Chicken bald back

[Chortle Chook]

I admit we watch TV most evenings between 9 and 10 - we being me, OH and all the dogs. Sometimes I wish we didn't and would love to get rid of the TV especially as that hour is often all I see of OH. When we moved house we had 2 blissful weeks without it and I wouldn't mind having things more like that again On the other hand, I don't think I could live without my radio I wake to Oxford Radio, work to radio 4, cook to Planet Rock and drive to Classic FM

[Goosey Lucy]

If I had to choose, the radio would win every time.

[yvonne]

In Iceland there used to be a TV-free night every week in the fairly recent past - I think the idea was to encourage passing on of folk tales, songs etc. Great idea, but sadly no longer possible thanks to satellite, cable etc - if only I had the willpower to impose one on myself, but I always just shove on the "box" for some easy entertainment.

[yvonne]

Hmmm... just googled Icelandic TV and can find no reference to the "TV-free day" I mentioned above - starting to think whoever told me this (in Iceland) may have been "pulling my plonker " - Sorry (sounded such a good idea too !)

[soapdragon]

Can I add Reading? I'd far, far rather have my nose in a book than listen to radio or watch telly! That said, its not something that you can do whilst doing anything else, obviously, so on that basis I'll go for radio

[Grandmashazzie]

I think I prefer T V when watching with someone but if I'm on my own I prefer to listen to radio but as said previously a good book wins over both.

[Chortle Chook]

Agreed - I love a good book too

[Olly]

If I could only choose one, radio. I don't watch a lot of TV but I would miss Downton and a few other things. I grew up in a house without a TV and although it sometimes left me feeling a bit left-out at school, I did so many things - crafts, games, reading - that I wouldn't have done otherwise. I'm also a lifelong Archers addict, so I'd have to choose radio if you could only have one!

[Gertie]

I'd love to limit my telly consumption. Radio is my fave. I listen to stories & features on radio 4 & 4 extra. Reading at bedtime is brilliant. Trouble is I'm so zonked after my 12 hour days I can't focus on anything but the telly. It does limit conversation with partner too.

Much time is spent on devices in my house as well.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I really only have the radio on in the car, and then it's for music. I am a dreadful station-hopper and start jumping stations as soon as the annoying bloke talks over the top of the music and ruins everything

 

At home I have the TV on - only first thing in the morning for breakfast news and then in evening. I am ashamed to say that I rarely watch any programmes properly though - I usually have at least half an eye on some forum or other, website, e-mails or Facebook.

 

I go through phases of reading. At the moment I've got a few books on my Kindle waiting to be started but I'm not really in the mood at the moment. However, when I do pick them up to start reading, I will probably zip through a whole stack of books in a few weeks. Then I probably won't read anything again for ages!

[chickencam]

I would choose radio every time. My television viewing was very restricted whilst I was growing up, I then watched quite a lot for a few years when I left home, just because I could, but I always come back to radio. We have a largish lounge with a dining room off it separated by sliding doors. About 10 years ago my OH suggested bringing the dining tanked into the lounge and moving the tv into the dining room. It was the best thing that we ever did. We eat as a family then settle on the sofas for a chat before tiding up, and if we want to watch tv we have to make a conscious effort to move rooms. It does also mean that if one person wants to watch, it doesn't dominate the family space.

 

I don't watch much tv, I have the radio on as company during the day, and love listening to something light when preparing Sunday lunch. I grew up listening to radio 4 with its dramatisations and comedy shows and of course The Archers, then I moved in my own time to radio 1 and local commercial radio in my teens. Funnily enough I don't listen to the radio in the car, I prefer CDs when driving, maybe they are less distracting.

 

I also love to read, but I am easily distracted by my iPad.

[The Dogmother]

I think I am notorious for not watching TV weeks can go by without our 20 year old 14" colour portable going on. In the winter I will watch Strictly though, but mostly don't have the time to sit down and watch it 'properly', preferring to get the ironing done whilst it is on.

 

I have Smooth Radio on while I am getting dressed in the morning and a local station for the travel when I drive to work. I love reading and used to get loads done, but I am still trying to get through a really good book that I started in the summer.... I keep falling asleep

[merlina]

At the moment, I'm loving television. Having grown up where what we were allowed to watch was severely curtailed and some programmes we were made to watch, I didn't get a tele when I left home (couldn't afford one anyway!).

Over the years there were a couple of decrepit TVs with poor signal that were more trouble to watch than they were worth.

Most recently I lived with someone who despised TV and we didn't have one in the house. Now I'm back on my own, I splashed out, for the first time in my life, on a new television. I have discovered a strange passion for daytime TV and all kinds of junk - I expect the novelty will pall soon tho

 

Can't abide commercial radio - the ads are just too grating. For background noise in the kitchen and when driving, I'm quite fond of Radio 2. It also has the only music I (mostly) like

[Cinnamon]

We watch TV every night, migrating from the living room to the bedroom around 9ish, now that the nights are darker.

There is some brilliant stuff on at the moment: 'The Blacklist', 'Homeland', 'Downton Abbey', 'Sleepy Hollow' & 'Atlantis' are faves, plus we are watching 'Breaking Bad' on DVD.

 

On my days at home I generally have the radio on as I potter around the house - always Absolute Radio, which I love as it plays the sort of music I like & has some excellent shows like Geoff Lloyd at Teatime

 

I read every night after TV time too, & usually for an hour or so during the day. Can't be without a book on the go!

[bluekarin]

Hmmm... just googled Icelandic TV and can find no reference to the "TV-free day" I mentioned above - starting to think whoever told me this (in Iceland) may have been "pulling my plonker " - Sorry (sounded such a good idea too !)

 

Nope, you aren't wrong

 

http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question21710.html

 

I listen to the radio all day (6Music) and its on the radio in the kitchen and on the tv in the living room, so no matter what I am doing, I don't miss anything. I would love to get rid of tv, or at least terrestrial as we love watching films, but there are quite a few programmes I love watching, like Grand Designs, GBBO, Masterchef, One Born Every Min, 24 Hours in A&E, Sherlock, Dr Who, plus a few more. Sometimes there are little gems which I have no idea they are on until I come across them. The most recent one was Saturday night on BBC2 The National Theatre 50th anniversary. Really interesting, and got to see some things I never would normally. But if you feel you don't need it, keep it off for a time to see if everyone else misses it and then go from there.

[yvonne]

Thanks so much Bluekarin, that's exactly what I remembered ! (not a senior moment - phew !).

I think it's great to have a choice of TV for cold nights, radio for daytime and the car and a good book for bedtime and occasional wet weekends.

We are lucky to live in a country with so much free/cheap access to generally good quality info and entertainment.

[PurpleTree]

Definitely the radio/music every time. The kids have cbeebies/cbbc on after school, but as soon as they go to bed the telly goes off. I usually read/crochet/paint in the evenings & hubby listens to music or fiddles on his laptop. We do like watching films though, we have a tv in our room but it's only for watching Apple TV or DVDs although I do have a habit of falling asleep if it's getting late.

 

I have Radio 2 on in the mornings when I'm waking up & getting dressed.

[jacquiefrost]

it would be a book for me too, if given the choice. I also love nothing better than complete silence! It not often that i get that, i work in a school and also have 3 children, so sitting in silence is quite a novelty!

[Janepie33]

Both! And books too. But not all at the same time.

[Space Chick]

Radio would win hands down

 

Whilst we watch TV, more often than not its DVDs or documentaries (although Pointless and Eastenders are guilty pleasures )

 

However, Radio is a big part of our lives...... Radio 4 to wake up to, Chris Evans on Radio 2 on the way to work, drive on Radio 5 on the way home. Sat morning is always radio in the background with Danny Baker and whether it's red sauce, brown sauce or no sauce at all in the sausage sandwich game I can't imagine not having a radio.

 

Just asked hubby and he said TV, but only because sky has radio channels when I told him it didn't work like that, he asked "why can't I use my imitative" First time for everything I guess