Question of the day
Thursday, Sep 16, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The setup…
It used to be that running a broadcast TV series was the top of the mountain for those in the small-screen business. These days, you’re more likely to hear about an old broadcast series like “Friends” or “Seinfeld” moving to a streaming platform in search of a second life.
The streaming era has stolen the spotlight from the once-vaunted industry, which is long past the halcyon days of “Must-See TV.” As showrunner Saladin Patterson puts it: “Right now, my kids could not tell you where ABC is on the TV.”
* The Question: How often do you watch traditional broadcast network television, and for what?
- Chuck - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:15 pm:
Football. Nothing else.
- ;) - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:15 pm:
Almost never.
- TJ - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:17 pm:
Basically never. There isn’t a single network show that I follow unless you count stuff like Sunday Night Football.
It’s probably been close to five years since I watched any network show regularly, and well over a decade since I watched multiple network shows concurrently. Nowadays, it’s just YouTube, cable, and/or streaming shows for me.
- GatewayGopher - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:17 pm:
I watch some of the shows on the main 4 (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) but via the apps and rarely same day. It’s all through AppleTV streaming. Sports is only thing I tap into “live”. Even took down the tall antenna tower strapped to my house.
- Dysfunction Junction - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:17 pm:
Once a week. The Simpsons. Springfield’s finest.
- DHS Drone - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:17 pm:
Evening News. That’s about it. Anything else we use netflix, prime, hbo-max, ect…
- Bruce( no not him) - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:18 pm:
Tell me you’re old without telling me you’re old.
I watch Nightly News on NBC
- SKI - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:20 pm:
NFL Games if I happen to be home (rarely) when the Packers are on. Haven’t watched “prime time” programming in 5 years or so.
- JLW - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:20 pm:
60 minutes…should be essential for citizenship these days
- OldSmoky2 - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:22 pm:
I watch it for news at 5 and 5:30, and news and weather in the morning. Otherwise, I mostly watch PBS. I stream Britbox online.
- Nathan - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:22 pm:
Cancelled my cable line years ago and have a little antenna attached to my TV just in case (but we never use it). Given that, any Network shows I watch would be through Hulu, Peacock, or Paramount+ next day. We never watch anything “live” now.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:23 pm:
That’s all that is available unless you have satellite out here or want to use up all your high speed data for a movie or two off of Tubi or Pluto. Lots of new digital “networks” like MeTV or GetTV, so there’s more than the main 4 anymore. It’s interesting, and nostalgic, to watch some of Norman Lear’s shows in today’s context. But for quality TV, PBS is still the standard for me.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:24 pm:
Football is about it for over-the-air traditional broadcast network television. Stream the rest. Do rely on local news websites, but I haven’t actually watched local news in 5 plus years.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:25 pm:
Jeopardy in spurts, daily and all of a sudden something interrupts and I fall out of the habit. After a month I start up again.
- Blue Dog - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:25 pm:
St.louis news at 4 a.m. followed by cape news at 5 a.m. about 3 days a week.
- Captain Obvious - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:25 pm:
Young Sheldon. When I remember. So not often.
- Leslie K - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
Nightly News (either NBC or ABC) when I am home in time, frequently Chicago Tonight (PBS), The Neighborhood (CBS, Cedric the Entertainer), The Goldbergs (ABC?), usually 60 Minutes. All at the time they actually air. But I do have Netflix and watch a couple shows there on occasion.
So, apparently I am old and watch too much TV…
- Galway Bay - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
Sports. That’s it
- JS Mill - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:29 pm:
Seldom. I watch some sports and try to catch the local weather.
A few years back the three network shows that I watched regularly were all cancelled. That pretty much killed it for me.
- Leslie K - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:30 pm:
Oh, and Young Sheldon, pretty much as Captain O does–when I remember.
- a drop in - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:30 pm:
Sports, local news and PBS. Only.
- John Lopez - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
ABC News at 5:30PM.
Three Stooges Saturdays on ME-TV.
Maybe a rerun of The Untouchables on Sunday afternoons on H&I if I have nothing better to do.
- annonin - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
Election night results at bars
- Scott - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
Same as the first comment (Chuck’s)…football…that’s it. February to August I pretty much don’t watch live TV at all.
- The 11th Hour - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:32 pm:
SNL and The Simpsons. That’s it. And not every episode. Both are ancient shows now but if they were new today, they would not premiere on a legacy TV network.
- JoanP - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:32 pm:
The occasional Masterpiece Theatre program.
Fact is, I don’t watch much TV at all, streaming or otherwise.
I get my news either online or reading the actual newspaper at breakfast, the way I was raised.
- Majority of Me - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:34 pm:
Never. I received the Nielsen Survey a few years ago and there was not a spot to indicate watching streaming services since it was still focused on broadcast and cable shows.
- Fav Human - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:35 pm:
I don’t now. My current TV is pretty much all streaming, and it is not more than 10 hr/week.
And often not more than 5.
- Downstate - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:35 pm:
College Football, only.
- JDuc - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:37 pm:
Only for NFL football. Aside from that, never. Haven’t for years.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:39 pm:
Weirdly, I watched 60 minutes a couple of weeks ago, but that was the first traditional network non-sports programming I’ve watched in years I think.
Anyway, sports only. Haven’t watched a network show since the Office went off the air.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:44 pm:
Not really, usually watching HBO Max “Dad’s Home State”
To the question,
Sports, local news,
- Oxfordian - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:45 pm:
Cut the cord years ago. Antenna for network access, but don’t watch any live shows other than sports. Everything else is through a streaming service. Haven’t watched a show when it aired since the last season of Game of Thrones (and that was through the HBO app).
- Bigtwich - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:47 pm:
PBS a few times a week. Some news. Some new shows. And, occasionally TJ Lubinsky. Doo Wop, Doo Wop.
- MisterJayEm - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:48 pm:
Literally never.
The pandemic broke my television habit (and ramped up my addiction to the hateful glass and silicone monster in my hand)
– MrJM
- West Sider - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 3:49 pm:
I still have an excellent antenna on the roof. PBS- all the time- it’s still the best value around. SNL- in season. I used to watch WGN for the Cubs- but that’s telling my age. Now the Cubs a horrible- and that goes double for broadcast TV. I’ve been streaming almost exclusively for seven or eight years.
- Groucho - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:04 pm:
I watch a lot of PBS. Occasionally the 9 or 10 o’clock news on WGN or ABC.
- AnonymousFool - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:05 pm:
Cut the cord and upgraded my internet to handle streaming on multiple devices.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:06 pm:
Very rarely. I live in the middle of nowhere downstate and have an antenna (no cable); mostly, I stream.
I do watch SNL religiously, live. Also, election night coverage (although, on-line is as good or better). I used to watch a lot of PBS live, but as am a member of my local PBS station, I can stream all of their PBS shows (and even shows they don’t carry) via PBS All Access (strongly recommend doing this). On-demand streaming is much better for me than stopping everything to watch a show at 8:00…
I did watch the Blackhawks (when WGN had a couple games a month, my local station played it live). If the Sox make the playoff, I might watch a few games.
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:06 pm:
I watch more PBS than anything else on regular tv. Usually record stuff and watch later
I used to watch football but now I just read results. Everything is a commercial. They cannot even do a play with out a sponsor. Gets so tiring. Of course between Illini and Bears not exactly must see t v anyway
- Amalia - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:09 pm:
wow. we watch lots. Colbert sometimes live most often On Demand, SNL, the Chicago shows actually if it is filmed in Chicago I watch. if sports are on network, we watch. no way we can do without cable because of sports.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:10 pm:
Sports mainly. Also Big Brother and Survivor on CBS. Rarely local news, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune. I think the last scripted network show I watched semi-regularly was when Roseanne first came back.
- Huh? - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:10 pm:
Haven’t had broadcast anything for more than 20 years. Only time watch tradional broadcast tv is the very rare occasion and in a hotel room when there is nothing else to watch.
- Matt - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:12 pm:
Sports and local news. I get my TV via antenna too. Can’t justify paying for cable with how little I watch.
- BTO2 - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:20 pm:
ABC nightly news/Some GMA and Champaign Channel 3 news so we know what’s going on in Springfield. On demand some of the night game shows.
- rabble - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:27 pm:
Local news and car racing if it happens to appear on those channels. Otherwise there is nothing worth watching.
- Mason born - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:29 pm:
NFL and Cards games that’s it
- Guzzlepot - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:34 pm:
When I want to watch the local news in the morning I stream it in Hulu or I use the Haystack app on my FireTV. I cut the cord a couple of years ago and don’t miss cable or old-fashioned tv.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:43 pm:
Not at all. I barely watch live TV at all, but it’s usually breaking news on cable or some sports. I have DirectTV Streaming and whatever they are calling it this month, but there is very little on the broadcast channels I ever care about. Mostly though the streaming services.
- Hack in the Back - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:52 pm:
Rarely — and never for the news, local or national.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:53 pm:
WGN mornings, Rachel Ray…love cooking shows, as my belly can attest. But I’m on the ‘puter the rest of the day when I’m not doing chores and some workout…and I use the term loosely.
- Simple Simon - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 4:58 pm:
News, PBS, sports. I only have peasant-vision (no cable or any streaming), so it keeps my hours in front of the tv to a minimum.
- Inverted Pyramid - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 5:20 pm:
Like many…
Live sports, but even that is beginning to change (many additional sports/teams available on streaming services which will only continue to proliferate). Streaming definitely offers opportunities for overlooked sports as well as college teams outside the big conferences (ISU, SIU, EIU games can all be found easily on streaming).
News, local and national.
But being used to decades of clicking through broadcast/cable makes navigating streaming content sometimes confusing and daunting
- Chito - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 5:23 pm:
WGN morning news, NFL, international soccer, and Sunday morning political talk shows.
- Siualum - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 5:30 pm:
Not often, and then only for sports or Jeapordy.
- Benjamin - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 5:34 pm:
Football, and recently, the Olympics. I subscribe to Hulu Plus with live TV–essentially a basic cable package via the internet–for the duration of baseball season so I can watch the White Sox.
I think the last series on broadcast that I would watch as it was aired was The Good Place.
- OneMan - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 6:12 pm:
Football, Emergency re-runs, Penn & Teller and Gordon Ramsey
- HCMcB - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 6:29 pm:
Local and national news shows and live sports. Some PBS programs. Otherwise, never.
- Anon E Moose - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 6:35 pm:
Never.
- Lurker - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 6:38 pm:
I’m old but now only know a few stations but PBS and ESPN are 90% of my viewing
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 7:02 pm:
Growing up we only had 5-6 channels, so I have a sentimental attachment to Chicago’s broadcast stations. I don’t watch a lot of TV or Netflix, et al, although my wife has subscriptions for everything. Television is getting too complicated for me as I turn into my old man.
Of the “free” stations, I’ll watch PBS mostly, but some local news, such that it is. Also, like others, football, golf, the odd hockey game.
Sometimes I like to relive my childhood and watch with the rabbit ears, off the grid. The digital format offers a lot more channels than back in the day, Channel 26 runs classic reruns on like 5 different sub channels. Original Star Trek every night at 7:00. What more do you need?
- RNUG - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 7:15 pm:
myself - local news
Mrs - assorted network programs and Red Sox baseball. When she misses a program she really wants to see, I pull it up on the TV for her. She doesn’t do electronics well; even got rid of her smart phone for a flip phone.
- Crash - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 7:30 pm:
Zero. We gave up most TV about a year ago when I could not justify $80 a month for the Bears, Arsenal and an occasional auto race.
I miss the Bears, Arsenal has been terrible so I am better off and the Formula One channel (website with the races live) is far better than anything I could get on cable.
I can’t imagine tuning in to a regular network TV show. It just does not happen.
- SloppyJoe - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 8:03 pm:
Stopped watching 10 years ago.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 8:08 pm:
NBC and ABC Nightly News, depending on the topic/series, Nova, Nature, Masterpiece Mystery, Sports, Young Sheldon, Law & Order: Organized Crime, and, don’t judge me, I’m addicted to the Mask Singer.
- Occasionally Moderated - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 9:06 pm:
NBC Nightly News
60 Minutes.
The same 60 Minutes my grandmother loved…. In the 70’s? Can that be?
- Flexible One - Thursday, Sep 16, 21 @ 11:35 pm:
Wow, hard to believe this astute group doesn’t watch TV news. I watch every day. Lester Holt’s nightly NBC’s news and Chicago NBC. I watch as I feel they prioritize the stories in a meaningful manner plus I’m not bombarded with wackadoodle stories on social media. I honestly believe that if more folks watched mainline TV news more frequently we’d have better dialog and less hatred for each other. Plus we’d be working from the same base. I believe they really try to deliver honest, fair, balanced and overall accurate reporting. I guess it looks like I’m kinda the Lone Ranger on this one.
- Odysseus - Friday, Sep 17, 21 @ 1:44 am:
Basically never. Streaming services don’t interrupt the show with advertising. Why would I ever willing watch an advertisement?
Very rare sporting events like the Tour de France are really it.
- Odysseus - Friday, Sep 17, 21 @ 1:48 am:
@Flexible one:
I find it hard to believe that you can extract any useful information from broadcast “news”. If I were news director for WCIA, there would be at least 5x as many facts per minute. It’s maddening how awful the news shows are.