However, a large percentage of viewers are deeply dissatisfied when it
comes to the overall quality of programmes. And this is pretty ironic.
thanks to services such as cable and freesat,
we now have hundreds of different channels to choose from. However,
even with such an amazing array of channels, it can often seem as if
there is precious little to watch.

For a great many of us, the
Golden Age of TV appears to have been and gone. British television was
once home to some truly wonderful programmes, but this is sadly no
longer the case. These days a great many of our shows have a distinctly
American feel about them. It often seems as if all Britishness has been
sucked from our programmes and that we are left with nothing more than
a husk that is devoid of any real charm or personality. Of course,
there is nothing wrong with American television programmes; it’s just
that British ones should not be created to look like something they are
not.

Another major contributor in the downfall of quality TV is
the Reality Virus. Several years ago, our major channels discovered
that ‘reality shows’ were an incredibly popular and lucrative idea. And
since then we have been subjected to an ever-increasing amount of them.
Television schedules are now rife with reality-based programmes;
‘celebs’ made to suffer unpleasant things, ‘real-life’ shows about the
police, talent shows featuring ‘real people’, it all seems never-ending.

‘Reality’
television has taken-off in a truly big way and it really is a
broadcaster’s dream. It can all be put together on a shoe-string budget
and there are always plenty of people willing to make asses of
themselves in exchange for a brief two minutes of fame! The only
problem is that Reality TV leaves the more discerning viewer feeling
cold. It may be cheap to make, but it is also cheap to watch. It is
shallow, hollow and, much of the time, utterly pointless. All in all,
Reality television shows are the furthest you could get from the
much-loved programmes of years gone by.

Exactly what will happen
with our television programmes in the future remains unclear. The
Americanisation of our shows is still in full swing and many viewers
continue to gorge themselves quite happily on ‘Reality’. And there are
also other factors to be considered; a wide fall in programme
standards, ‘comedians’ who cannot raise a laugh without employing
crudity, endless boring repeats and a lack of genuinely intelligent
programmes.

It is all a terrible shame when we are surrounded by
such amazing home entertainment equipment. The only thing we lack is a
reason to bother switching it on.

Freesat HD news and information. More information on our products can be found online including our latest offers including discounted B grade items which offer fantastic value, contact details and company information can be found at http://www.maplin.co.uk.