I used to be a news junkie....

[chillfactor]

I am on Mountian Time.....used to watch CNN until 2pm then switched to MSNBC when Nicole came on.....and stayed with them until Brian went off the air. Then switched back to CNN to catch Anderson, Chris, and Don on reruns. Being retired I could stay up until the middle of the night. Then news became too depressing.....so full of hate and anger. So since Hallmark began running Christmas movies that is where my TV channels sit. I check in here a couple times a day to see if anything of interest is happening but other then that I just ignore politics. Blood pressure down, more relaxed, just plain happier these days.

[sarcasmo]

1. Better for your blood pressure.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

2. Good idea to give it a break

I do that too when it gets too annoying.

[lindysalsagal]

3. I cut the cord. Don't miss network tv at all. DU is my news source.

Life is better.

[Xavier Breath]

4. I used to be a faithful Rachel watcher

especially up to and immediately after the election. It was appointment television. But it all has gotten to be too much, as you stated. Now, instead of Rachel at 9:00, I'm watching an ep of the five broadcast Star Trek series, slowly going though each one. It's much easier to fall asleep afterward, that's for sure.

[PoliticAverse]

5. The psychological impact of negative TV news bulletins: The catastrophizing of personal worries

https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2044-8295.1997.tb02622.x

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of the emotional content of television news programmes on mood state and the catastrophizing of personal worries. Three groups were shown 14-min TV news bulletins that were edited to display either positive-, neutral- or negative-valenced material. Participants who watched the negatively valenced bulletin showed increases in both anxious and sad mood, and also showed a significant increase in the tendency to catastrophize a personal worry. The results are consistent with those theories of worry that implicate negative mood as a causal factor in facilitating worrisome thought. They also suggest that negatively valenced TV news programmes can exacerbate a range of personal concerns that are not specifically relevant to the content of the programme.

[nolabear]

45. Amen to that. It's equally injurious and compelling.

The compulsion is the same as it appears in OCD--you obsess about the things that "news" programs make catastrophic, and are compelled to come back again and again to confirm what you're seeing and to protect yourself from that thing that doesn't really exist.

I know these things but I'm terrible about succumbing to it.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. I used to love most of the mysteries on Hallmark. Never the...

Crime Story/Walter Winchell hysteria, just decent story telling.

You can keep the love stories, too much like the romance books.

[Shermann]

7. I watch CNN for the prescription drug commercials

Some of those are really good!

I'm not sure what Otezla is for, but I'm pretty sure I need to be put on a regimen. I'm going to show more of me. Watch out Zoom!

[LeftInTX]

13. Hah!!! Yes, if you want drug commercials, you need CNN!

[Mme. Defarge]

20. I'm so old I can remember when

drug companies were not allowed to advertise prescription drugs on television or radio. OTC treatments were another matter, as in Geritol for tired blood.

[Shermann]

25. I believe that is still the case in most of Europe nt

[NBachers]

27. Like Carter's Little Liver Pills

[llmart]

56. Right there with you.

If we put enough pressure on them, maybe they'd be outlawed once again, like smoking.

Geritol - my grandfather used to swear by it. I think it was because of the alcohol content though.

[Evolve Dammit]

35. "Side effects may include death." Love that one. Rest of world doesn't hear this shit.

[SallyHemmings]

8. It's too exhausting

Those who need to watch actual news don't. Those of who do are bald from pulling our collective hair out.

I'm a sports fan. I just wish people spent as much time on the records of their elected leaders as they do with their Fantasy Leagues.

I record Rachael and check in with Way too Early, now that dreaded Hunt is gone.

At this stage of the game, there will be a news alert when tfg finally chokes on a cheeseburger.

Enjoy the Hallmark Channel, it brings my best friend joy.

[NewHendoLib]

9. we turned TV off 17 years ago. we just watch movies/series.

much better for the mood.

We are having a great time binging "Silent Witness" on Amazon - 23 seasons!!!! We are nearly done. Great stuff - British crime series. No one does it better.

[catchnrelease]

42. I'm with you

I only watch 2 shows on regular tv and when they're over I'm gone. Otherwise I'm all in for the British mysteries and crime series. I keep eyeing Silent Witness...I figure with 23 seasons it will keep me going for awhile, lol. I have Acorn, BritBox and PBS, so if there is a UK series out there, I'm covered. (Just started a new one called McDonald and Dodds, from 2020. Pretty typical but with a little different scenario of the characters) I've also found the Scandinavian series are very good for a change of countryside so to speak!

With only a few exceptions,US tv just doesn't compare.

[msfiddlestix]

60. I love British Mysteries/Crime over American

But can't afford to subscribe to Acorn etc. But when I see something on Prime or Hoopla I generally enjoy most of them. I've seen the title to Silent Witness, but I don't think I've tried it. Right now I'm watching the entire series of Foyle's War for the 5th or 6th time since it started broadcasting here , first on PBS some years ago. I love that one.

I try to find most any film based on Le Carre's novels. I've watched Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (and listened to audio book) so many times I can just about recite most of the lines. I wish someone would make a film on Legacy of Spies. Night Watchman is really excellent.

By the way, is Silent Witness the series set in Australia?

[catchnrelease]

65. Cutting cable saved me a ton

When I dropped cable subscription it saved me a lot of money monthly, so I went ahead and signed up for Acorn and more recently Britbox--they are relatively cheap at $5 and $6 a month each.

I haven't watched Silent Witness yet, so not sure where it is set, I assumed it was the UK.

[Demovictory9]

62. I watched most of silent witness it's good. I think I started about 5 years in because the very

first ones seemed dated... with the screen being a bit blurry

[LeftInTX]

10. We got rid of cable when Spectrum removed Turner Classical Movies...

Turned it on one day, and TCM was gone from the line up. (We could have gotten it back with an upgrade, but f, that_

Hubby said, "That's the last straw" and we cancelled...

I do watch CBSN on my Roku. It's also available on cable. (CBS News 24 hours...More news, less opinion, less hype, less commercials)
It's much more calmer and it doesn't "suck you in"

[SWBTATTReg]

11. As you are finding, the 24 hour news cycle is a danger and I find that some channels over-inflate

the news cycles/news just to juice up the ratings. Sometimes I don't even think its no longer news if they actually change the tone of the reporting, change the drama of each news item, etc. just to spruce up things and thus jack up their ratings.

I don't, like you, watch the news cycles, as it tends to suck one into a morass or bog. You are better off. As you do, I basically put on my Xfiles/etc., or watch other movies that I enjoy far more, that I have recordings or/CDs of...it's far more enjoyable.

[dem4decades]

12. I'll turn it back on when Trump and some of his henchmen/women get indicted. Not planning on it.

[msfiddlestix]

61. ✔️

[Woodswalker]

14. I'm watching

All in the family
Seinfeld
Honeymooners.. Box sets

[hunter]

15. My wife and I quit traditional television a long time ago.

We read all our news and stream many enjoyable movies and television series without commercials.

[XanaDUer2]

16. Me too

Not been watching as much. I feel the narratives are anti-Dems or Biden.

I have my YouTube favorite channels to watch. I do miss Nicolle

[kairos12]

17. I watch reruns of the topical and

uplifting “The Walking Dead.”

I picture the zombies as MAGA COVIDIOTS.

[blueinredohio]

18. I watch Investigation Discovery most of the time.

Watch local news for the weather and Rachel.

[stillcool]

19. back in the day, we watched CNN 24/7

the 2000 election, really kicked the habit into high gear, but we haven't been able to tolerate any national news-type television in years. Hard enough to read it. There is so little 'news'. Same stuff reappears as if it just happened. These are strange times, just waiting for next. Don't know if I'll recognize it when it appears.

[zuul]

21. Me too.

I stopped watching when they turned on President Biden.

[Hortensis]

22. Smart. People who watch CNN and MSNBC as their news sources

test better than Fox viewers, of course, but don't test very much better for knowledge of their world than people who don't watch any news. Choosing for mental balance is a good trade.

[a kennedy]

23. Yup, been watching all my old favorite tv shows.....Mary Tyler Moore, Dick van Dyke,

Ed Sullivan, the show Decades. I just can’t do political shows anymore, start watching Nichole and Rachel and only last about 15 - 20minutes. Although have been watching the two trials on tv, just not any political shows.

[nitpicker]

24. I put the local classical music station onto one of my car radio buttons

When I get fed up with the news stations reviewing McAuliffe's defeat One More Time, I change the channel.

[gainesvillenole]

26. I stopped watching any cable "news" after Election Day 2016

Just too depressing. Went back to reading a lot, and when I do watch TV it’s sports, one of the Discovery channels (Science, Discovery or History) and a LOT of MeTV.
I rely on my local newspaper, NYT, Washington Post for news and New Yorker, Atlantic or Vanity Fair for more in depth perspective…. And of course Democratic Underground!
I’m a better man for it! 💁🏻‍♂️😎🤗

[young_at_heart]

28. This is my story, also!

I could have written this....including the Hallmark Christmas movies! I've been blaming it on my age (82) but I see now that this horrible situation is all over the country for everyone. The stress and the depression is overwhelming.

[BigmanPigman]

29. Bad and scary news sells.

This is one of the main reasons why Americans over estimate the real number of crimes. In the 90s "real cop" TV shows also added to the misconception that murderers are hiding everywhere and you must be fearful and armed. TV news companies and the NRA are thrilled to overblow the real amount of dangers in order to gain more wealth and they can buy politicians.

[IbogaProject]

30. TV Viewing is intelligence reducing

TV Viewing offers such a low amount of information per hour it is actually intelligence reducing to any other activity. The study I read years ago may have been with the old TVs and the frequency they ran at may have been a factor. I have always preferred reading and music or spoken word for travel.

[Jon King]

31. We record every new Hallmark movie, then watch and comment how awful and predictable they are!

Got to say we love the Hallmark movies as a family, but with a little different spin on them. Love that there is no violence or bad words for the kids but we kind of have a running commentary during the entire movie. From the miscasting, 50 year olds trying to pass for 35, actors reacting to their next line before the other one even finishes, to being able to predict when things will go wrong and magically be fixed during the final 8 minutes....a good time had by all of us!!

[secondwind]

32. You are not alone. Same here!

[irisblue]

33. Music, I've been listening to lots of new to me music. BBC to the US

overnight to the US broadcasts have been enlightening and kept me sort of up to speed.

[DownriverDem]

34. Don't care for Hallmark, but

read mainly about the news instead of watching it now a days.

[Evolve Dammit]

36. The hard part is... I don't feel like I'm doing my "patriotic duty" if I don't stay informed.

[TNNurse]

37. We quit watching TV news almost exclusively.

We first stopped Rachel (though we love her) but found we were having trouble going to sleep.

We catch local news for the weather and see things online.

It helped that our satellite company went to war with Tegna and so we have not had NBC for over a month. We just check online.

We watch old TV shows, some new series and read.

[Hamlette]

38. it was much more fun when everyone was yelling at Republicans

the media sometimes see themselves as a check on power so they go after the party in power.

I stopped watching news many weeks ago.

[slightlv]

39. I use TV to escape from news...

mostly TNT thru the day. From Supernatural to Bones. Than multiple Star Treks at night on the "Heroes and Icons" channel. A lot of time, the TV is on just for noise in the background while hubby and I work on hobbies or I'm cleaning house, etc. Works for us. If we intentionally watch TV news, it's gonna be Rachael. She's about the only one we really trust. Her -- and our local weatherman (gryn).

[bmorenutty]

40. Same here!

Every week-day i used to watch Chris Hayes, Rachel Maddow, Don Lemon and sometimes Lawrence O'Donnell then a few months ago, (after I saw Rachel Maddow makes thirty million dollars a year) I quit all of them cold turkey! Not sure why I got sucked in the first place but I'm glad I made my way out! Now I enjoy watching Fail Army on Pluto!

[marble falls]

57. So, how do you get your information?

[Mr.Bill]

41. When we get tired of the news,

my wife and I go to the food or home and garden channels.

[OMGWTF]

43. We love Hallmark Christmas Movies so Much I Made Up a Drinking Game

[Cha]

44. Hey.. that sounds like

me with The Hallmark Channel.. too early for Christmas movies, though.

But I stopped watching M$$$M in Nov 2002.. and Started DU.

[solara]

46. Wow.. I am totally with you

I'm doing the exact same thing you are and I live in NM, too.

Feeling a lot more relaxed & happier too. I always come to DU, always have; especially in times like these, though to be fair, I don't believe things have ever really been where they seem to be now.

But, it's always good to connect with like minds. One of the many reasons I love DU.

[Ligyron]

47. When I turn the idiot box on, the 1st thing I'd watch was news.

Usually…

But not lately, mostly it stays off except for Netflix.

Now I find myself wincing if i consider punching up the usual MSNBC or CNN.

Walked by a news rack when out buying a turkey etc. and had to laff … it was all headlines of how Inflation was all Biden’s fault and destroying “his”’agenda.

Sometimes I think we’re screwed.

Good time to be old.

[Joinfortmill]

48. I hear you

[Cha]

49. PS I thought I was the

only one.

Got a 403 my last attempt.

[brooklynite]

50. We're you perhaps overdoing it in the first place?

I never watch news channels in the evening, and have no emotional attachments to the news personalities on any channel.

[BobTheSubgenius]

51. I can surely see your point, and it's great that the change in habit has worked so well for you.

You should come over and watch Hallmark movies with my wife. If one is being aired, it's on at our house, for sure.

Bit of a commute, though. At least one time zone west, and north...I don't know how far.

[emiami]

52. Overwhelming Distress. Remembering Sophie Scholl on Veterans Day

The relief we are searching for will only come with defeating the propaganda and unfortunately joining the fight in whatever capacity called for to protect the vulnerable targets of this new republican party fascist hate. We mustn't succumb to the numbing and false peace of hiding our heads in the sand. The sadness, despair and ineffectiveness we are experiencing is all a well documented technique to exhaust, and subdue us .

[Thunderbeast]

53. I now take long train rides through beautiful countries

Several meditative trips available on YouTube.

St. Moritz to Turin:

[Demovictory9]

63. i watch the walking tours

[iemanja]

54. I don't watch cable news anymore

It was far too anxiety producing. There is something about the noise level. I now restrict my news consumption to the print media.

[mcar]

55. I am you

but not all day.

I watched CNN for several hours each night and the PBS Newshour.

I've seen neither for more than a month.

I listen to CNN or MSNBC on Sirius XM in the car for a few minutes here and there but then they annoy me so I go to music.

They are intent on pushing RW talking points; desperately want Biden to fail; lie about inflation; all but ignore the good jobs numbers and stock market - and wonder why their viewer numbers are dropping like stones.

[msfiddlestix]

58. ✔️

Me too. Until post jan 6th. Loved the Inaugeration, and the early press conferences with our new team.

But shut it down completely mot too long after that. Turned that waste of time and emotion to my music almost completely.

However I do come here for current events and hoping to find headlines that say something to the effect of : "Charged and Convicted for Treason and High Crimes" against a wide range of characters of the last "administration" starting with the TFG, Ghouliani, and everyone else connected to the planning and commission of Jan 6th, and attempts to overturn the election.

But everyday for the past 10 months I come here to find those headlines but haven't seen them yet.

[Kahuna]

59. 100% same. nt

[Demovictory9]

64. i cut way back also... came to realization that I can't control it. i can do my part - vote, donate

volunteer, educate others but other than that... I can't keep millions from loving their racist orange POS leader. so no point in dwelling on it.