Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirtel
To my mind, it's not really the device (after all, one can watch cable TV on a tablet as well, so my mention of a tablet was more of a joke), but the program. I've always thought of TV as a fixed program, where I can't really choose what I watch. Or when, except within the limits of a fixed period (a week with my cable subscription). Yes, I can change channels, but the program is still pre-determined on another channel as well. With streaming services I can choose whatever I want to watch or when, even months after the initial release. So I've never thought of them as television. Perhaps there's something different about TV in the US, the selection between different providers and channels is almost certainly bigger.
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I think the mix of available services has blurred the lines to the point that how / where / when one watches doesn't define the type of content itself anymore, if that makes sense. I have Youtube TV. The channels are live, like regular TV, but there is also a lot of on-demand content, plus it comes with unlimited DVR with recordings that don't expire for 9 months, so I can record and either watch the new stuff from that week or wait and binge at my leisure.
I watch a ton of TV compared to some. Sometimes I tell my roommate, "I'm watching my shows!" and I realize I sound just like my mom and grandmother did when I was a kid. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
