Gransnet forums

Chat

Are we very unusual no tv

(66 Posts)
creakingandchronic Tue 11-Mar-25 14:33:48

A few years ago 6 to be precise the tv programmes were so dire over the Christmas period we turned the tv off. Time went on and in April we realised we had still not turned it on so got rid of it.
we do have laptops for catch up but do not bother much. The other day at my Reading Group they were discussing a book which was made into a tv show and I was totally lost! Even though everyone else was older than me 70s plus they were amazed I had no tv, made me feel most odd!
TV licensing wont believe us either we have notices saying we are going to be prosecuted often for no tv licence despite us telling them numerous times.
Even on holiday in the chalet we do not turn their tv on either!

Norah Mon 24-Mar-25 13:21:29

We have TVs, on often for news and sports. I tend to not look at TV, just hear the news and the noise in stadiums. Our GC and GGC are not typically TV children - but they occasionally watch.

Each to their own.

TheWeirdoAgain1 Mon 24-Mar-25 11:05:52

I watch free films on YouTube!

TheWeirdoAgain1 Mon 24-Mar-25 11:05:28

Good on you is what I say! It's becoming less unusual now not to have a TV. I know and have known several people who won't have them.

I can't stand them and refuse to have them, I won't pay a whopping £169.50/£57.00 to keep Katie Price, Ant & Dec, Gary Lineker etc etc. in the lap of luxury!

So many films, shows, soaps, ''reality'' and so on are obsessed with sex scenes and f-bombs, there's even swearing and sex scenes in Discovery and Picard now, which I won't watch.

''Sod it, oh poo'' and so on I don't have any trouble with but I don't want to be blasted with f-words and porno!

I too get the nasty menacing letters from the TV Mafia threatening to break into my house and check for TV's but I totally ignore them and I burn the mail because if they break in after I've repeatedly told them I won't have a TV/license/other license stuff I'll drag them through every court in the land and plaster them all over the press and social media!

In hotels and B&B's etc. I always cover the TV with a sheet or something, I can't abide having them anywhere near me!

Coconutty Mon 24-Mar-25 10:03:57

We don’t sit and watch in silence grin we chat, I do my cross-stitch etc etc

M0nica Sun 16-Mar-25 20:50:31

Coconutty

Yes unusual and tbh I think you’re missing out. There’s been some really fantastic series and movies recently.

But that assumes you are interested in series and movies.

I have never been a tv viewer. my parents got a tv in the mid 50s and except for one or two specific programmes, I never watched it, neither did my sisters.

Our DM became a regular evening tv watcher and used to complain that her three children spent all their time elsewhere in the house, to which our response was always 'We avoid the living room because the tv is always on'.

Some of us are just not sitters and watchers, If we sit we read or sew or listen to music - or talk to other members of the family.

Coconutty Sat 15-Mar-25 21:55:42

Yes unusual and tbh I think you’re missing out. There’s been some really fantastic series and movies recently.

Crossstitchfan Sat 15-Mar-25 17:53:17

petra

I’m trying to remember being without a tv. My parents rented the first one for the coronation in 1953, I was 7.

Snap, Petra! Exactly what happened to me at exactly the same age! I was absolutely riveted to it. My dad went one step further and bought a big lumpy magnifying screen thing that fitted over the screen somehow. (I was too young to take the details of this in properly, so apologies). I just remember it was very small and we sat very close to the tv to be able to see properly.
After a few months, this screen got more and more yellow until it was almost brown and we could see practically nothing! Mum put her foot down, and it went!

OhOhOh Sat 15-Mar-25 01:04:22

You might get a tenner if it's fairly new and you sell it on Facebook Marketplace cobden but in this area, 50" plasma HTVs are often offered for sale for only £40 or £50. I've even seen them offered for free on Gumtree but it's worth a try.

cobden28 Fri 14-Mar-25 12:18:24

When I first moved into my present adress eleven years ago I didn't have a TV set (my ex got that in our divorce) but there was still a record of there being a TV licence at this adrtess. But the TV licening authority refused to believe me when I told them I personally didn't have a TV licence because I personally didn't have a TV set. They actually sent round an inspector who demanded proof of my TV licence so I showd him inside the flat, where he could clearly see there was no TV set.

My daughter and son-in-law did buy me a small TV set after I'd lied here a couple of year and I made sure to get a licence for it, with payments being made by direct debit from my bank account.

Lately there doesn't seem to be much on TV that I want to watch and as I get my entertainment from the internet and my DVD collection I'm considering getting rid of my TV set. My only problem is whether I sould try to sell my TV or just dump it - what do other Gransnetters think?

SillyNanny321 Fri 14-Mar-25 11:52:01

Mainly turn tv on for News & watch occasional Ancient History programmes but not much else! Have the radio on all day & do read far too much. Can lose myself in a book the way my ex used to lose himself in tv game shows! If I did not have a tv I would catch up with news on the radio as now or online!

OhOhOh Thu 13-Mar-25 18:16:39

Has anyone said differently Tizliz¿ confused

Tizliz Thu 13-Mar-25 18:00:29

Do think some people don't understand the rules of a TV licence

*When You Don't Need a Licence:
You don't need a TV Licence if you only watch on-demand or catch-up programs on services other than BBC iPlayer, and you never watch live TV on any channel, pay TV service, or streaming service, including recording or downloading

if you use iPlayer you need a licence

Ziplok Thu 13-Mar-25 13:58:37

I wouldn’t like to be without a tv. Yes, there certainly are some programmes that hold absolutely no interest for me, but there are other programmes that do.
Each to their own.

cookiemonster66 Thu 13-Mar-25 10:36:05

when our kids were young our tv broke down and we did not get a new one for 2 years! we spent evenings doing arts and crafts and reading, precious memories instead of being hypnotised by the tv screen,

Abracadabra Wed 12-Mar-25 20:55:02

My DH watches far more TV than me but we do join for a shared film or TV series (such as the wonderful Wolf Hall which sent us on a trail of Tudor films). Otherwise I tend to read or potter.

I do like a TV because it has a big screen and you can snuggle down in an armchair / sofa, rather than squint at a laptop screen which is less easy and comfortable for shared viewing.

I take TV-viewing very seriously - when I watch, it's with my full focus, no scrolling phones for example! But I'm very discerning; it's never been as background noise.

SunnySusie Wed 12-Mar-25 20:19:55

I cant remember the last time I watched the TV, although we do have one. I do watch You Tube and sometimes iPlayer on my computer in the evening. I never watch the news now, just read it on line on the Beeb and a couple of newspaper web sites. Neither DS or DD have televisions.

pen50 Wed 12-Mar-25 19:58:11

I'm another who rarely watches TV - maybe on every couple of months or so. DH watches football on Sunday nights, and occasionally some rugby or cricket, but that's it. If I lived alone I'd dump the box completely.

Mojack26 Wed 12-Mar-25 19:05:43

Yes it is unusual but your choice.

OhOhOh Wed 12-Mar-25 19:04:42

No tv here either. I lost the remote control for mine when I moved house and after 2 years of neither watching it or missing it, I finally chucked it out and cancelled the licence. On rare occasions I'll watch a programme on catch-up tv; the last one being the final series of Vera, but I'd rather listen to the radio or podcasts or watch something on YouTube. It's a bore having to keep deflecting the tv licensing chaser letters though.

GrannyIvy Wed 12-Mar-25 18:55:01

We have a tv but I could happily live without one as I prefer to read but DH enjoys his tv and it is very rarely not turned on 🙈 Thank goodness we have other rooms I can escape too that are tv free.

cowshindtail Wed 12-Mar-25 18:46:11

I have a tv for watching dvds on but as it is no longer connected to an aerial (cut through accidentally while pruning wisteria) it is not used for watching tv.I have cancelled my licence and only watch ITV catch up sometimes and don't miss BBC.

stewaris Wed 12-Mar-25 18:29:02

We have not had a television for the last 13 years after the house renovation took so long. However, we did continue to pay the licence fee for 2 years as we tried to decide. Eventually realised we were paying for DH watching 2 programmes a week and I'd completely lost interest in it anyway. Haven't missed it at all. Much more interesting things to do.

Nibbles44 Wed 12-Mar-25 18:28:32

I'm 70, last thing I saw on TV was Wills & Kate's Royal Wedding on 29th April 2011, the day before it went digital. Most of my friends of same age don't have any either, & all hate sports. Not having TV has saved us lots of time & money since I got rid of all sets, despite TV licensing chasing everyone with threats. Plenty films & videos of interest to me on the internet, & when I want to watch them - not when broadcast, for which I use my laptop.

Prettythings Wed 12-Mar-25 17:46:25

Have not had a television for over 30 years. Both my husband and myself love to listen to (unabridged) books on tape, read both ebooks and paper books, and have other hobbies. Never had time to watch television, so when we moved we gave our tv to a family member and never replaced it. Whether people have a television or not is their choice, it is just another gadget, like tablets, mobiles, etc.

petra Wed 12-Mar-25 17:10:39

I’m trying to remember being without a tv. My parents rented the first one for the coronation in 1953, I was 7.