What channels do you *really* watch?

[SoonerDave]

Okay, another thread spurred this question....so I'm going to post it for general consumption...

Regardless of which TV carrier you use, eg Cox, DirectTV, Dish, whatever, what channels do you actually watch on a regular basis?

I got to thinking about my Cox service, and realized the following:

* We NEVER watch/listen to/use ANY of the music channels. Never.
* We *do* watch the ESPN* channels, but primarily during football season. Not so much otherwise.
* We *do* watch the NFL network.
* We do watch TLC and Discovery, although that's decreased a lot in the last couple of years.
* We never watch any of the Spanish language channels
* With the kids getting older, we have ever-decreasing interest in Nick/Disney/etc

Really wondering if the package is worth it. Then again, I suspect the providers have cut their packages such that they know the popular channels, and craft their packages to force you to get the biggest packages just to get the minimum popular channels, just like the auto manufacturers force you into a dozen worthless "upgrade" accessory packages to get "luxury dome lights.." LOL.

Anyway, what do you watch? Not watch? Could live without? Have to have?

Interested in the responses...

[RadicalModerate]

The vast majority of our television time is spent watching streaming video of old and new BBC cop/detective/mystery shows on Netflix as well as the occasional Netflix DVD.

We don't always watch (basic) Cable TV, but when we do we prefer . . .
**OETA (Stateline and Gallery are world class local productions. Also Cooking, Travel, Painting, History--and quilting/sewing shows)
**CREATE (Cooking and travel)
**The Food Network (yes, you guessed it)
**TCM (not as often as I might like)
**AMC (if that's the one that Breaking Bad and a couple of other shows are on)
**(Right now) whatever channel Wheel of Fortune is on
**Occasionally one of the Music Channels (jazz, classical, country, oldies)
**One of the local news channels or another
**The Weather Channel

. . . stay thirsty for video entertainment my friend . . .

[BBatesokc]

Since giving cable TV the boot awhile back, we realized we watched TV simply because it was there and when its not there we don't miss it at all. The few shows we do watch are on the free over-the-air networks (ABC, NBC, CBS).

When we move we will continue to only subscribe to Internet.

[BoulderSooner]

being a huge sports fan ... i watch the following on a weekly basis

ESPN/2/U
NBA TV
NFL Network
MLB net
Fox sports
Golf channel
NBC sports
CBS sports
TNT
CBS/NBC/Fox/ABC
CW (big 12 basketball)

other channels
CNBC
fox business

and that covers 99% of my tv viewing

[Bellaboo]

NBC, CBS, Fox - local news
NBC National News
Fox SW (Thunder broadcast)
Food Network, CMT, Travel, History (mostly wife, usually weekends)
Antique Roadshow - OETA
Seasonal - Voice, Parenthood (mostly wife)
NBATV
ESPN, ESPN2
ABC, CBS, NBC,FOX - sports (football & basketball)

[BlackmoreRulz]

I used to watch the History channel on an a daily basis but nowadays there isn't a whole lot of history on there. Same with the Discovery channel.

Now it is either a sports channel or I'll have VH1 Classic on for background noise.

[kevinpate]

Unlike the OP, I use a couple of our music channels, some quite a bit. Other than music, I watch a few shows sent to DVR. If it's a dull episode it goes to eraserville and something else gets picked or it becomes background noise while I do something else. Once I got hooked on ditching commercials, I realized the side bennie was watching something on my schedule rather than their schedule. Me and DVR .. we be good buds. About the other things that hang long term on the dvr are shows for the grandbabies and big bang theory episodes usually last a few weeks so my youngest can catch up when he visits.

[BBatesokc]

Speaking of music on the TV, our TV's are Internet enabled and we installed pandora and I Heart Radio on them. Plus we can send music from our idevices straight to the TV. We find we use that a lot.

[Ginkasa]

No cable here. There are specific shows that we're typically interested in, so our viewing is spread over most of the basic over the air channels based on what's showing when. On the rare occasions we do have access to cable for some reason (i.e. staying somewhere else) it usually ends up on Food Network by default. I personally like HBO.

[ctchandler]

I have Dish, Cox is not available where I live. I watch The History channel, Food Network, The Food Channel when it is on, Fox News Channel, and while my visitor from London was here, a little BBC, and several different music channels.
C. T.

[venture]

Hmm lets see. CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX of course for various programming - more CBS than the others. Stars, Showtime, and HBO for the series on there (Dexter, True Blood, Borgias, GoT, Homeland, Newsroom, etc). As far as cable programming...A&E, Discovery, Science, NatGeo, CNN, Comedy Central, Travel, Bravo, BBC and a couple other random ones.

[OKCisOK4me]

Over the Air HDTV. Why subscribe for $60+ and pay for a majority of channels you aren't going to watch? No thanks. I subscribe to ATT Uverse internet for $24.95/mo. and use stream Netflix for $8.00. Best cable bill ever.

If cable providers did a "create-a-package", I'd give in but otherwise, FREE TV is awesome.

If it were available with a 10 channel minimum and I could create-a-package then it would be ESPN, ESPN2, FSOK, Discovery, Travel, History, Syfy, A&E, NatGeo & FX.

[kelroy55]

I watch a few of the major net6work shows, TNT, sports channels, science & history channels, Discovery ID, CNN and I like a few series they have on BBC. The acting on BBC seems to be better and they don't have all those stupid reality shows.

[ctchandler]

OKCisOK4me,
What I watch is only available on cable/satellite so I pay the price. It's a matter of priorities I suppose, I pay about $75 for the three or four channels I watch and as a retiree on a fixed income, I could spend that money much wiser, but it is my entertainment, so that counts for something. When I'm not traveling, it's my main source.
C. T.

Over the Air HDTV. Why subscribe for $60+ and pay for a majority of channels you aren't going to watch? No thanks. I subscribe to ATT Uverse internet for $24.95/mo. and use stream Netflix for $8.00. Best cable bill ever.

If cable providers did a "create-a-package", I'd give in but otherwise, FREE TV is awesome.

If it were available with a 10 channel minimum and I could create-a-package then it would be ESPN, ESPN2, FSOK, Discovery, Travel, History, Syfy, A&E, NatGeo & FX.

[adaniel]

Mostly stick to cable. Investigation Discovery, A&E, Bio. Also like DIY and HGTV to a lesser extent. Watch Travel, History, and NatGeo from time to time. The only time I really watch the broadcast networks is the news, sporting events, the occasional news magazine (20/20, etc.) and Jimmy Kimmel or Jimmy Fallon.

I'll second that TLC and Discovery are circling the drain. Once Discovery sold their soul for "John and Kate Plus 8" it was all over for them.

[ShiroiHikari]

We don't have cable or satellite. I have digital rabbit ears, but the only thing I can pick up is KOCO and sometimes OETA, but generally it cuts out so much that it's unwatchable. Most of the time I don't even bother with it.

If I do feel like watching a TV show, I get it from Netflix, or I watch it on Youtube if it's on there. To watch White Collar on USA, I go to my friend's house and watch it with her on her DVR.

If I did have cable, I'd probably just watch Food Network or Cooking Channel. Nothing else interests me enough. I used to like TLC but they're awful now.

[Dustin]

NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, FOX Sports, TNT, Discovery, Science, Nat Geo, History, Food Network, SyFy, FX, BBC America, Bravo, HBO, Showtime.

[OKCisOK4me]

OKCisOK4me,
What I watch is only available on cable/satellite so I pay the price. It's a matter of priorities I suppose, I pay about $75 for the three or four channels I watch and as a retiree on a fixed income, I could spend that money much wiser, but it is my entertainment, so that counts for something. When I'm not traveling, it's my main source.
C. T.

To each their own...Cheers!

[BBatesokc]

... I have digital rabbit ears, but the only thing I can pick up is KOCO and sometimes OETA, but generally it cuts out so much that it's unwatchable. ...

FYI - all 'rabbit ears' are digital/HD antennas. You probably already knew that, but some people don't and get confused. Prices on regular old antennas went up when they repackaged them as 'HD' or 'Digital' - but they are the same one's that have been around for decades.

I was actually shocked how good the picture was when we disconnected our cable and plugged in an old antenna that had been on some old 13" TV we'd had for about 17 years.

We've decided that about once or twice a year we'll just do Netflix for a month and catch up on some of the shows we used to watch and then cancel and do it again 6 months later.

[MsProudSooner]

HGTV
PBS
BBC America
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPNU
FoxSports
History Channel
TMC (Love my old movies)
Discover
TLC
Animal Planet (occasionally)
I watch very little of the network programming except for Once Upon a Time.

[zookeeper]

FYI - all 'rabbit ears' are digital/HD antennas. You probably already knew that, but some people don't and get confused. Prices on regular old antennas went up when they repackaged them as 'HD' or 'Digital' - but they are the same one's that have been around for decades.

I was actually shocked how good the picture was when we disconnected our cable and plugged in an old antenna that had been on some old 13" TV we'd had for about 17 years.

We've decided that about once or twice a year we'll just do Netflix for a month and catch up on some of the shows we used to watch and then cancel and do it again 6 months later.

When you do the Netflix a couple of times a year, do you get the largest package and get a bunch of DVDs at once, or do you just stream? I'm about to drop Netflix for DVDs, I use the streaming all the time but when I go to get a mailed DVD, there's always a short wait or some other message. When they tried to spin off the DVD part of Netflix, they made it clear they don't really want the DVD business. For me, the streaming gets a B+ but mailed DVDs get a D.

[MsProudSooner]

When you do the Netflix a couple of times a year, do you get the largest package and get a bunch of DVDs at once, or do you just stream? I'm about to drop Netflix for DVDs, I use the streaming all the time but when I go to get a mailed DVD, there's always a short wait or some other message. When they tried to spin off the DVD part of Netflix, they made it clear they don't really want the DVD business. For me, the streaming gets a B+ but mailed DVDs get a D.

I don't like the DVD option as much as live streaming, but some things just aren't available for live streaming. If they can send out DVDs, why can't they live stream the same movie?

[poe]

I tend to stick with ABC, but when I do venture out, I usually end up on Food Network, Cooking Channel, HGTV, Smithsonian, or National Geographic (and all of those are pushing it). Not really a huge fan of TV. I think all of the specialized channels are going the way of MTV; starting out cool with good intentions, but then changing their programming to squeeze into a niche for some horrible reality show and ratings. Case in point: A&E.

[OKCisOK4me]

I don't like the DVD option as much as live streaming, but some things just aren't available for live streaming. If they can send out DVDs, why can't they live stream the same movie?

I hardly rent movies for a cost, if I do, it's going to Redbox, and in the event that the title isn't available there or a Family Video, then I'll just order it through Amazon Instant View on my PS3. Really can't go wrong with all the options available.

[corwin1968]

I've got about a dozen channels programmed as "favorite" and that's pretty much all I watch, although I couldn't name them all. I watch almost nothing live but instead DVR certain shows and watch them at my convenience.

VH1Classic: By far the most watched. Classic Albums and Behind the Music are my favorite shows. I also read band bio's.
History Channel
Military Channel
HGTV
Food Network
TLC/Discover may be on there as well.

I only follow two regular series: Big Bang Theory & Two and Half Men.

I probably watch less than one hour of TV per day.

Edit: Forgot to add that we do subscribe to HBO when "Game of Thrones" and "True Blood" are in season.