Do you still watch regular TV?
Posted by valleysally@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 378 comments
I'm the first to admit I'm a horrible streamer. I actually dropped my Netflix/HBO Max, Hulu because I rarely opened them. It's a rare case if I binge something. I like watching Sling, like basic cable. I'm a channel flipper. I think about how in my youth I used to watch reruns like MASH or Golden Girls. And yes you can stream all these, it just felt more organic.
This_Strain_3077@reddit
Only once in a while. It hits different when you’re not in the mood to pick something.
cranberrywaltz@reddit
I cancelled all streamers during the 2023 writer's strike and have never turned back. Cable is cheap now (mine is $15/month), so why would I pay more? My cable provider offers most of what I' want anyway.
AdMountain6203@reddit
I watch sports and PBS on regular TV. Even with regular TV series that I watch on Hulu with commercials - I don't have to stick to one episode per week with older seasons.
muteicon@reddit
i like structure in my life, so i use fubo as my “cable service.” and there is a dvr option so i can record something if i’m not home.
the idea of scrolling thru netflix/hulu/etc just stresses me out because i never can decide what i want to watch.
Zopheus_@reddit
Pluto TV is great.
NicolesPurpleHair@reddit
Yes! I love watching Pluto because it still kinda feels like “real tv.” And they have a decent selection of shows considering it’s free.
chamrockblarneystone@reddit
I always pay the extra money for the no commercials. I was recently in a Holiday Inn and I was reminded about how much I hate commercials.
FinallyKat@reddit
I hate commercials but use the time to go do other things, bathroom trip, snack, put laundry in the hamper, talk to others, etc.
It's sort of my Get Rid of Tiny Chores on my To Do List time
chamrockblarneystone@reddit
I’ll do that during day time viewing.
FinallyKat@reddit
I have learned that night tv awakens the Insomnia Beast earlier and feeds it. I am already battling that thing too many days a week, so I will have to stick with books and audiobooks at night
It has always been weird to watch late night talk shows in the afternoons, but what else can you do?
chamrockblarneystone@reddit
Don’t even say the word insomnia. Worst couple of years of my life. I was just going to work at 3am. It was a nightmare. Much better now. I hope yours stays manageable.
FinallyKat@reddit
Mine has has been more of a life struggle, as it seems to run in my family and it triggered in me fairly young.
It is manageable, thabks
chamrockblarneystone@reddit
Glad you have it under control. I thought I was going to shatter when I had it. You’re made of tougher stuff. Good for you.
FinallyKat@reddit
I don't know that it's toughness so much as acceptance of my fate. My grandmother had it pretty badly and so did her father and several of her cousins.
It can be awful for a period but it usually resets after a few days of no sleep
FionaGoodeEnough@reddit
I wouldn’t hate commercials, genuinely, if they hadn’t gotten so ear-splittingly loud. And the fact that streaming services have a much smaller selection of them*, so they are more repetitive than they used to be on broadcast tv.
*I read the reason for this is that streamers don’t release viewership numbers, and a much smaller selection of businesses is willing to make ad buys based on no data.
chamrockblarneystone@reddit
Makes sense. The repetition is especially annoying
More_Programmer5053@reddit
That’s interesting. What kind of stuff is on it?
liplander@reddit
It’s hard to say cuz it’s all kinds of stuff. Mostly older shows and movies though. Commercials aren’t horrible
More_Programmer5053@reddit
Makes sense
consort_oflady_vader@reddit
If you want close to regular tv for free, Pluto is definitely where it's at.
CraftLass@reddit
Tons of stuff, mostly older movies and shows. I personally mostly watch the Top Gear and Bob Ross channels because it's so easy to put them on and let them run in the background, so I forget what else I've seen on there.
Church_of_Cheri@reddit
It’s owed by paramount, so similar programming to them while it’s still available for free with ads.
FastWalkingShortGuy@reddit
They had the whole X-Files series for a while, but it's gone now.
Cyberdork2000@reddit
Was going to suggest Pluto but also Amazon Prime Video. Prime has some shows for straight streaming but it also has live channels like Pluto and quite a few more. Plus I don’t get the same bugs I get with Pluto like Uber long ads or audio sync issues.
Church_of_Cheri@reddit
It hosts channels like Pluto, but Pluto is owned by paramount so it’s just giving a cut of the revenue to both companies. You can also get Pluto just on its own without Amazon. Amazon itself owns MGM and Freevee… I’m at the point where I want to cancel Amazon prime since all the benefits from it are going behind additional pay ways (including them adding ads to their programming last year unless you pay more, all while the cost of prime itself went up too). They’re just nickel and dimeing us to death at this point.
BigOldBee@reddit
It's just cable, but with more steps
FionaGoodeEnough@reddit
I find Prime to be such a pain, because I never ever want to be in a streaming platform and seeing content I do not have access to. I’ll take ads all day over that.
Material-Strength-92@reddit
I totally agree with you. You pay for prime, but it shows all the cool things you could watch if you pay even more money.
Alice_600@reddit
I would pay for Pluto to be ad free.
unclestink@reddit
Pluto comes closest to scratching my channel flipping itch but I had to pretty much quit using it because the frequency and length of the ad breaks was killing me. So much good content, though
Hot-Highway13@reddit
Try Tubi. The ad breaks are better placed and not as long
unclestink@reddit
Tubi is probably my most used streaming service at this point. And I agree about the ads. They feel way less obtrusive on Tubi. I just wish it had Pluto's UI. It's the closest thing to just flipping channels that I've found
Hot-Highway13@reddit
I’ve noticed Pluto is smoother on some hardware than other s but agree it’s nice when it works as intended
dooshlaroosh@reddit
OMG we watched sooo much great stuff on Pluto during covid!!! …but also saw way too many prescription medication commercials + for some reason the volume would ratchet up like 25% whenever those cruise commercials with Queen’s “I want to Break Free” would come on lol
Church_of_Cheri@reddit
Prepare for Pluto to be shitified too, paramount wants to combine all of their channels and start charging more now that they’re becoming a monopoly.
mt80@reddit
Xumo is also great too as a free tv alternative
PsychologicalLog9432@reddit
I just have it for sports.
Stock_Currency@reddit
I have MeTVToons channel on for background noise.
Emergency_Piece3809@reddit
I use Sling, but I also have an antenna to pick up local channels that Sling does not offer. You know, the old school way before satellite and cable.
valleysally@reddit (OP)
We have an antenna too. MetvToons is pretty cool. I feel like kids don't know old school cartoons because Saturday morning cartoons doesn't exist anymore.
Emergency_Piece3809@reddit
I so agree with you. I miss the old Bugs Bunny. My all time favorite!
CaptZombieHero@reddit
Yes
ken830@reddit
Not since I left for college in 1997.
Sharessa84@reddit
I moved out of my mom's place in 2006 and never paid for cable. We had some rabbit ears in my first place but I just used it to watch Late Night with Conan for a while, and that's about the last time I ever voluntarily watched TV by myself.
Loud-Chicken6046@reddit
Same, I can't even stand cable after I was an adult and it was no longer free LOL
DirtRight9309@reddit
yup same. our generation was forced to sit through so many commercials as kids i think we burnt out on cable at a young age
Redlady0227@reddit
So true but now I catch myself going on YouTube and legit watching some of those iconic 90s commercials like the Taco Bell commercials with the chihuahua and the Slim Jim commercials Macho Man Randy Savage did to this day.
DirtRight9309@reddit
i do love the toy commercials. Micro Machines!
thesupineporcupine@reddit
It’s even worse now. Try listening to the radio
CoachOpen1977@reddit
I think this is why I totally don’t mind watching commercials. My family often rudely yells at me to “skip the commercial!” on streaming services and half the time it hasn’t even occurred to me that a commercial is on. I’m still so used to just picking up my phone for momentary entertainment when commercials come on. That shit is 10x more annoying to me than any commercial.
latebloomer2015@reddit
If I can’t pay to not have commercials or fast forward them on a streaming service, I’m not signing up for the service.
I hate commercials more than most things that are annoying.
JonnyQuest1981@reddit
It’s very frustrating watching Peacock now with commercials. However, I do find the nostalgia of running to the kitchen/bathroom and then trying to get back to the couch before Twisted Metal comes back on kinda fun.
latebloomer2015@reddit
I broke down and paid for the year of peacock upfront so I can stay commercial free.
MaineHippo83@reddit
When I was a kid cable meant no commercials lol
BrattyTwilis@reddit
Certain channels anyway. I remember when Disney Channel was commercial free
eastmemphisguy@reddit
Because it cost extra, like HBO.
DudeEngineer@reddit
I mean just a few years later, we discovered this magical technology called BitTorrent. Buying hard drives is way cheaper than cable or streaming services and I don't have to worry about a corporation removing any content.
Free-Cherry-4254@reddit
Cable was never free (unless you stole it from a neighbor). Only Network TV (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS, etc...) were free, and still are, you just need a digital antenna. If you dont want to do that, Pluto and Tubi are free.
Loud-Chicken6046@reddit
Try reading again. It was free to me, aka a minor.
nonmagnon@reddit
Not since getting broadband in Q1 2001.
I prefer to download or stream 1080p or better.
But looking back I wish I spent the >4hr daily TV time on active calories with people living within 3 miles from me
special-k-flo@reddit
Yooooo same but 1999. Never once have I had regular TV programming in a place I've lived since I left home.
Tasty-Property-434@reddit
Same.
EdwardDorito@reddit
Only PBS
Atomic_Polar_Bear@reddit
PBS is a treasure
EdwardDorito@reddit
Truly. I'm such a dork but I am super stoked about the new Ken Burns Revolutionary War series coming out tomorrow. Love him so much.
animus218@reddit
My parents keep begging for help to set up other services because cable is too expensive, but refuse to cut the cord with live and local television.
tutorai@reddit
My parents are the same want cheaper options but still refuse to drop the live/local stuff.
I’ve had a rough run with IPTV lately too. Tried a bunch of sellers… a couple vanished overnight, and some just buffered nonstop whenever I actually wanted to watch anything. Total headache.
I eventually switched to a smaller provider someone mentioned. It’s nothing fancy, replies are slow, and it’s definitely not perfect, but for the price, it’s been surprisingly decent. Been using it for a while now and at least it hasn’t disappeared on me, which is already better than most of what I tested.
If anyone wants something low-cost and doesn’t mind it being pretty basic, just DM me. Not saying it’s the best thing out there, just… it’s been alright for the money.
animus218@reddit
Definitely interested, though their internet isn't tops. What are the internet requirements?
tutorai@reddit
From 10MBs
tutorai@reddit
Lately I’ve been trying to upgrade my “alternative streaming setup,” and honestly it’s been giving me flashbacks to the days of trying to get RealPlayer to load an .rm file on dial-up.
Some of these sellers vanished faster than my AIM buddy list in 2002. Others buffer like I’m streaming on a Pentium II with Kazaa running in the background.
I eventually found a setup that’s… fine. Not perfect, not fancy, but at least it hasn’t disappeared overnight like half the stuff I tried. And the price doesn’t make me feel like I’m paying for cable in 1999.
Anyway, if anyone else is messing around with these setups and wants to compare notes (or swap “don’t try this one” horror stories), feel free to reply. We’re all too old for buffering-induced migraines.
smooth_grooves@reddit
YouTube only for the past 15+ years
Hot-Implement5259@reddit
Do you watch Speeed? I love that channel.
Otherwise-Ad-1051@reddit
I only stream. Even though i have Netflix, hbo, paramount, etc.. I still watch mostly YouTube and wonder why I pay for all of these lol But I can't even remember the last time I saw "regular" tv.
misskellycupcake@reddit
Even the last time I had regular tv I only used it for the record and download features. Watched the Red Sox and breaking news on cable live and that was it.
thesupineporcupine@reddit
I haven’t had old school tv service in 15 years
Mia_Belle_V@reddit
I have directv. I don’t watch it much but I like having the option. My husband and I are homebodies so spending money on home entertainment is well within our budget, so it’s nice to have cable if there is something I want to watch that’s not on any of my streaming apps.
Fun4TheNight218@reddit
We cancelled cable like 20 years ago when we forgot the bill for about 3 months and I never noticed. My husband took that as the opportunity to point out that we didn't use it.
Sweet-Sale-7303@reddit
Not really. Couple of shows I watch like High Potential and Will Trent but that's it.
halfcabheartattack@reddit
https://i.redd.it/qgiyxq2zo91g1.gif
very-regular-3@reddit
but what would you do with a $ million bro? that's the real story.
e0nblue@reddit
2 girls at the same time man.
DBE113301@reddit
Hehehe. Pause That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?
e0nblue@reddit
Fuckin A, man.
very-regular-3@reddit
mee too.
WelcheMingziDarou@reddit
‘Member when “a million dollars” seemed like a shit load of money and you’d be able to retire at 25? Lol.
Svenderhof@reddit
You don't need a million dollars to do nothing, man. Take a look at my cousin. He's broke. Don't do shit.
WelcheMingziDarou@reddit
No. No time. Barely ever manage to watch a movie much less a whole series. If I do, I stay up until 3am binging it for a week & then cancel the service for another few months.
Our shitty old TV (which we got free from our neighbor or else we wouldn’t have one) doesn’t get any OTA broadcasts. I sometimes try to watch local/national news via our Roku, but it’s just a few clips. All the big network “news” shows are always just cold case murder porn bullshit. There are 100 other channels of random shit too, but no time to sit & flip channels like I did 20yrs ago. Don’t care.
thatguy420417@reddit
Streaming is difficult because I can't flip through channels mindlessly when I get bored with what I'm watching.
Positive-Neck-1997@reddit
I just got a digital antenna and a HDHomerun tuner. Mounted the antenna on my roof and get about 70 free channels. The HDHomerun is connected to my plex server so I can record live sports and watch it anywhere. This is so much cooler than the 4-5 channels that used to arrive at my childhood tv which I loved. I feel like what I do is the new “regular” TV and it’s basically free if you want to spend $130 on hardware one time. F#ck subscriptions.
Jets237@reddit
I have a digital antenna for sports because I'm close to a major city. Otherwise, nah
tgbarbie@reddit
Same!! It gets the WEIRDEST channels but not ABC. But it gets super old reruns and random stuff and I sort of love it.
Sdog1981@reddit
Like they have some 24/7 movie channels in my area and they are pretty random. Just 24/7 movies with commercials.
Doc-007@reddit
Omg same! Wtf is ABC's problem, I can watch around the clock original unsolved mysteries and about 900 other random channels but if the game is on ABC we're screwed.
danbob411@reddit
Same here. We have streaming, but also watch some broadcast channels (we get quite a few). Ditched cable a while back but don’t really miss it.
salami_cheeks@reddit
Me too. And one time when I was sick, I watched old stuff on MeTV like Beverly Hillbillies and it was kinda comforting. Big cities get multiple PBS stations, too.
KoRaZee@reddit
I put up an antenna to get local channels. I have YouTube tv which for some reason has me in the next market over so my local channels aren’t local. Put the antenna up and get the local channels.
Chiba211@reddit
Same here, but for tornado watch.
PandaHombre92055@reddit
Actually have been watching more of it lately. Its kinda fun to just watch what follows without knowing again.
Mammoth_Mixture4735@reddit
I dont know anything else but regular free TV
cantwejustplaynice@reddit
Not for decades.
Apprehensive-Pen315@reddit
I try, but I just can’t do it anymore…. Streaming commercial free for a while now
U miss the good old simpler days
Master_Cartoonist_16@reddit
What is a TV?
valleysally@reddit (OP)
Those big picture boxes you first see when walking into Costco
Organic_Alfalfa6419@reddit
Yes. I still have an over the air antenna! I also use Pluto and Plex.
Efficient-Top-1143@reddit
Nah
LoganJamesMusic@reddit
I haven't watched TV since 2012...and I was largely uninterested a few years prior to that, if I'm being honest.
Allureme@reddit
Just Shifting Gears on ABC. Otherwise I’m on MAX
Lava-Chicken@reddit
Lol,...No!
ThumpinGlassDrops@reddit
not since the early 00's
cosp85classic@reddit
I sure do. The streaming interfaces just aren't up to what DirectTV and Dish Network provide via DVR IMO. I have prime and Discovery+, and they are just very clunky to use on computer and smart TV. I've tried Netflix and AppleTV when we stay at my BIL's house. Same experience.
And with all the service continuously raising prices and still dealing with ads unless you pay even more I just see the juice being worth the squeeze. That's before you add in shows and movies constantly moving between platforms and not getting the live sporting events that I want to watch, I don't see any real benefits.
But that's me. To each their own.
CoachOpen1977@reddit
I do about daily and listen to FM radio too.
Queen_of_Tudor@reddit
We have cable, mainly for sports. But we also stream. We apparently watch a lot of TV 🤔
Weird_Squirrel_8382@reddit
I know what you mean by feels more organic. Part of me just likes somebody serving up episodes to me, or having to look up when/what channel. I don't love ads but sometimes it's nice to have a break. I once binged NCIS and my house fell apart around me, because I didn't have those little chore breaks on commercials. I had to teach myself "you can pause, Squirrel. Take a plate to the kitchen, girl, damn."
valleysally@reddit (OP)
I do stop what I'm doing to watch the "unbecoming your parents" ads from progressive. Feels appropriate for the xennials
PilotDragon214@reddit
I didn't cut the cable until 2023, but that had more to do with my Internet than the TV service itself 😅 my Gen Alpha kid misses cable more than I do & he loves staying in hotels because he can watch cable again
a_solid_6@reddit
Only when I'm at my parents' house.
BinocularDisparity@reddit
No… but my wife does… so yes
EastTXJosh@reddit
Only sports.
Redlady0227@reddit
I haven’t had cable in 9 years now. Just the freebie apps like Pluto and Netflix now. We weren’t big tv watchers in my house and I couldn’t justify paying $60 plus a month for cable when I only turned the tv on like once every 6-8 weeks at best.
Quirky__Quarks@reddit
Only when I visit my younger brother's house. The majority of the time, I am watching YouTube, occasionally I will have a streaming service on.
ViolinViolence@reddit
Yes.
One-Earth9294@reddit
Local NFL games. The end.
I'd say NBA games but they fucken paywalled that league nearly 100% now.
FishyFry84@reddit
When not streaming, I watch antenna TV - morning/evening news, sportsball, and PBS (mainly for Wild Kratts) with my youngest hefore he goes to school.
Certain_Site_8764@reddit
We have most streaming services plus cable. I mainly watch cable with an occasional prime show
prince_walnut@reddit
As a techie, I built a HTPC (home theater PC) and downloaded all the movies and tv shows I could find. For a short time I did get a cable card from our provider and did digital cable in 2012 through the HTPC. Windows had a built in media center software to scan channels from your TV tuner. It was pretty neat. Finally cut the cord in 2013. Took a few years before going to a streaming service and just lived on my local library.. 2016 i think was when we got firesticks. Been on those since.
S0bchak@reddit
Hell no. I LOATHE advertising. Plex server with a curated library that puts Netflix to shame. No commercials. The sailing the seas for decades.
cjthomp@reddit
Only in hotels
Upnatom617@reddit
Yes, for live sports.
Notchersfireroad@reddit
Exclusively. I got bored of netflix/Amazon/Hulu etc after about 2 years. Got YouTube TV for the live TV and that's all I watch.
hungrypotato0853@reddit
I haven't watched regular TV in almost 20 years.
As soon as I could pirate TV shows, movies, music, and video games, I stopped buying physical media or paying for services. Over time I started getting things like Netflix, Apple TV+, Spotify and other streaming services.
However, now that the streaming services are so plentiful, fragmented, and expensive, I've started cancelling them and going back to pirating my media.
The only thing I genuinely miss about regular TV is everyone I know being on the same "watch schedule" so we were able to collectively anticipate and talk about what was on.
the_well_read_neck_@reddit
I've done about the same thing. Now I mostly just use my Plex Server.
SvenoftheWoods@reddit
I'll be honest...I never stopped sailing. I tried, albeit briefly, but the tradeoff just wasn't worth it for how little media I consume now.
With kids, I want to be in FULL control over the media that enters our home. The only subscription we have now is Crunchyroll.
ChromeDestiny@reddit
I'm still sailing too but I'm also supplementing it with DVD's and Blu-Rays that I mostly buy used or on sale. I'll probably set up a server at some point.
Local_Debate_8920@reddit
I ditched crunchyroll too due to the roku app being garbage. Got tired of putting my password into every TV every couple weeks among other annoying issues. Great anime selection though.
svengeiss@reddit
Same here. And with apps like Plex, I can create my own streaming service with whatever shows and movies I want.
PineappleZest@reddit
Absolutely the same. Streaming was easy, not too expensive, and I didn't have to remember to download shows.
Now, it's all Plex or totally legit fire stick apps.
Weird_Squirrel_8382@reddit
This is one thing I miss about Twitter (RIP). I was a SAHM and that was my equivalent of "appointment television" and watercooler talk.
Fluid-Comedian@reddit
I do this with my sisters every year for one particular show. We have a group chat and watch the episodes as they are released Mon-Thurs.
Weird_Squirrel_8382@reddit
I love this. I have too many sisters and our schedules are too varied. What do you watch?
Fluid-Comedian@reddit
We're careful not to give spoilers if we haven't checked whose up to date, mostly it's gifs and this guy 🙄 comments anyway. We watch Married at First Sight Australia, delicious trash!
proper_specialist88@reddit
Pretty much the same here.
Ok-Necessary123@reddit
I just have a HD antenna. No streaming services. Just over the air networks. I mostly just watch college football or NFL games, and PBS.
Old school and cheap. Get ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and PBS and their sub channels.
Tim-Sylvester@reddit
I refuse to watch commercials. No broadcast, no cable, for 20+ years. I download a permanent copy of anything I want and stream it through Plex.
Drum_Eatenton@reddit
I watch wheel of fortune every night. I used to use my antenna but I got sick of the channel dropping out so now I watch on peacock
hot_takes_orgy@reddit
I put a TV antenna on the house, amplifiers, cabling, the whole ball of wax. We got it so we can get local emergency weather reports when/if the internet craps out, which it tended to do back then.
We have a few streaming options, but find ourselves still using broadcast TV the majority of the time because we just want to turn something on for background entertainment or to help fall asleep. You turn on the TV, and it’s just there, no muss, no fuss; and, it’s free.
MundaneHuckleberry58@reddit
Yes, I too am a channel flipper & don’t like deciding what to watch on streaming.
You should get PlutoTV. Totally free & older channels, you could literally watch Golden Girls, MASH, Frasier, etc on there.
red286@reddit
If I hear about anything interesting, I'll just sail the seven seas.
It's pretty rare these days. I watched Andor (season 1 was good, season 2 really only needed the last 3 episodes), and The Mandalorian. Prior to that, the last show I watched was Game of Thrones, so that should give you an idea how frequently I watch television shows, which is why I don't have streaming/cable.
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
How can you drop HBO
marcuslattimore21@reddit
100%. Just somethings you gotta have.
irelandm77@reddit
Barely did as a kid (3 channels on an acreage), none in Uni, and never had a TV again until the kids were in school. Still just pirated stuff tho, until Netflix got good. Then when all the other services became just the same as Cable again, I'm back to pirating.
Jonestown_Juice@reddit
I don't even watch TV shows. Only occasional streaming series but even then, that is rare.
CrackinBones204@reddit
I spend more time on previews and adding to my watchlist than actually watching shows or movies
Witty-Information-34@reddit
I love flipping through channels. What I used to love about streaming was no commercials, but now many streaming services have commercials, but you can no longer escape the commercial….To escape you have to close out of it and open up a new service…I’ll take basic cable with Svengoolie and non stop SVU.
catsoncrack420@reddit
Yes and although I got used to streaming I still like regular TV channel flipping. NYC has probably the best local news org in NY1 news. I can watch that all day. Local news, city events , fairs, special events, free stuff to do. It's awesome.
CraftLass@reddit
Being anywhere in the NYC metro area also means broadcast TV is a ton of channels. We get 4 or 5 different PBS stations alone OTA!
THE $20 for an antenna we spent when we cut the cord sure was a good investment for years of entertainment.
Professional-Head83@reddit
LA County is the same. We are SPOILED with PBS stations!!! We have 2,3,4, or 5 of them.
CraftLass@reddit
Makes sense! After our metro area, yours is the densest. And all us "coastal liberal elites" love our PBS, right? Lol So we seem to keep a lot of stations funded regardless of federal funding.
We do have a lot more states in our metro area (each with one or more of their own PBS stations), but functionally, very similar sprawl.
VelvetFog82@reddit
You are in the minority on this one, boss.
TheWorldIsNotOkay@reddit
I have an antenna, but mostly for the rare occasions when the internet is down for some reason but I still have power. (Since I have cable internet, usually if one is down then both are down.)
Though even then, if I still have a signal in my phone I'll usually just set it as a hotspot and point my set-top box to that.
Ganip@reddit
Nope
PersonalityAlive6475@reddit
The Kimmel thing in September made me check my monthly Hulu renewal, which was scheduled for literally the next day, so I canceled & haven’t missed it, nor the $106+ bill.
SilverAsparagus2985@reddit
I barely watch the what I have and I have basically everything except Disney/hulu (for rid of those) and Netflix. I have sling tv basic package and I sometimes watch that but mostly I have hyper fixation shows and that’s it. I have deals on some of them so I’m not paying a ton.
subywesmitch@reddit
Only for sports
Prior-Grapefruit7662@reddit
I think 95% of what I watching is in a streaming service and I have a good portion of them.
LilMushboom@reddit
I'm in the city and have a digital antenna so yeah it's easy to get over the air free tv. I still watch the local news, pbs station and old reruns on metv.
I occasionally stream movies on tubi or other free streaming things but I refuse to pay for streaming since they all started adding commercials even though you pay a subscription on top. Might as well go back to cable if they're going to do that
FAHQRudy@reddit
MeTV is great. Toon In With Me is helping me educate my kids in Chuck Jones and Fritz Freleng absurdist comedy.
xtlhogciao@reddit
Do you get MeTV Toons (it’s only like a year old)? 24 hrs of that plus Hanna Barbera, Inspector Gadget, Ghostbusters and, fairly recently added…Ninja Toitles!
FAHQRudy@reddit
I keep having my TiVo scan for it but I don’t think it has launched in Eastern MA yet.
MittlerPfalz@reddit
Only sometimes if I’m in a hotel. For some reason that feels like a place to do it, and it’s a nice nostalgia kick to watch live broadcast TV.
noonesaidityet@reddit
I have an antenna hooked up pretty much exclusively for football season and so I can watch the World Series on Fox. When we moved to our new house we decided to see if we could make it without cable for a while, just to have one less expense while moving in, but we've never gone back.
critic2029@reddit
Rarely. I use to watch every day. My DVR was full… then as shows got canceled or ran their course over the 2010s nothing replaced them in my lineup. I finally dropped cable in 2021. I still have an over the air antenna; but I almost never use it. Sports occasionally and news and weather.
XXsforEyes@reddit
No, strictly irregular TV for me!
phillysleuther@reddit
I don’t watch TV anymore. I watch the same 20 or so series that I’d been into since the 80s.
R0botDreamz@reddit
When we moved into our place in 2013 we committed to staying cable free. We got by on NetFlix and over the air stations. It wasn't too bad when you realize how much junk on cable you didn't really care that much for.
Plus we love the local news. I was actually going to make a post about that.
To this day I still watch the local news on the app or over the air.
Musubi0420@reddit
Not for years
555byte@reddit
I have my TV wired to an antenna for my local stations (over the air). I only use it for my local news, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and PBS. It's free and great because of that. Lately I have been using Tubi and Pluto the most. Yes there are ads, but it doesn't seem too bad. I do have Netflix, but with every upgrade, the app seems to get worse. So much more scrolling/browsing to find stuff.
IDK I have subscribed to Netflix since the DVD service. Since about 2016 my Netflix use has declined every year and the price has continued to go up in price. I really don't know how much longer I will keep it.
I really enjoyed the series Kaos, but apparently it is not being continued. The last season of Stranger Things starts in November, I enjoyed the previous seasons so when it's done, my subscription might be done too.
Aggressive_Cellist_9@reddit
I still have Xfinity - one of the last dinosaurs
redditydothis@reddit
My wife pays for Netflix. We barely watch it. We usually watch plex or YouTube. No over the air tv.
big_ringer@reddit
Nope. My DVD collection is impressive.
Turbowookie79@reddit
No. Streaming was the best thing that ever happened to tv. Especially since I don’t watch sports. I currently have five streaming services which i subscribe to and I still pay less than I did for cable, 13 years ago when I cut the cord.
Frosty_Cloud_2888@reddit
Drew does a good job on The Price is Right
Chadthemark@reddit
I’ve changed, but I prefer to flip. I’d rather be captivated by a program I see instead of being captivated by a description, trailer, or word of mouth. Nothing like scanning the van and finding a new gem. That being said, hard to flip on streaming.
paintedwoodpile@reddit
Nope. Everything is on the streaming services the next day for the few things I actually follow/catch up on when I can. The rest is YouTube shows or racing coverage that is posted there. Cable is WAY WAY too expensive for my amount of use. Between the Netflix that I get for free from my cell provider and soon to be consolidated apps (Disney, Hulu and HBO in December), I pay about $50 a month plus $40 for 1 GB internet (super tiny local provider with a grandfathered in Day 1 service price)
Appropriate-Neck-585@reddit
I do. I still have DirecTV, so I flip. But I have the streamers that come with my satellite service.
eaglewatch1945@reddit
YouTube TV. I watch Phillies games. Wife watches Eagles and Food Network. Otherwise we're really wasting money.
Siphoneder@reddit
I dropped cable almost 15 years ago. A few years after that I bought a large antenna and put it in my attic and wired that into the coaxial. Mainly just use over the air for events on the big four networks or PBS, but it's good to have as an option and a backup.
unlovelyladybartleby@reddit
I keep limited cable so my elderly relatives can watch screaming news in the guest room when they visit.
At least, that's the lie I tell. I really have it so I can watch Price is Right in my pjs when I feel sick
HeelsOfTarAndGranite@reddit
Nope. But then we only watch Korean shows, so streaming is it. Viki is good for Asian content, with much better subtitles than Netflix.
NachoNachoDan@reddit
My wife and I got hooked on K drama’s last winter.
Anything that you’d recommend to check out?
Omgkimwtf@reddit
Goblin the Great and Lonely God
NachoNachoDan@reddit
Thank you! We watched buried hearts most recently and it was really good
BigHobbit@reddit
Haven't had cable or watched regular TV since like 2004? Back when netflix was like $5 and did the mail service I would literally be rotating through stuff every day.
Mountain-Fox-2123@reddit
Yes sometimes
But most of what i watch on TV is on DVD/Blu-Ray and YouTube.
NTA_Shawn@reddit
Dumped cable a few years ago. I mainly watch Paramount+ and YouTube.
Organic_Eggplant_323@reddit
I dropped Directv a few years ago because they didn’t have any packages that didn’t carry Fox News. Signed up for all of the necessary streaming to get all the shows that I wanted to watch, but since then I pretty much only watch reality TV. 🤷♀️
physical0@reddit
I spent almost a decade without a TV in my house. We just watched stuff on our computers. Only when we got kids and needed to make the entertainment screen far enough away that toddlers couldn't touch it did we get a TV.
We only stream and watch downloaded content. Ain't nobody got time to schedule your life around catching your favorite show at exactly the time you are least likely to be available.
Impossible_Tie6425@reddit
Got rid of the TV 4 years ago. We were on vacation and turned on the TV for about an hour. Awful! 15 minutes of show and 25 commercials blaring out. I'm not used to it anymore
Rich_Visual7800@reddit
Yes I have kids and I also have financial news networks on the TV in my office
sha--dynasty@reddit
The local news in the morning and PBS on Saturday mornings.
OutrageForSale@reddit
The Tv experience hasn’t been the same since you could flip channels all the way thru.
AndrewActually@reddit
I shamefully admit to watching the Deal or No Deal channel on Samsung TV. It’s just so reminiscent of a different era.
h0tel-rome0@reddit
Nope, and I haven’t even had a cable subscription since 2010. I only have internet and streaming apps
sk3pt1c@reddit
I don’t even have a TV in my house and don’t pay for any streaming services, fuck that shit.
DistributionOk8489@reddit
No, but I'm a channel flipper too. Now it's just scrolling streaming services to find something better to watch, or playing YouTube while I look at the recommendations of what to watch next. It's kind of maddening because there are just too many options now.
Late-Arrival-8669@reddit
I watch Antenna (local stations) and Plex (self hosted) today, nothing else.
Have not had direct TV since 2011, had netflix on an off from 2002-2019 (before they were streaming they rented discs).
Big_Surround3395@reddit
Stopped around 2018. At some point i had the option to drop comcast for a loval optical fiber internet provider. I sure miss ziply. Anyway, dont miss tv, youtube has enough fucking ads.
Serialkillingyou@reddit
YouTube plus an antenna to watch SNL.
Dimplefrom-YA@reddit
no
YoGrizzly@reddit
I don’t watch regular tv or listen to the radio. I prefer deciding what I’m watching/listening to.
SkarlyComics@reddit
It’s a question of whether you want curated content, or a la cart. Listen to CDs or the radio? I notice a lot of stream services like youtube have “live” streaming channels that are just particular shows on shuffle. Like nothing but random episodes of (x). I like that. Mimics old tv without being old tv.
Omgkimwtf@reddit
I still love CDs when I'm driving. Most of my friends either listen to the radio or stream through their phones, which is fine, but like, I don't want to mess with the streaming service randomly adding music from a different artist when I'm vibing to Fall Out Boy.
the__ghola__hayt@reddit
Nope. The only live TV I watch is sports. I hate commercials.
warm_sweater@reddit
I watch the modern version of it in a way… my Samsung TV came with this service that has all these free channels supported by ads, usually focused on reruns of a particular show. I’ll throw a lot of that on when I’m wanting something in the background or I just want to watch a specific show I know they have.
Kittycorgo@reddit
Not at all and I think the programming on regular cable channels is generally shit.
BeardiusMaximus7@reddit
We do. We stream some. We DVR a lot though, play it back on our time and fast forward through commercials.
I find myself watching reruns of The Office, whatever movie is just on (I watched Stargate the other day just because it was on, as an example) or the latest Jeopardy more often than anything, though.
My kids though... they almost exclusively watch youtube or stream something.
firehawk2324@reddit
Watching TV killed my motivation to read. Once I dropped streaming services, I started reading again. I regret nothing.
Omgkimwtf@reddit
I noticed I was reading less, so I've made an active push in myself to avoid the living room (where my only TV is). If the weather's nice, I'll bring a book outside, and only turn on the TV once it gets too dark.
BeenisHat@reddit
I turn on the local news in the morning before work, sometimes to see if anything is going on but mostly just for some noise in the background.
Bored_Acolyte_44@reddit
Hell fucking no.
If you mean cable, that is the worst environment to watch anything I can imagine in this day and age. You are paying to put your brain in a commercial rich environment where corporations will spam you with as many adverts as possible.
I watch a ton of media, but I do it on my terms, without the adverts.
VitalArtifice@reddit
I mean, that’s streaming now as well, unless you’re paying the highest tier for every service.
valleysally@reddit (OP)
And I refuse to upgrade. But apparently I can add laundry soap right to my cart when the prime commercial pops up 😒
Omgkimwtf@reddit
Dude, those ads on Prime are so annoying. I don't want to be thinking about chores when I'm watching my shows!
No9No9No9No9@reddit
I canceled cable in 2008, that was the last time I couch surfed.
Does couch surfing exist anymore?
ZeldaHylia@reddit
I stream everything. I rarely watch live tv unless it’s sports
altiuscitiusfortius@reddit
Roku tv, pluto tv, etc are great fir this. Free, Old sitcoms with commercials. I grew up with and don't mind commercials. Zone out a bit, run to the kitchen, etc
Omgkimwtf@reddit
The only time I switch from streaming back to broadcast tv is during severe weather, so that I can watch the path of the tornadoes.
I stayed with my parents for a few months back in '21 due to an injury; they don't have streaming (though I eventually retreived my Roku from my house and brought it over), and being stuck with only what was playing at any given hour was horrible. I'm too spoiled these days lol
dickonajunebug@reddit
We’re a piracy plus Pluto household. Only issue is trying to watch sports. Once my fiancés step dad’s Fubo subscription runs out I’ll be looking into IPTV
SlimPickens77Box@reddit
Grit
Corn_Beefies@reddit
I got a digital antenna for sports and local news, haven't had cable for almost 10 years.
tweedchemtrailblazer@reddit
Not since around 2010
Puzzleheaded_Net_863@reddit
I did finally get rid of Dish a few years ago - but flipping through channels is a whole different feeling than streaming. Sometimes I miss when the options weren't unlimited. Or you just put on your favorite channel. Watching regular t.v. just hit differently. Streaming isn't the same.
codebygloom@reddit
I think the last time I watched live TV was when the last season of Stargate Universe aired. Although I still pay for YouTube T. V. but only because my wife makes me lol.
PuppyJakeKhakiCollar@reddit
I recently canceled Fios when I moved and was surprised how much I miss it. I may get a cheaper package so I can have my favorite channels. Right now I just watch DVDs. I do have Netflix, but like OP, I rarely watch it.
VincentMac1984@reddit
Nah, the commercials and reality TV drove me out except for the nightly news on CBS, ABC, NBC or PBS.
FudgyMcTubbs@reddit
I have an antenna and get the major networks, PBS, and some weird set of stations with a bunch of random crap. I usually only watch the antenna TV for sports, local news, and severe weather.
PuzzleheadedAbies678@reddit
Not on purpose
BunkerBuster420@reddit
No radio, no regular TV for the last 15 years. My mother is really confused about it. “But… then… how do watch the news? What about documentaries?” She doesn’t get it, she’ll gladly watch a movie when it comes on, but complains about the amount of commercials… She has access to my Plex server which contains enough media for an entire lifespan, but she has absolutely no idea how anything works and no amount of explaining seems to get through.
OreoSoupIsBest@reddit
I cut the cord waaaaaaaaay before it was cool. Now, I subscribe to one streaming service at a time and switch it up when I'm sick of what they offer. I also watch way less TV now than I did when I was younger.
Shabbadoo1015@reddit
I do. I don't have cable. So when I am not watching a streaming service, I am watching digital antenna channels. So a lot of local news, ABC, Fox or CBS (NBC doesn't come in where I'm at) or any one of the PBS stations. Sometimes, something on one of those random over the air channels will catch (ion, Cozi, 365 Black) will catch my eye.
theflush1980@reddit
Never, absolutely never.
playitintune@reddit
No. But I do have several self hosted channels that play different content from the 90s and 2000s with era appropriate ads in between programs. One channel plays Simpsons, KotH, Futurama. Another plays USA stuff like Monk and Psych. Etc. The channels are automated so I can just tune into channel 3 for instance and catch Seinfeld, or flip to channel 5 and watch The Fresh Prince or whetever programming is currently on.
I love it for nostalgia and putting something on in the background. If I'm actually sitting down to watch TV, I like to have the modern features available.
cjandstuff@reddit
I work for a local TV station. If it weren’t for the giant posters in the halIway, I’d have no clue what shows play on the station.
BigDaddyUKW@reddit
I sail the high seas in order to watch live TV, mainly for sports and PPV events. I share legit streaming services with friends and family who reciprocate (at least the ones that are still shareable) for certain shows and whatnot. There are times where I've considered canceling all the streamers and just getting a big live Hulu package or something, but I haven't gotten there yet. Someday maybe.
IamTroyOfTroy@reddit
No.
WarpGremlin@reddit
Jeopardy and Wheel, but only because we like Jeopardy "live". This leads to the occasional run of the local news and NBC Nightly if we turn Peacock on early enough.
And only that because 1) we have Peacock and 2) the local Jeopardy/Wheel station is an NBC affiliate so it's easy to get that way.
_TheWolfOfWalmart_@reddit
I don't watch TV at all and haven't in a long, long time. I might have cable news on but it's just as background noise really.
If I'm actively sitting down and watching something, it's probably a movie. One that I specifically chose from my physical media collection, not whatever some streaming service thinks I might want to watch.
FeelTheWrath79@reddit
No.
The_C0u5@reddit
Just SNL, but even that is on peacock
TheJokersWild53@reddit
Only when I’m watching sports
BrvoChrlie@reddit
We use Hulu live. I flip channels also. I think we use the live more than the available binges. So, yes, we watch regular TV per se.
Fluid-Comedian@reddit
I do sometimes. I like to support our local TV networks because we have some amazing talent in this country and I want the industry to stay alive.
elonmusktheturd22@reddit
I don't own a tv. Never had cable when i did.
Hasn't been anything on the broadcast since the last anallog tower was decommissioned in August of 2017 (Canadian tower) digital has only 1/3 the range of anallog and only works for high population areas.
Lindsey-905@reddit
I never had cable as a kid because we lived rural and it wasn’t available.
Moved out at 18 and because I was paying for university and college on my own, no cable.
47 now. Still have never paid for cable. I sail the seas for most things but actually don’t watch a lot of tv.
Imaginary_Ad_9682@reddit
Buy an over the air HD antenna! We’re a streaming only house, but there’s like 40 channels. Most are channels dedicated to reruns that we grew up watching.
Material-Strength-92@reddit
I haven’t paid for cable in at least 10 years.
mistypee@reddit
Nope. I haven’t had cable since I moved out of my parents home. For the first 10 years I didn’t even have a TV.
I do have a TV now, with a blue ray player and some streaming subscriptions. I’ve never had a cable service though.
dkonigs@reddit
For late night shows, sometimes the news, and various award shows or big events... Yes.
For nearly everything else, not unless its from a network that doesn't want to make it available via streaming until some annoying amount of time after the broadcast time slot.
JaketheSnake319@reddit
I do. I still have a cable subscription and it’s fantastic. I love channel surfing. I don’t know what I want to watch sometimes, and just randomly turning on a movie or tv show is great. Besides. My cable subscription comes with streaming packages, so I still stream Netflix, Hulu, Disney, paramount, hbo max. Plus I get to watch local news in the morning while getting ready for work.
WickedWild22@reddit
Mostly to watch football.
Such_Impression_3417@reddit
No i only stream, netflix, hbo, disney and prime
andiinAms@reddit
I’m American but when I lived in the NL and the only tv I would watch was true crime on ID. I think I’ve seen a show about every single murder ever committed.
Hereforthedung@reddit
Not a big fan of streaming TV. I'll binge the odd show but I'm a channel flicker at heart. Nothing better than finding a movie you love on normal TV.
OnlySezBeautiful@reddit
Only Forensic Files in hotels
Grock23@reddit
I fucking hate commercials and when I left home in the early 2000s I refused to get cable. I pay for youtube premium so I dont get ads.
andiinAms@reddit
I primarily watch regular tv lol. I still HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Netflix but I watch them much less frequently. Honestly, good movies on those services are few and far between. There’s some good original shows though.
MeatloafSlurpee@reddit
I do, kind of, but only because it's how I grew up. I'm 44, so I spent a considerable portion of my life when linear TV, meaning you only watch stuff when it's actually airing, was pretty much the only option.
We've technically had the ability to record TV and watch it later since the 80s, but the average person was shockingly, laughably non-tech savvy back then. Remember the flashing 12:00 on the VCR? Most of our parents didn't even know to set the time on the VCR, let alone program it to record something when you weren't there. This didn't really change until VCRs were re-invented as DVRs in the early to mid aughts and started becoming standard along with your cable subscription.
I don't remember streaming really starting to take off until the late aughts. And original content for streaming wasn't a thing until 2013. Not really that long ago.
I stream movies and TV and YouTube and content on-demand now as much as anyone, but I've been reluctant to leave "regular TV" behind. And even that I get through Hulu Live rather than through cable. I mainly use it for sports, as others in the thread have said. Unless you own a sports bar or live out of market from you team, there's still no good, standalone sports streaming options that I know of. It might sound silly, but I also like to watch my local news.
As great as streaming is, it's still piss poor and sub-par when it comes to any live event that massive amounts of people are trying to watch simultaneously. The Super Bowl, the Oscars, that stupid Logan Paul Mike Tyson fight. Servers crash and streaming goes to absolute shit every time.
nudave@reddit
The only thing I use it for is sports.
I live in an area where the streaming option for my favorite team is a hot steaming pile of shit (looking at you, Monumental+), so I tend to watch hockey games using "regular TV." And while I don't watch most other sports with any regularity, I will absolutely flip around college (Saturday) or pro (Sunday) football games if I'm around the house.
But other than that, no.
Von_Jelway@reddit
Exactly. I subscribe to YouTube TV for sports. And somehow now ESPN is banned so I can’t watch that!
The whole world is going to hell and #GET OFF MY LAWN!
xtlhogciao@reddit
Because Disney is the devil/too big. Also no more ABC, FX, Nat Geo…
Sun_Sprout@reddit
Chiming in here to commiserate with you, literally need at least three streaming services if you want to watch all of the games for the home basketball team in my city, it’s totally ridiculous and such a money grab.
ApocolypseJoe@reddit
Get yourself a Roku, they have hundreds of cable style channels, guide and all
Also Pluto tv
Status_Block591@reddit
Never. It's so jarring when we stay in hotels bc commercials are forced on us. I don't know if I don't remember them being so obnoxious or if they're truly worse. My kids however have never seen TV commercials and it is scary how easily they reel them in with shitty toys
Less_Likely@reddit
Not except for college football. That’s the only regular TV I watch anymore. And that is my channel surfing fix for the year. I get a cable provider just for the season (YouTube TV was my pick, but that might change).
Actually since overindulging during COVID, I’m streaming much less than I used to too, and usually I watch stuff from the past. Find that most of what is coming out now is too hard to sort through to find the good stuff
I think after Stranger Things 5 is done, I’ll probably cut Netflix, I don’t watch it anywhere near enough anymore to justify the cost, but I’ve enjoyed the first 4 series enough that I will watch 5.
Alijony@reddit
Got rid of all except prime and flip thru Pluto and the regular local channels. I'm content for now.
No_Cartoonist981@reddit
I don’t even watch player anymore. If it’s not on free YouTube I’m not bothering
jeff77k@reddit
I have a TV antenna + streaming.
HandWashing2020@reddit
Regular TV seems to have more frequent of shorter ad breaks than I remember. It’s difficult to watch. Streaming still has an edge there even though it’s diminishing
FAHQRudy@reddit
I have an antenna which pulls in like 45 crystal clear signals, and a TiVo attached to it. People have forgotten that you can get a ton of content for free and watch it when you feel like it.
Alice_600@reddit
Of i watch any regular TV its the local news and thats mainly lie if there is a tornato warning even then its back to streaming so I can chill and get into the story faster.
TrustAffectionate966@reddit
On DVD, yes.
🧐💿📀🤔
Powerful_Leg8519@reddit
Only at hotels lol.
StevieV61080@reddit
I watch live sports on YouTube TV during the Fall/Winter/Spring (along with Jeopardy! and some of the better documentaries on CNN, MSNOW, BET, and PBS) for college football, basketball, and NFL. Once March Madness ends, we cancel YouTube TV and subscribe to MLB.TV for my beloved Cubbies.
I actually love TV and miss watching it. However, a lot of the shows I want to watch get instantly put on streaming services now and aren't even available on regular TV (e.g., The Paper).
This_Fkn_Guy_@reddit
Like local channels? I have cable but watch local news
SteveEcks@reddit
I have a Roku and an OTA antennae. I watched the world series on my local Fox channel, I often flip thru for Seinfeld, maybe friends or something like that, bad recent movies, good old movies, worse old movies.
Roku also has a ton of free streaming channels, like classic This Old House, current (or more recent since Disney acquired...) This Old House, Yo Gabba Gabba, all kinds of niche channels just streaming singular content 24 hours on end.
cloudydays2021@reddit
I have an antenna so I can watch football, baseball, awards shows, and the NYE ball drop. I don’t watch anything regularly though, like sitcoms or hour-long dramas.
derps-a-lot@reddit
Somebody asked me a while back if I watched Dancing with the Stars.
I said no, my grandma died years ago.
fyrefly_faerie@reddit
I still watch a handful of new shows on regular TV. While we watch some shows on streaming, I’m drifting back to DVDs of old TV shows.
Brilliant-Jaguar-784@reddit
I haven't owned a TV or cable since 2013. I haven't had a streaming service since 2019. I've completely given up on it.
Short-Nail-3781@reddit
I use Tubi to listen to true crime as I sleep
L31121@reddit
We have Hulu, Apple TV+ and Peacock, but really only watch those with my wife. When I'm watching alone, I too, am a channel flipper. I still kind of like the randomness of what is being broadcast at the time. I typically watch what I can pick up via antenna or stream YouTube or one of the "free" TV apps (Google TV, Tubi, etc). I also enjoy music on shuffle. I like to keep life random!
ConnectKale@reddit
I have had sling longer than I have had netflix. Sometimes I just wanna sit down and see whats on right then, not figure out what I have watched, whats on the list if streaming shows. Just whats on. Recently we have been watching Wheel and Jeopardy during dinner
cbatta2025@reddit
Love sports and I record a lot of cable tru crime shows on my dvr to watch commercial free.
misterlakatos@reddit
Not so much anymore. I finally moved on from cable last year and apart from certain channels/conveniences I really do not miss it.
My biggest issue with cable was all the waste and in the case of Verizon Fios being limited in terms of what I wanted while being stuck with channels I never watched. I had several religious and home shopping channels along with some really obscure stuff that was of no value to me, while missing out on actual channels I wanted.
It's strange to think there's this endless loop of channels out there and in the case of Sling channels for specific shows that air episodes over and over again. We had Sling for a while and I ended up watching a bunch of ALF episodes earlier this year. From an existential standpoint these shows almost feel as though they are imprisoned forever in the confines of cable.
Bubbly-Stretch8975@reddit
More and more. My boyfriend is…an old soul. He doesn’t have the internet so we watch network tv at his house! I also like the random channels on my smart tv. It’s kind of fun! I especially enjoyed when the amc channel was showing mad men 24/7 lol. Something different about just turning it on instead of seeking it out.
I still have a lot of streaming subscriptions but I’m really trying to cut down on expenses and am having a harder time justifying the cost.
Tallal2804@reddit
Yeah, I get that — sometimes flipping channels and catching whatever’s on feels way more relaxed and nostalgic than endless streaming menus.
Sidewalkstash@reddit
The only time I see regular tv is when I’m at my dad’s and I can’t stand it, so many commercials and talking heads. It’s been at least 20 years, truly think it will die with the boomers.
MsBlondeViking@reddit
Only for football.
unclestink@reddit
Yes. Access to so many streaming sevices has given me the worst analysis paralysis and I always end up just watching Seinfeld reruns for the millionth time on Netflix. I honestly miss just having to pick something to watch out of whatever was on at that time. To me that is far better than scrolling endlessly through multiple streaming services trying to find the perfect thing to watch
pick_up_a_brick@reddit
I haven’t had regular tv/cable since like 2007.
Comfortable-Sky-9569@reddit
Yes I do certain channels and one during the baseball season
Planetofthought@reddit
I have not watched regular TV by choice in a very, very long time. The last time I saw actual television was when I worked at a nursing home during Covid. Old people love having their senses blasted with Carshield and Liberty Mutual Commercials with the occasional Bonanza show in between. It's like they don't know what to do with their thoughts when you turn off their TV.
We stream everything.
We pay for Netflix (for now), but all our other streaming services are free with paid shopping subscriptions.
And Tubi and Youtube are free.
maje8290@reddit
Yeah. Mainly because of sports. Sorta tethered to the whole package.
Just finished The Lowdown, last night (which of course is stream able on Disney+), but I watched it off of my dvr.
Aside from talk/variety shows, I’m trying to think what else I DVR. Nothing else is coming to mind. lol
Ok_Percentage5157@reddit
Eh, not really. Back in the 80s/90s channel flipping was a thing because that's what was available. Now, I prefer not having to sit through commercials, and watching things at my own pace.
We have almost every paid streaming service you could think of, and the only time I watch commercials is when I'm watching live sports. Beside that, I pay to make sure I don't have to. I don't miss that part of old TV for sure, and the flipping channels now has been replaced with doom scrolling on reddit.
Anand999@reddit
Most just for local news and other local-speciric content and anything I want to watch live, like sports.
plantverdant@reddit
I put those shows on for the dog.
twobootsranch@reddit
Have a digital antenna and get 20 or so channels. I watch price is right and wheel of fortune when my schedule allows. Other than that and random channel surfing we mostly stream. However almost all of our streaming content we sign up for on Black Friday specials so we don’t pay over $5 a month for anything.
kronik419@reddit
Yep. Nothing on streaming can replace the immediacy of flipping through channels.
Fabulous-South-9551@reddit
No. I honestly don’t like the sitcoms that ABC NBC and whatever other prime time cable companies are dishing out. My parents have tried to “cut the cord” many times but they keep going back to cable. It’s what they’re used to.
Sun_Sprout@reddit
We recently got rabbit ears and it’s a lot of fun. Gilmore girls comes on at 9:00 on weeknights so I’ve worked it into my routine and that’s the time I do things like fold laundry or paint my nails—essentially any of the downtime stuff that I have a tendency to put off. We also get NHK which is like Asian pbs, there’s so many good things on that channel. I also find myself watching antiques roadshow or pbs documentaries that I otherwise would never choose to turn on. Highly recommended, and essentially free (after the $20 you spend on the antenna itself).
Cooper_Sharpy@reddit
My buddies Plex servers ruined me during college and after, they would sail the seas and get pretty much everything. Now I use HBO, Apple TV and Netflix. Cable is such a scam it’s crazy.
urbanlife78@reddit
Rarely, we have cable because it is free but I rarely turn it on to "see what's on TV"
Zealousideal_Ninja75@reddit
Jr5309@reddit
We got rid of Hulu Live last month, which was the last thing we had that got broadcast. Honestly, I’ve had a hard time adjusting. I never realized how much of my night was based on my viewing habits. It’s thrown off my internal clock, my brain knows to shut down after Colbert’s monologue. Now I’m watching it at all different times from YouTube and I haven’t figured out my new sleep schedule yet.
Also, my husband and I realized we had no idea what was going on in the city cause neither of us had seen local news since September.
ServoWHU42@reddit
Just for live sports. Other than that, I'm about 90% YouTube.
FoppyRETURNS@reddit
Same
FoppyRETURNS@reddit
My wife streams a shit load. If it were up to me I'd cancel them all.
Loose-Recognition459@reddit
Nope. Maybe the news on in the background, and certainly the odd streaming channel for a lark, but for the most part, no. I haven’t watched network TV in ages, cable in 5 or 6 years, and I cut the cord completely in the last few years, dumping cable internet and tv for just internet and went full “Fuck it, I’ll just stream it if I really really need to see it “
Dustteas@reddit
I actually got an antenna so I can get normal TV !
I ended up canceling my Netflix and Hulu just because I watched the antenna more (that and they both up their prices).
ChumleyEX@reddit
I watch a lot of Youtube and then I have a plex server I watch other stuff on.
Walksuphills@reddit
Nope. Canceled my TV service a few years ago and don't miss it at all.
denzien@reddit
Only for football
pbpluspickles@reddit
I exclusively stream to my laptop, which functions as an (overpriced) TV.
jreashville@reddit
Only during presidential election results.
crazycatlady331@reddit
Work in politics like I do. You're typically at an election watch party.
No-Championship-8677@reddit
I have YouTube tv so I can watch Law & Order live with my friends.
crazycatlady331@reddit
No.
The last TV set I had was the TV/VCR combo I bought in college (I remember the OT I worked to buy it). I stream on my tablet (and only in bed). I sold my old TV/VCR combo at a garage sale for $5.
Multiple (older) family members have upgraded their TV and offered me their old one. The new ones are too complicated for me.
sgrams04@reddit
I tried to. I loaded up YouTube TV and just wanted a TV guide style channel list I could browse through and struggled without it. The “Live” tab is ok but I miss the full schedules that cable television had.
rainbwbrightisntpunk@reddit
I rearranged my living room earlier in the year and made sure to hang the antenna. A couple months later I was like why do I have that giant eyesore hanging there when I haven't used it in I don't know how long? I took it down. So no not for a long time lol
ChaucersDuchess@reddit
We watch far more things on YouTube than anywhere else. We have a couple of streamers and that’s it.
tc_cad@reddit
Yeah. I watch sports which is live tv. Most of the time it’s on a traditional channel. A few times a year I have to use a steaming service to see it. As far as the networks, I watch all the late night talk shows.
moving2mars@reddit
We just bought a set of rabbit ears for the first time because we cancelled all of our streaming services. It’s okayish, I might have to find a different antenna because we get like 5 channels despite living in a city. Otherwise I’m starting to buy physical media.
bcentsale@reddit
I find myself watching over-the-air antenna channels more than anything. I long since downgraded my Hulu to on-demand only, but between the pending price doubling of Disney+, the fact that I only watch one or 2 shows on-demand, and the orange Cheeto stains around Disney's lips, I'm probably going to be cancelling both in the very near future.
IdioticPrototype@reddit
I watch whatever I want. 🏴☠️
TryTwiceAsHard@reddit
No but i wish I could so I'm still good and old lol
Emotional_Signal7883@reddit
YTTV for news, sports, catching broadcast shows before they end up on streaming the next day.
DirtRight9309@reddit
haven’t had regular tv since i left home in ‘01.
early aughts - rabbit ears and tv/vcr combo with lots of rented movies
middle aughts - laptop and Netflix/Redbox
then apps after that. never got the point of paying for 200 channels and only watching 5 of them, and being forced to watch commercials. people say streaming is the same $ as cable these days but to me the major difference is having much more freedom and less commercials. still a way better experience.
cranberries87@reddit
I barely watch anything now. I’m about to get an antenna or a set of rabbit ears; I hear a lot of people are going this route. Whatever FREE offerings are available over the air is fine with me.
16Shells@reddit
nope. i don’t have cable and the only streaming service i have is crunchyroll, any (western) tv i watch i download and binge all at once, and it’s really rare… severance, alien earth, peacemaker and currently going through Chucky. i can’t remember the last time i watched a sitcom (do they still exist?) or anything g broadcasting live.
havensal@reddit
The only "regular" TV we watch is the morning news. We have a firestick that runs IPTV. We like the local news channel but their streaming version is not the same as the broadcast version.
quarterlybreakdown@reddit
Pluto, Tubi, or my antenna are my go to's
sageamericanidiot@reddit
No. I was never much of a television watcher. Until streaming took off I missed out on a few shows of interest, because I never wanted to pay for cable and too impatient to wait a week for an episode. I watched films instead. Even with streaming I still watch very little TV. I like limited series, 6-10 episodes and done. It has to be a really good show to get me to watch multiple seasons and most get old after season 3-4.
Lauuson@reddit
The only time I watch regular TV is when I watch NFL games. And I don't have cable, so I do it the real old-school way of using an antenna to watch over-the-air.
very-regular-3@reddit
No. I finally caved in, and cut the cord about 2 yrs ago. Saved $2500 by just letting my Cable Tv bill lapse.
Lunar-Havoc@reddit
Yes. I really only watch sports and news.
HeronOrganic3727@reddit
Yep. I hate deciding what to watch. It’s too much work and I usually give up and watch nothing.
fleetiebelle@reddit
I stream, but I do like regular TV. I don't always want to have to endlessly scroll to choose what to watch, and it's nice to be able to easily flip back and forth between two things.
DJSfromthe1900s@reddit
We watch local news and football on an OTA antenna, but we have all the main streaming services too and use those for everything else. To be honest though there's not much these days I care to watch, so I'm more likely gaming or reading if I have free time when the rest of the fam isn't around.
lifeuncommon@reddit
Only if it’s recorded on the DVR.
I do like the music channels in my cable package - just music with some sublime image and occasional trivia about the song/artist.
GhettoSauce@reddit
Nope. Gave that up 20 years ago when I first connected my computer to my TV screen.
s_tee@reddit
I hate commercials, so I stream almost everything. I use the TV for background noise a lot, too, and the sound of commercials is unpleasant and loud.
mramseyISU@reddit
I still like to watch the local news and for whatever reason I can’t get an antenna to work at night for my preferred news station so I have YouTubetv.
Tenement-on_Wheels@reddit
I like to watch regular dish/cable tv. I find if I stream I tend to get lost in shows and lose track of time. Watching regularly scheduled programming ensures I notice that it’s time for bed.
Wintaru@reddit
The huge TV in our living room hasn’t been turned on in a year I bet. My wife streams YouTube in our bedroom TV some evenings but I don’t really watch it. I just feel like there are so many other things I could be doing instead. No shade on anyone that likes to watch, it just doesn’t seem to be for me anymore.
XxFezzgigxX@reddit
La_croix_addict@reddit
I don’t watch tv at all anymore. I only listen to podcasts and let my husband and child watch tv. IF I turn it on, I just put on Pluto and watch Frasier or BH90210. But I can’t be bothered anymore
Money_Magnet24@reddit
Frasier always makes me laugh
I didn’t watch it when it first came out, which is good because I don’t think I would’ve gotten the jokes
Unfortunate-Incident@reddit
Sports and that's it. I have an antenna for that. Otherwise, streaming only
DiogenesXenos@reddit
Not for 15 years
full_of_ghosts@reddit
Streaming services are all I watch these days. Technically my internet service includes cable TV, but I don't use it. Never even hooked it up. My home entertainment system is a smart projector pointed at the living room wall, running the Android TV OS, hooked up to my home wifi.
I haven't seen a TV commercial in years.
Money_Magnet24@reddit
I’m 1/2 and 1/2
I watch Soaps, General Hospital, Bold & the Beautiful and Y&R and reruns of Three’s Company
I’m currently watching Apple TV , Severance
caramelpupcorn@reddit
No, but I would if my TV would let me. I used to like having regular TV on quietly in the background. If I want to watch regular TV, I have to either set up a high-powered antenna, or else (ironically), sign up for cable to get it.
elektrik_noise@reddit
I do, but on Sling now. I dropped Comcast a few years ago bc it was more than double the cost of Sling with far less watchable channels. I made an attempt to ask if they could upgrade our service at the same price or reduce our cost to something like an intro rate, and they had no interest. They just care about internet. I canceled the same day and while I was on the long call with them to cancel service, I was literally signing up for Sling and getting the app installed on my Roku.
I actually kinda like commercial breaks. I know I know, you can pause other streaming services. But there's something nostalgic about getting up and going to the bathroom, getting a drink/snack, etc. during commercial breaks. And I like just having shows play in the background on low volume since I'm WFH. I didn't have cable when I was a kid- too poor. So watching Adult Swim and Comedy Central makes me feel "rich" lol.
johnnybok@reddit
I watch some news, a few quiz shows, and sports
Appropriate-Bid8671@reddit
I haven't watched regular t.v. or cable since 2012
belunos@reddit
Only NFL games. Miss me with 2 1/2 minutes ad blocks
kramer1980_adm@reddit
Yes. Streaming is more limited and expensive in Canada. Still have a PVR set to record various shows.
i_am_the_virus@reddit
Hell no, and it's been years now. YouTube Premium and Prime Video (which we used rarely). Since embracing YouTube we've lost our taste for most series and have really come appreciate authenticity over contrived entertainment value.
usernames_suck_ok@reddit
Yes, but I stream when I get bored or when I have to.
bgva@reddit
Pluto is about the closest. Otherwise mostly YouTube videos.
I did pick up a Fubo trial so I could watch college football last night on ESPN, but I’m cancelling before the trial ends. When I still had YouTube TV I realized I was paying $75 or so to watch a half-dozen channels, many of which I could pick up on my antenna. Otherwise it was mostly Food Network or HGTV, which I could watch on Discovery + for $5.
ElfDestruct@reddit
Nope. My tastes pretty much only land me on Crunchyroll and YouTube. If I really want something else, the high seas are always open.
cat_at_the_keyboard@reddit
The closest I get is watching PBS via antenna
bh0@reddit
I went to antenna + a couple streaming services \~1.5 years ago. Other than football and news, I don't watch much on traditional "live" antenna channels. I have a Tablo so I can DVR antenna stuff, but there's only a couple shows even set to record.
I have Pluto on probably 75% of the time, often just as background noise.
LeftHandedGuitarist@reddit
Yes, often. There's a lot of good stuff broadcast here.
realoctopod@reddit
I stream and also have an antenna up. While I mostly stream, I miss the old way of flipping and finding something.
It feels better.
jtho78@reddit
OTA only for PBS and award shows.
The streaming channels are too slow to flip and are chock-full of ads.
Conscious-Squash712@reddit
Nope just watch a video on YouTube or pluto tv or tubi. Don't have cable as a few months back.
gesis@reddit
I don't regularly watch cable/satellite tv, but if I'm traveling I enjoy the change of watching them. It's refreshing to just pick a channel at random, instead of scrolling through endless choices of shit I don't actually want to watch.
The amount of "shovelware" on streaming services is ridiculous.
PeterPunksNip@reddit
Just for the news and Gumball on cartoon network. Otherwise I'm glued to YouTube 😆