Comments on: Open Letter to the History Channel http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/ Utterly random, incoherent and disjointed rants and ramblings... Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:36:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Alphast http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9874 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:24:28 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9874 I think that we should create a virtual society of people interested in fair content, intelligent programming, good games and cool TV shows and movies. We would call it along the lines of "The Dead Poets Society" and we would fund it by canceling our registration to our current TV providers and creating the programs ourselves. It would be cheap because nobody buys that kind of program anyway. By the way, my gf and myself have found a great use of digital TV. We begin watching a show at the pre-generic. We pause for 30 minutes and eat, browse internet or read something intellectual. Then we put play again. Every commercial we pass in x16 speed. It makes the viewing experience so much better. I think that we should create a virtual society of people interested in fair content, intelligent programming, good games and cool TV shows and movies. We would call it along the lines of “The Dead Poets Society” and we would fund it by canceling our registration to our current TV providers and creating the programs ourselves. It would be cheap because nobody buys that kind of program anyway.

By the way, my gf and myself have found a great use of digital TV. We begin watching a show at the pre-generic. We pause for 30 minutes and eat, browse internet or read something intellectual. Then we put play again. Every commercial we pass in x16 speed. It makes the viewing experience so much better.

]]> by: Mart http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9872 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:25:19 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9872 Hear hear! It would be so cool if History Channel actually listened. But of course, you know they <em>won't</em>. Anyway, it seems like all forms of entertainment are going down this process of "dumbening" for the masses. Games too, are progressing this way, which is why I'm not really raving about any new games, but instead keep replaying golden oldies. And I can't wait for <a href="http://www.gog.com" rel="nofollow">Good Old Games</a>, a distribution plaform for old games, to go live. Even though I have cable, I rarely sit in front of the TV now, except to catch up on sports (ie. soccer). All my entertainment comes through my PC. I just discovered <a href="http://www.getmiro.com" rel="nofollow">Miro</a> too, which is a cool way to aggregate video feeds, and it will mean even more time away from the cable box. Those documentaries on the torrent cloud look mighty fine now... Hear hear! It would be so cool if History Channel actually listened. But of course, you know they won’t.

Anyway, it seems like all forms of entertainment are going down this process of “dumbening” for the masses. Games too, are progressing this way, which is why I’m not really raving about any new games, but instead keep replaying golden oldies. And I can’t wait for Good Old Games, a distribution plaform for old games, to go live.

Even though I have cable, I rarely sit in front of the TV now, except to catch up on sports (ie. soccer). All my entertainment comes through my PC. I just discovered Miro too, which is a cool way to aggregate video feeds, and it will mean even more time away from the cable box.

Those documentaries on the torrent cloud look mighty fine now…

]]> by: Daosus http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9871 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:21:07 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9871 What about on-demand playlists? It would just pick from a list of your favorites, selected by you or by software that's been tracking your viewing habits... What about on-demand playlists? It would just pick from a list of your favorites, selected by you or by software that’s been tracking your viewing habits…

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9870 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:32:20 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9870 <strong>@Kenny</strong> - personally I believe that while on-demand programming is definitely the way of the future it will not displace traditional broadcast type networks completely. For example, sometimes I want to watch TV without anything specific in mind. So I channel surf for a bit until I find something interesting. I might stumble onto a WW2 documentary for example and watch it - but it's probably not something I would actively seek out when checking the on-demand options. Similarly, I love to watch [adult-swim] despite the fact that 90% of their programming consists of reruns of shows that I basically memorized by now. I watch them because they are on, and because I love these shows. Would I actually pick old episodes of Familly Guy, Aqua Teen, Robot Chicken and Home Movies as my evening entertainment from an on-demand service? Probably not. So while I do want to be able to watch an episode of my favorite show at any time of day or night via on-demand, I also sometimes just want to watch whatever is on my favorite channel without actually thinking about it, or making choices. I believe many other people are this way as well. @Kenny - personally I believe that while on-demand programming is definitely the way of the future it will not displace traditional broadcast type networks completely.

For example, sometimes I want to watch TV without anything specific in mind. So I channel surf for a bit until I find something interesting. I might stumble onto a WW2 documentary for example and watch it - but it’s probably not something I would actively seek out when checking the on-demand options.

Similarly, I love to watch [adult-swim] despite the fact that 90% of their programming consists of reruns of shows that I basically memorized by now. I watch them because they are on, and because I love these shows. Would I actually pick old episodes of Familly Guy, Aqua Teen, Robot Chicken and Home Movies as my evening entertainment from an on-demand service? Probably not.

So while I do want to be able to watch an episode of my favorite show at any time of day or night via on-demand, I also sometimes just want to watch whatever is on my favorite channel without actually thinking about it, or making choices. I believe many other people are this way as well.

]]> by: Kenny http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9869 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:26:22 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9869 Hear hear, I second (or whatever number we're at) this. I remember the days when TLC was 'The Learning Channel'. Then they just keep adding more 'When escalators attack" type shows till they finally had to stop calling themselves anything to do with 'Learning'. Although I did read an interesting article in Discover Magazine about how all these data "Channels" were only created to make money, and that the coming open data market will make it so you just watch the shows you want instead of having to pay extra for some channel because there's one show on it you like. We're already seeing this with the on-demand cable shows. I wish I could find that article so I could remember who said it. Hear hear, I second (or whatever number we’re at) this. I remember the days when TLC was ‘The Learning Channel’. Then they just keep adding more ‘When escalators attack” type shows till they finally had to stop calling themselves anything to do with ‘Learning’.

Although I did read an interesting article in Discover Magazine about how all these data “Channels” were only created to make money, and that the coming open data market will make it so you just watch the shows you want instead of having to pay extra for some channel because there’s one show on it you like. We’re already seeing this with the on-demand cable shows.

I wish I could find that article so I could remember who said it.

]]> by: Steve http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9868 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:38:32 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9868 I don't know if the History channel you have there is the same as here, but I would have to assume it is, for the simple fact that the programming is just as shitty. The one here plays <em>Jag</em>. JAG...how does that have anything to do with History...I have no clue. I don’t know if the History channel you have there is the same as here, but I would have to assume it is, for the simple fact that the programming is just as shitty. The one here plays Jag. JAG…how does that have anything to do with History…I have no clue.

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9867 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:26:42 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9867 [quote post="2607"]I think you just called my mother an idiot…[/quote] Uh! >_< I guess I called like half my family idiots too. But I guess that's what they get for watching these shows.

I think you just called my mother an idiot…

Uh! >_< I guess I called like half my family idiots too. But I guess that's what they get for watching these shows.

]]> by: freelancer http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9866 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:51:43 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9866 I think you just called my mother an idiot... But it's ok, because I agree with every single word :P This is exactly [one of the reasons] why I stopped watching TV. Good shows a too hard to come by nowadays. And when they do broadcast a TV show I like, they rarely broadcast the episodes in order. That, and commercials. The only thing reality shows accomplish is making dumb people dumber, and I wouldn't be surprised if that eventually leads to our demise. I'm also kinda against lots of sports events. I mean sure, the Olympic opening ceremony in China was cool, but from what I heard it cost like $800 million! Just imagine what you could do with that kind of money. And they blow it on a few hours of entertainment! I think you just called my mother an idiot… But it’s ok, because I agree with every single word P This is exactly [one of the reasons] why I stopped watching TV. Good shows a too hard to come by nowadays. And when they do broadcast a TV show I like, they rarely broadcast the episodes in order. That, and commercials.

The only thing reality shows accomplish is making dumb people dumber, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that eventually leads to our demise. I’m also kinda against lots of sports events. I mean sure, the Olympic opening ceremony in China was cool, but from what I heard it cost like $800 million! Just imagine what you could do with that kind of money. And they blow it on a few hours of entertainment!

]]> by: Luke Maciak http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9865 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:39:52 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9865 Precisely - first episode of any of these shows is pretty much like an inside look on these jobs that most people don't even know about. But there is really no way to stretch this sort of thing into a series. How many times can they show the same dude driving the same truck on the same patch of ice? Precisely - first episode of any of these shows is pretty much like an inside look on these jobs that most people don’t even know about. But there is really no way to stretch this sort of thing into a series. How many times can they show the same dude driving the same truck on the same patch of ice?

]]> by: Aaron http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9864 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:25:08 +0000 http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/blog/2008/08/14/open-letter-to-the-history-channel/#comment-9864 90% of the watchable stuff is in the "premium" discovery and history channels which may cost an extra $20+ to get them packaged with the "premium" MTV channels. The specials are still good on regular Discover and History, but the series are crap. Don't get me wrong, an episode or two of people catching crabs is informative even if it is a reality show, but they are going crazy with the number and topics. Ugh. Don't get me started on the "weather" channel. Come on...weather related movies? 90% of the watchable stuff is in the “premium” discovery and history channels which may cost an extra $20+ to get them packaged with the “premium” MTV channels.

The specials are still good on regular Discover and History, but the series are crap. Don’t get me wrong, an episode or two of people catching crabs is informative even if it is a reality show, but they are going crazy with the number and topics.

Ugh. Don’t get me started on the “weather” channel. Come on…weather related movies?

]]>