Once upon a time, way back when, TV was television and it was free. I don’t know about you, but I like free. Hey!
Image: she-says.com
This was when we called it television and it wasn’t watched on flat screen monitors, but on television sets. There was no such thing as HD, DVR or “bundles.” All you had to do to watch something was turn on “the box” (I wonder who came up with that? Ha!), set the channel and enjoy.
Then the powers that be — whoever the hell they are — decided that it wasn’t enough to make millions of dollars in licensing fees and advertising. Oh, for Heaven’s sake, no! They needed more money. Lots more dinero. Hmm, how would they achieve that? People love TV…
Their ah-ha moment begot cable television and it’s spawn was the various programming “bundles.” For while, subscribing to cable was an option. If all you wanted were the local network channels and PBS, you could get it for free as long as your set either had clear reception or an antenna.
CNN debuted in 1980. Soon, news junkies were willing to pay for news that previously, they had access to for nothing. Followed in 1981 by MTV, which rocked television’s world. Everyone was singing “I want my MTV!” along with Dire Straight’s “Money For Nothing.” From that point on “premium programming” became a status symbol, sold to the unsuspecting American public by who else? Madison Avenue think tanks.
The next move was HDTV. Cable and satellite companies jumped on it as yet another excuse to charge more for programming. In 2005, Congress enacted the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act, which rang the bells for the death toll of analog TV in 2009. That was the true game changer. Analog television sets no longer worked on their own. If you wanted reception, you had to connect a “converter box.” For a while, the Government provided each household one of these, but of course, that offer was of a limited duration.
After this transition, if you wanted to watch TV, you had to subscribe to either cable or satellite. No more free TV. You want information via television? You have to pay for it. Ching, ching. If you can’t afford to do that, oh well!
Why does this piss me off? If I’m writing about it here, you know it does…because, and you can call me crazy, but I believe in FREE information. The root of free is freedom, which hails from the opposite of kingdom.
Facts and access to them is what all human beings need to make informed decisions. If you have to pay for the news and you can’t afford to, you are at a disadvantage socially, politically, economically, etc.
On another level, not having access to “entertainment” also puts an individual at a disadvantage. We need it to relax and recharge. It feeds our souls. When it’s done purposefully, it challenges our beliefs.
In short, it contributes to our personal growth. I think that’s important, and I suspect you do too.
Right?
By the way, The Assholes are frantically attempting to impede our access to free information via the internet. Don’t let them. Take action to stop them by going here: http://www.savetheinternet.com/sti-home.
Hey. Don’t forget the gospel according to Paddy Chavefsky: “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
Image: celebquote.com
REF.: http://uspolitics.about.com/od/electionissues/tp/digital_TV_transition.htm
REF.: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7593620/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/
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