the quickest way to have a positive impact on corrupt corporate media control...

...of politics in America is to turn off your TV. Disconnect the cable. Opt out of the propaganda mill.

The high cost of seeking election is directly related to media control of the electoral process. Media can maintain that control because Americans are wired into the receiving end of the pipeline, largely via their televisions. If every democrat in America turned off their TV permanently, democratic candidates would have to abandon campaigns based on PR and sound bites rather than substantive discourse.

We feed the beast by consuming its products. Well, I don't and I know lots of other folks here don't, but we as a group do. Want to reform party politics in America? Start by turning off your television.

would be better to do it in periods - a minimum of two months to start.

There are a couple of levels of savvy/unsavvy people out there.

One level would have to be convinced that living without propaganda is a wonderful state to be in and that there lives are better for showing them and what rose up to fill the time.

Another level does not know that they are being led right over the cliff by the military-corporate and perpetual war/people control operatives.

Some will argue that many people will go unemployed - if we all shut it off.

Is our overall purpose - to take back our news and down with the propaganda and brainwashing.

To what end - to give people a choice of watching or not, but without the propaganda and brainwashing.

You don't get to be one of the "Neilsen Families" unless you are pretty thoroughly addicted to television.
I bet every single one of them is Republican too.

eom

That's advice I acted on 30 months ago & stopped driving 2 years ago... my current shit list includes Chiquita Brands International & Iams pet food. Sorry kitty. The good news: a very big garden this year.

Right after whatever that was on 11/02/04 that many people were brainwashed into thinking was an honest election,
I stopped watching TV. Any TV. And it was the best thing that I have ever done for my sanity.
I recommend it to all.

Now I get all of my news on the net, mostly from links found on DU. No more constant mindnumbing barrage of nonstop lies and slanted yellow journalism.

With the money I saved from giving up cable, I got a Verizon wireless internet card for my laptop. I'm writing this from the local truckstop where I am having breakfast. Internet to go, Wherever.

As John Prine once wrote:

" Blow Up Your TV
Throw Away Your Paper....."

eom

The only way this will ever happen is if aliens zoom in and jamb their broadcast freqency for ever or until they die of money loses .

I mean, saying that it can never happen-- the only way it will happen is if people make it happen, one person at a time. I turned mine off decades ago, lots of respondants in this thread have done the same.

I'm saying that people control their destinies. They can choose to unplug from the plugin drug.

What you're essentially saying is that it can never happen either because people cannot control even that aspect of their own lives, or because they don't want to be free of corporate media control. We hear a lot of complaining about the later around here, so I suspect that many do want to break that stranglehold. The best way to do that is to simply opt out of the game. It's really disturbing to consider that the addiction might be so strong that people have no control over whether they turn off their television or not.

Not for me , I don't watch TV . But it's been around long enough and it did kill the family tradition of spending time together . It was always a toll to convince and sell products even though at the start it was no on 24/7 , well on the air , there were not enough programs and sign off's . Now look what happened to cable , it was free of advertising now it's close to free TV last I looked .

What I'm saying is that most people come home and plop in front of the tv , eat dinner and watch , it's almost like a drug addiction now .

Who knows what comes out of that set that does contaminate the mind in ways we are not aware of . now there is high def tv and surround sound to be lifted away to the damn moon . It's a big business and people invest alot of money in their enertainment crap , so who knows what the future is , hell I hear you can watch on your cell phone now days .

"If every democrat in America turned off their TV"

You're absolutely right. But I think you also know that just ain't gonna happen. Not only ain't gonna happen, but not even by 1% and I think you'd agree. Therefore, right out of the gate this suggestion, though noble and positive in its intent, carries no real validity or legitimacy in its idealism. It's gonna take a better suggestion than this to change the process, unfortunately.

...that people either cannot control their addiction to TV-- they cannot choose whether to turn it off or not-- or they don't want to make that choice, and they want to maintain their dependence on corporate media propaganda. And the propaganda goes WAY deeper than cable news-- it's woven in the very fabric of media entertainment.

I'm not sure whether CSPAN was even broadcasting the last time I owned a TV, which would have been about 20 years ago. I have watched it very occasionally online, maybe an accumulated couple of hours total. In my life.

But the point is, I don't believe my life is any less rich for never having watched CSPAN.

Live Coverage of the House and Senate, plus coverage of hearings.

You cant get more direct Government coverage than CSPAN.

However, I do agree with your basic premise that less TV is good.

Popularity Is Still Growing


Led by Teen Girls, Americans Continue to Watch at Record Levels; Nielsen Able to Provide More Precise Information Than Ever Before

Contacts
Gary Holmes at Nielsen Media Research: (646) 654-8975

New York, September 21, 2006 – Nielsen Media Research reported today that average American television viewing continues to increase in spite of growing competition from new media platforms and devices, such as video iPods, cell phones and streaming video. During the 2005- 2006 television year, which ended on September 17, 2006, traditional in-home television viewing continued to hold its own with audiences, and even gained among technology-savvy teenagers.

These results come at a time when Nielsen is able to provide more granular information on diverse television viewing through its larger national television sample and other investments in research and technology. The total average time a household watched television during the 2005-2006 television year was 8 hours and 14 minutes per day, a 3-minute increase from the 2004-2005 season and a record high. The average amount of television watched by an individual viewer increased 3 minutes per day to 4 hours and 35 minutes, also a record. (See Table 1.) Meanwhile, during primetime, households tuned to an average of 1 hour and 54 minutes of primetime television per night, up 1 minute, and the average viewer watched 1 hour and 11 minutes, which was the same as last year. (See Table 2.)

Although teenagers typically drive the consumption and development of new media platforms, teens age 12-17 viewed 3% more traditional television during the full day than in the 2004-2005 television year. This increase was driven primarily by teenage girls, who increased their Total Day viewing by 6%. Increases among teenage girls were particularly high during early morning (6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) and late night (11:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.) viewing, which were up 12% and 6%, respectively.

Younger children age 2-11 also watched more television during 2005-2006, increasing their total day viewing levels by 4%. Viewing by children increased 3% during primetime, 5% during early morning and 6% during late night.

During 2005-2006, African American and Hispanic Total Day persons’ viewing levels increased 4% and 3%, respectively, with significant increases among children and teenage girls. African American viewing among children age 2-11 and teen girls age 12-17 increased 10% and 9%, respectively, while viewing among Hispanic children and teenage girls increased 14% and 6%, respectively.

“These results demonstrate that television still holds its position as the most popular entertainment platform,” noted Patricia McDonough, Senior Vice President of Planning Policy & Analysis at Nielsen Media Research. “At this point, consumption of emerging forms of entertainment, including Internet television and video on personal devices seem not to be making an impact on traditional television viewing. This is especially true among teenage girls, who have shown significant increases in viewing during the past year.”

--more--
nielsenmedia

Like the DUer above said, "You're asking a junkie to just say 'No'"

edited to add emphasis

I need PBS I'm a FrEaK for Jim and Margaret.. Gwen.. & Ray.. :loveya:

Other that that though TV makes me ashamed to see it, it scares me what passes for entertainment and what works as commercials