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When asking friends of mine how they spend their time at home after work, many of their replies among others are “watching TV”.

I also have a TV and like watching it. However, the time to spend watching TV nowadays is definitely less than several years ago.

I tried to figure out why it has become so and my views are as follows.

– No original programmes but only variety shows (and quiz shows) with similar concepts.

– Internet news sites are sufficient to update daily news.

– Most of the drama series are televised based on best-selling novels, mangas, or other original books. Hardly any original script is written and dedicated to a TV programme (stories are already known in other forms so they are no longer exciting)

I am not well aware of other TV worlds than that of Japan but we have too many variety shows as well as cooking programmes.

It is still bearable if those programmes air at one channel but the current situation is rather different. TV companies compete with each other to air programmes with similar concepts and pictures. Therefore you come across such similar programmes even though you flip channels.

I happened to obtain interesting data the other day.

A result of a questionnaire, “how do you see today’s TV programmes on the whole in comparison with those in the past?”, is informative.

More interesting: 6.7%
No change: 15.8%
No fun: 71.2%
Do not know: 6.3%
(Respondents number 174,805)

Surprisingly, over 70% answered the TV programmes today are no fun and some of the reasons are;

“Many of the variety shows are often vulgar. I do not feel like watching them.”

“All the shows seem stuck in a rut”

“Our entertainment now vary and we have more ways and sources to access to information”

It seems I am not the only Japanese who perceives there are too many variety shows are on the air…

And “our today’s diverse pastime” probably refers to facebook or twitter widespread even more by smart phones, more choices for different courses (more schools in the niche area other than standard sport gyms or language schools)

There are of course some interesting programmes with its originality so this does not mean all the TV programmes are boring but many people seem to end up with staying away from TV because of too many negative aspects of the current situation.

How about TV programmes in your country? People are spending less time watching TV like us? I am very curious to know and would be happy to know your opinion!  😉

Source: Web R25

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