Television

[Mat]

Okay, so I've been wondering about this issue lately. Because in Polish TV (both commercial and noncommercial) aside from vast amount of Polish programmes there is a lot of American stuff aired, it seems like it kind of dominates. There are of course other programmes. German, French or Italian to name a few. But what I'd like to know is how does this look in other countries? Do you have a lot of 'non-native' productions?

[marval]

Hi Mat

Over here in the Uk we get a lot of American programmes on television. We don't get European programmes, it is mostly Uk or American ones. I do think American ones dominate in some places. We have channels over here that only have American shows, but they are digital and at the moment I can't watch them.

I must admit that there are very few programmes that I feel I must watch.

I suppose over here they think that foreign programmes, would be difficult in another language. We occasionally have foreign films with subtitles at the bottom, but it is hard to watch a film and enjoy it, when you are looking at the bottom of the screen to find out what they are saying.


Margaret

[Krummhorn]

Hi Mat,

Here in the states, we get a plethora of our own stuff (too much, imo). With over 150 digital channels (some people have more than that) all but a couple are all American TV.

We do get the BBC feeds - on our PBS stations (public broadcast - member supported - commercial free) Some of the best programming comes from the BBC, two of our favorites on Saturday nights are As Time Goes By and Waiting For God, both of course, were produced long ago, but still so very enjoyable.

Of course, the BBC also produces lots of classical music programs as well - some are simulcast with the proper FM radio feed for better listening pleasure.

[Mat]

I suppose over here they think that foreign programmes, would be difficult in another language. We occasionally have foreign films with subtitles at the bottom, but it is hard to watch a film and enjoy it, when you are looking at the bottom of the screen to find out what they are saying.

Margaret,

Well, there's always a solution. Dubbing that is. And here in Poland, very common way of translating foreign programmes into Polish, is done by one person (usually a male) who reads the dialogue list.

I find this solution to be the most comfortable and most neutral. The dubbing voices may not always fit the movie character, and subtitles can discract your attention from the show. So, reading dialogue list is, I think, somewhere between that.

[marval]

Hi Mat

Yes I think I would prefer dubbing, at least then you can watch the programme.
I would like to see more programmes from Europe, all we get is American. I think it would be interesting to see the sort of programmes other people watch.


And Krummhorn, I love Waiting For God and As Time Goes By, both very funny.


Margaret

[Krummhorn]

. . .
And Krummhorn, I love Waiting For God and As Time Goes By, both very funny.
Margaret

Are You Being Served is another fav of mine ... sometimes hard for us to understand the English dialect, but we get the general gist of what is being said, if not all the time, the exact words.

Another that we seldom see in our region is The Vicar of Dibley ... maybe it's on a rotation schedule with the others as they all are no longer in production, afaik.

[methodistgirl]

I don't watch tv any more because I don't have one. I usually watch
something on the net like you tube or talk to you guys and if you check
out my little collection of favorite videos.
judy tooley

[bluebird]

I'm too busy these days, and I don't have a time to watch TV....I got updated by surfing in the net....

[sunwaiter]

i always had tv back home with my family. now i'll soon have internet, if everything goes well, and so i believe i will watch some tv with my decoder on my pc. or maybe not.

in france the US rule mainly with series that display unlikely stories and more guns and violence than ever. there are so many of them, i mean now i couldn't tell you how much we've got on the main channels. french series have known a good period but now we talk about big business, and we know the US got the market. and today it's true that they invest big money in these series, short or longer, and hire movie actors, thing that almost never happened before.

otherwise, lots of "games" and stupid tv shows at prime-time. no more real litterature review ( as Bernard Pivot provided us until an already forgotten date ), no mor cultural or alternative programs as we had in the eighties and early nineties - i remember "liquid TV" ), mostly for music. there remains some cool animated series "for children" but most of all are chosen by program directors for their commercial potential and not for their artistic newness or beauty, of course. no challenge, no daring people in the french TV world.

[greatcyber]

It is the same in Canada as in the US. About a billion channels of US programming, including Law & Order in some incarnation, CSI in some incarnation and the reality genre, ad nauseum.

I was pleased to see "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" and they showed much more talent than they did early on in the states. I do miss History Civilization and those types of channels. It seems whenever I turn on the History channel here, there is ... Law & Order! (or a movie). But, there is the Canada Learning Channel and some others I have found for my daily dose of learning. And the Canadian Food Network has opened so many new doors of exploring food preparation for me and my husband.

I just set the PVR to record 2 new shows that are completely new to me: Little Britain and The Border (a Canadian series). I find that even though I enjoy tellie, I am watching less and spending more time on my computer trying to learn new software packages, to help me learn to speak French and to keep in touch with friends...like all of you here on MIMF!

[marval]

We get Law & Order and CSI here in the UK. All very well but it is repeat after repeat.

We are probably way behind the US.


Margaret

[Tûrwethiel]

Here in Oz we are inundated with TV shows made in America or following American leads, e.g. reality TV (which I really, really loathe!). Also lots of violent dramas and a plethora of programs designed to babysit children. I know people who've banned their toddlers from watching TV because the littlies started speaking with American accents. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course! Our government-owned national broadcaster does screen quite a few British shows, more often than the commercial stations anyway. I hardly watch free-to-air commercial TV any more and stick with Animal Planet, and the history and sci-fi channels. But then I'm a nerd.

[methodistgirl]

I don't really like reality shows. Some of them push their contestants
too hard. Sometimes one dies or if there is something the rest of the
gang don't like about that one that person gets kicked out and it's
all about winning a car or something valuable. I wouldn't put my health
at risk like that or danger I would get poisoned by something I ate.
The show I call it Dare is where the contestant has to eat rotten eggs
or spiders or even dive into blood makes me sick to watch.
judy tooley

[sunwaiter]

as for myself, i don't even see the point of discussing "reality shows", as they represent anything but certainly not reality.

all i can argue in favor of television, the way i watched it when younger, is that i got my movie culture from it, mostly american seventies and eighties classics, and that i had enough luck to see maybe the last really original and captivating programs made in france;

[greatcyber]

Yeah, the violence really sucks and is all over the US programming. What I have found so refreshing in Canada about tv is that even if someone says "damn" in a show or if there is ANYTHING in a show that MIGHT be considered questionable (even an educational programme that might discuss prophecies or religion) the show is preceeded by a warning that indicates language or that it is intended for an adult audience. I watched a show about Kabbalah last week and even IT had a warning.

I just love how gentler it seems to be here. But I, too, know several people who don't allow their kids or grandkids to watch tv. Some don't even own a set! I guess they figure there's always the internet. I have watched shows from all over the world online as well as frequently listen to radio shows from the Netherlands and different countries.

On rare ocassions I just want some mindless entertainment but mostly I prefer to see educational shows or a good movie.