as it was 40 yrs ago,,,commercials the for bert weinman, ford,,,,,,,,all 10 other kinds of dish soap,aspirin tablets........these days hifi stereo,,,,,,,dolby surround,,,,,,commercials with 23 second spots,,,,,,,,,,15 in a row,,,,,,,,,only 12 minutes of program /18 minutes of commercials,,,,,,,,same crap