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This one may be controversial, but keep an open mind as becoming a TV free home opens up a world of possibilities.
In 2010, we moved into a unit where the lounge room was with big enough to be a social area or a TV viewing area. We opted to have a social area, removed the TV and never looked back.
Why be a TV free home?
- TV programming seems to follow a restricted range of themes and ideas which is a great way to keep you thinking inside the box.
- Cable TV can be very expensive for what you get.
- The average Australian watches 3 hours of TV a day, imagine what you could do with this free time?
- Quality programming from some state and community broadcasters can be the exception to this, luckily these broadcasters in Australia often have online streaming and on demand viewing options.
- Movies can be borrowed online, from friends for your occasional fix.
- For these purposes, a laptop or tablet that you already have makes a good occasional use TV; just place it on the coffee table when you want to watch something.
It’s no coincidence that some of our “out of the box” thinking came shortly after we got rid of the TV:
- We have more time to read widely.
- Have spent more time learning useful skills.
- Have more quality time with people.
- Are no longer bombarded by advertising in a very sacred communal part of our home.
- Traded TV entertainment for learning musical instruments.
- Traded watching sport for getting outdoors.
- Our lounge room is for living, not centred around a TV.
- We use our laptop as a TV for the times we want to watch a program or movie.
- Podcasts and community radio programs are great to listen to when doing stuff around the home.
- Provided that its use is minimised, the internet can do everything a TV can plus more.
- See The low tech internet for ways to avoid substituting TV time for online time.
In a world where large flat screen TVs dominate lounge rooms, being a TV free home is unorthodox, yet it has the potential to free up more than just your lounge room. If you want to test the waters, just keep it off for a few weeks and try some of the alternatives mentioned here.