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Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

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Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#281

Post by marcosdumay »

manishsharan wrote: post #213
kaybe wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd argue that news is not for kids, unless it is specifically tailored to them (eg the German public kids TV channel has special kids news (and no ads)). It is easier to learn about the world's problems from less explicit sources. News can be worse than horror films, which are at least known to be fictional.

I would take a more nuanced approach: I agree that Kindergardeners are probably better off without news. But maybe 2nd graders and up should be exposed to the news . Most of the images on evening newscasts are normally sanitized ; they are definitely not at par with horror films. Filtering out images of hunger, poverty and suffering will lead to a ignorance and denial about these issues when they grow up.

Well, try explaining for a 2nd grader the concept of nuclear weapons, and why people seem afraid of NK having them.

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#282

Post by zerocrates »

lev99 wrote: post #186
guitarsteve wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure if it's significant to the statistics, but Comcast has always given me an internet+cable package for cheaper than the internet by itself. So for my household, the cable box is just a big electronic coupon.

That smells fishy to me. I'd look for hidden fees and watch for price increases.

Fees for things like local channels and local sports are endemic now, and it seems the current stealth price increase in vogue is increased fees for mandatory equipment rental.

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#283

Post by sytelus »

alwaysnotright wrote: post #203

I watched a lot of TV and commercials as a young kid on Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney channels, commercials ranging from baby dolls, batman and Lego. I wanted a lot of the stuff they showed on TV, and I got gifted a lot, but not everything. I come from a middle class norwegian family which meant that we could afford a lot of toys and stuff, but not everything at once. I don't think it influenced me that muc…

It's not about ads making you want stuff, it's about ads setting a frame of reference for your kids. For example, ad for Barbie would may teach kids that looking beautiful is very important. Or ads for bazooka may teach that having and operating guns is fun. Or that simply collecting something is cool. It is not a secret how Disney has ruined lives of countless little girls by continually brainwashing them about being princess whose sole purpose is to look good and attract a prince. They have had massive contribution in turning off little girls from pursuing intellectual endeavors. Ads are teaching your kids what should be desirable and what is good for them.

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#285

Post by znpy »

Okay so here i am, jumping on the "look at me, no tv in more than five years!" train.

I don't even own a tv. When i visit my parents and watch tv, quite frankly, it's 95% trash + 5% stuff i have already seen on the Internet (but badly translated in my native language).

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#286

Post by icantdrive55 »

telekid wrote: post #190
labster wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, the commercials are the best part of watching The Big Bang Theory . Much better to spend a few minutes imagining how cool I would be if I just owned Product X rather than see a nerd minstrel show with an annoying laugh track.

…really? "Nerd minstrel show?" Ah yes, we poor nerds, overcoming centuries of repressive awkwardness and desk jobs.

He worded it harshly, but it's the horrid acting.

I always thought if the producers didn't snag a young Penny, there would be no show today. She carried that show for years. And yes--I just liked looking at her, in the beginning.

The actor who plays Sheldon might be the luckiest actor ever. (I like the guy, but just a awful actor. I don't think it's just the role either.)

And Leonard. I don't get it, because he was so good on that show with Barr?

I think it's the writing, and overhanded directors?

Never figured out why it's so popular in the USA. I understand it being popular overseas. They watch it with a different standard than we do. I don't think they can spot the intricacies of bad acting? Then again, most of you probally love the show?

To be fair, the actors that got better with time:

Penny was always a solid actor.

The other blond got better.

The actress who played Blossom got better.

The engineer got better. The guy who went to space.

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#287

Post by nasredin »

JetSpiegel wrote: post #264
eloisant wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still prefer to watch Frank Underwood telling me how good Monument Valley is than having my show stop and sit in front of old fashioned ads.

At least ads are honest and you can tune out. Product Placement is like a landmine, I'm watching the show when they spring an ad out of the blue and kill any semblance of suspension of disbelief.

Anytime I notice an overtly blatant product placement (e.g. 3 second shot of a logo), I feel like I discovered a mole (as in double agent).

There's a certain feeling of "Gotcha! I still got it. Can't full me, Diet Coke".

Also good shows and movies do not do this. Never once noticed product placement in The Wire or Breaking Bad, Pontiac Aztec notwithstanding.

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#288

Post by zerocrates »

scott_karana wrote: post #157
herbst wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is simply not true, firstly most cartoons and anime, but also other shows that come with a higher budget seem to be able to avoid product placements.

Didn't Hasbro and Tomy create Transformers explicitly as a marketing/ sales vehicle?

Transformers, G.I. Joe, Strawberry Shortcake, He-Man, My Little Pony... all either toys first or simultaneously created as toys. Usuaslly a good giveaway is when Hasbro or Mattel is mysteriously the creator of the show.

Of course this isn't just a Western phenomenon, the video game/anime/movie/card game/merchandise extravaganza that is and always was Pokemon being probably the best single example.

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#289

Post by PakG1 »

jacobolus wrote: post #206
telekid wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

…really? "Nerd minstrel show?" Ah yes, we poor nerds, overcoming centuries of repressive awkwardness and desk jobs.

Maybe an analogy in poor taste, but the premise of BBT is basically “look how many negative stereotypes of scientists and engineers we can get our audience to point and laugh at, if we take our lazy awkward mean-spirited writing and put a laugh track over the top”. Try searching for versions with laugh track removed to get a better sense of the writing per se without the extra emotional manipulation. Compare with Sil…

I find this sentiment interesting. I find BBT hilarious and identify with the characters. I often drag my wife to watch a specific BBT episode to get her to understand the way I think or understand the way I was in the past before I met her. I don't find it demeaning at all. I often find it hilarious and say, "yeah, that's me right there!" I see myself in Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard all of them. Raj, not so much. I haven't watched enough of The IT Crowd that people here on HN cite as being a better show to know what I think of it. The few clips I've seen on YouTube, I've only seen the IT Crowd characters being bullied more than I ever saw BBT characters get bullied. It's probably a biased sample, maybe those clips are at the top of the list because people like to watch nerds get bullied? I don't know. All I know is that I don't get all the hate towards BBT.

Re: Kids in ‘Netflix Only’ Homes Saved from 230 Hours of Commercials a Year

#290

Post by 1337biz »

neals wrote: post #5

I accidentally watched some TV the other day. Having not seen any regular programming for at least a year, I was amazed at how much ... dumber it has become. Also, why did we sit through so many commercials for so long? It feel a little like a twilight zone episode, where we sit there watching a box telling us what to buy.

What I am having trouble with is how to argue the switch for people like my parents who are not interested in any fictional content. Netflix and Amazon have still very little (talk, game, political) shows, the reporting is mostly not day-to-day and so on. They would probably watch five documentaries that are relevant to their interest, a few classical concerts but then what?
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