subject: Tv Programming The Choices Are Endless [print this page] TV entertainment has come a long, long way in the sixty or so years of its existence. In its earliest days, dating way back to the late 1940s, home viewers had access to five, six, perhaps as many as seven channels no more!
There was no Cable no Direct TV no Satellite TV only over-the air TV that was provided daily by three national networks and a couple of local stations. That was it. Interestingly, programming did not run continuously throughout the day, evening and overnight.
The first shows of the day appeared on the small black and white TV screens (thats what most people had) about 6 A.M. each morning. Programming would continue throughout the day into the evening and, for most of the stations, end at about 11 P.M.
From 11 P.M. until 6 A.M. the next morning there was nothing. Now, this may seem strange to young people today whose knowledge of TV is that it is always on. But in its early days, that was not the case. What may be even more shocking to young Americans today is that choices were so limited just six or seven channels total! But, thats exactly the way it was in 1948 and for many years after that.
The development and rapid growth of cable programming has, of course, changed home entertainment forever. TV audiences today have almost limitless choices available to them, depending on the programming provider to whom they subscribe.
Its true. Its not uncommon for people to enjoy access to 200 TV channels or more and an unlimited variety of shows designed to meet every entertainment taste. There are networks that devote all of their programming to shows about food about war hobbies travel science fiction news weather (24 hours a day, seven days a week) local programming that covers local issues politics sports, of course specific sports (the Golf Channel) comedy black entertainment Spanish programming the list goes on and on and on.
In fact, depending on the programming package you have, your TV may provide access to scores of full-length feature motion pictures all day, every day, always without commercial interruption.
The marriage between programming providers and their at-home TV audiences has matured over the years, grown and prospered and today continues to evolve. There is no telling where technology will take this union between presenter and viewer.
