Cable simply isn't worth the cost with all the other electronic services around; streaming video, high quality HDTV antennas, internet media, DVD's etc. I wouldn't have enough time to watch cable and they don't offer a la carte channels. Cable television is something I have lived without for almost a decade now. I don't miss it at all and have probably benefited from all those hours spent not watching television. This isn't to say cable television doesn't have its uses because it does. It is a source of information, a pass time, a potential baby sitter etc. It's just that for me, I don't benefit from any of those things. To illustrate why cable isn't for me, I provide the following reasons for my decisions with accompanying explanations.

I: HDTV ANTENNAS

Even with the conversion of television broadcasts from analog to digital, I don't need cable. The new HDTV antennas can pick up 30 channels or more. The upfront costs for these types of antennas and the signal converter box can be near $100.00, but after a couple of months they pay off. A really good HDTV and converter box can often pick up more channels than traditional antennas could with analog signals.

II: INTERNET

It's interesting to note that I stopped watching television at about the same time the internet emerged in the public sector. While this may not be the reason for not watching television, the internet certainly does take a lot of the time I may have spent watching television. What's more, for me the internet is more interesting and interactive. I can learn the same things on the internet as on television and soon television may be available on the internet.

III: NETWORK TELEVISION

Most of my favorite shows are on network anyhow. Football games, PBS and the occasional show are all I watch and have time for. Network offers all those things for the price of an antenna as mentioned in section I above. ABC, NBC, FOX, retro t.v., weather channel, international news channels, cooking shows etc. all with the right HDTV antenna!

IV: COSTS TOO MUCH

The $30-40.00 or so a month that I would spend on cable I can spend on things I find more interesting like the internet or a decent newspaper or a movie. For me cable is simply a waste of money. Also, $30 dollars is $360/year which is the cost of a new paint job on my car which I would value more.

V: TIME

Time is money. Time spent working, learning, writing, exercising etc. is all time I value. If I spend too much time watching television it makes me feel like a vegetable. For me, there is just too much else to do with my time than watch cable television for hours on end, 7 days a week. T.V is simply not that interesting for me. Yes there are some good shows on cable, but after weighing the pros and the cons of it all, it seems more like a time vacuum than I need.

VI: DVD's

Movies are more engaging and better produced than cable television shows in my opinion. I enjoy watching movies and because each movie is about 2 hours long that's about all the time I would want to spend staring at a screen. Plus with movies I can choose what I would like to watch rather than have the cable company choose my programming for me.

Everyone's reasons for watching or not watching cable television are different. While there are some shows that might be watching on the Sci-Fi channel or some sports events that may be available on cable that aren't available on network, the benefit does not outweigh the cost for me. I don't regret canceling cable and probably never will, until perhaps, if I have kids. Maybe then its value may once again reveal itself.

Learn more about this author, A.W. Berry.
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