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The Dengler Domain: Cable

ESPN, MTV, Comedy Central, the list goes on and on. Cable television has been a staple of television landscape for thirty-some years. These channels consist of everything from food to traveling to history. While so many channels exist, it can be hard to find a satisfactory channel in the time of need. Cable is meeting its demise in favor of a la carte style television a la Netflix. A time existed when cable was not a part of society. This time was when ABC, NBC and CBS ruled the airwaves and Fox was yet to be born from Rupert Murdoch’s mind.

I lived without cable for most of my early life but not to the extreme of never seeing cable. The biggest shows growing up on basic television were Saturdays with Pokmon and the college football games. I experienced cable television via my grandparents. Before being picked up on the big, yellow school bus, Rugrats would be on the television. Children twenty years before me did not have this experience and the absence of cable in this situation would have been unique.

Without cable television, television viewers were devoid of a mass selection of television. The channels were similar to one another, and no channel existed only for music, comedy or a specific niche. Individuals like producers, writers, actors had a harder time grabbing a piece of the television industry pie. This lack of diversity in individuals and channels would be scary because a small number of humans and companies controlled the television industry. Ironically, this is where television is heading in today’s society with a streamlined, pick channels/show format. History does repeat itself.

A counterpoint towards the lack of diversity is the talent on these channels was the cream of the crop. With a lack of avenues into the television industry, the very best and hardest working actors, writers and producers were rewarded. The highest quality of television entertainment was being produced because the best people in television were on the shows. It is like players on an MLB roster. They rose above many other minor leaguers to be a part of the best professional league. With the absence of cable television, the talent was not spread out across channels like FX, Comedy Central, and AMC. All of the talent was located within the confines of ABC, NBC and CBS allowing the best to be with the very best.

Life without cable television meant enjoying other parts of life. At times, I wasted my late nights watching old shows, movies on cable. Without cable television, this wastefulness could be avoided. Going to sleep at practical time and getting a full night of sleep or meeting up with friends at the local watering hole could replace this bad habit. No cable television forces a person to be creative with their time.

Living without cable television is a unique form of life older generations experienced while cheap twenty year olds starting to experience due to the rising cost of cable. I am on the side of no cable television because life is not meant for this much television. While I could not live with only three television channels, it would be fun to try for a week. Afterwards, I will rush back to modern time and flip through fifty channels to not find one good channel. While everyone complains about having too few or too many channels, it is all relative. If that is confusing, there is a show on cable about that.

Email Sean with your thoughts and ideas for future columns at: sean.h.dengler@gmail.com

The Dengler Domain: Cable

ESPN, MTV, Comedy Central, the list goes on and on. Cable television has been a staple of television landscape for thirty-some years. These channels consist of everything from food to traveling to history. While so many channels exist, it can be hard to find a satisfactory channel in the time of need. Cable is meeting its demise in favor of a la carte style television a la Netflix. A time existed when cable was not a part of society. This time was when ABC, NBC and CBS ruled the airwaves and Fox was yet to be born from Rupert Murdoch’s mind.

I lived without cable for most of my early life but not to the extreme of never seeing cable. The biggest shows growing up on basic television were Saturdays with Pokmon and the college football games. I experienced cable television via my grandparents. Before being picked up on the big, yellow school bus, Rugrats would be on the television. Children twenty years before me did not have this experience and the absence of cable in this situation would have been unique.

Without cable television, television viewers were devoid of a mass selection of television. The channels were similar to one another, and no channel existed only for music, comedy or a specific niche. Individuals like producers, writers, actors had a harder time grabbing a piece of the television industry pie. This lack of diversity in individuals and channels would be scary because a small number of humans and companies controlled the television industry. Ironically, this is where television is heading in today’s society with a streamlined, pick channels/show format. History does repeat itself.

A counterpoint towards the lack of diversity is the talent on these channels was the cream of the crop. With a lack of avenues into the television industry, the very best and hardest working actors, writers and producers were rewarded. The highest quality of television entertainment was being produced because the best people in television were on the shows. It is like players on an MLB roster. They rose above many other minor leaguers to be a part of the best professional league. With the absence of cable television, the talent was not spread out across channels like FX, Comedy Central, and AMC. All of the talent was located within the confines of ABC, NBC and CBS allowing the best to be with the very best.

Life without cable television meant enjoying other parts of life. At times, I wasted my late nights watching old shows, movies on cable. Without cable television, this wastefulness could be avoided. Going to sleep at practical time and getting a full night of sleep or meeting up with friends at the local watering hole could replace this bad habit. No cable television forces a person to be creative with their time.

Living without cable television is a unique form of life older generations experienced while cheap twenty year olds starting to experience due to the rising cost of cable. I am on the side of no cable television because life is not meant for this much television. While I could not live with only three television channels, it would be fun to try for a week. Afterwards, I will rush back to modern time and flip through fifty channels to not find one good channel. While everyone complains about having too few or too many channels, it is all relative. If that is confusing, there is a show on cable about that.

Email Sean with your thoughts and ideas for future columns at: sean.h.dengler@gmail.com