COMMENTS FROM A VIDIOT

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1))

Yesterday morning a I drove along Hartford Street, Framingham, I noticed a 1960s style wooden console television set on the sidewalk with a “FREE” sign on it.  Boy, did that take me back.  When my wife and I got married back in 1982, a television sales and repair friend of ours named Dick Lawless gave us a 1967 RCA color console television set.  I moved that set to Framingham in 1987 and used it until it died in 1989.  I know those sets are anything BUT “high tech” but I kind of miss them!

I don’t know if he made up the word or not, but our Neilsen guy once referred to himself as a “Vidiot”.  Yes, I said our Neilsen guy.  We were once a household in the Neilsen T.V. ratings.  You’re absolutely not supposed to tell anybody you’re in the ratings, but since we HAVEN’T been since February 1997, I suppose it’s O.K. now.  Among many born-again Christians it tends to be the “in” thing to have only one television set in the house and to only watch Christian programs, news programs, and occasional sports programs.  I must admit I often feel uncomfortable among my evangelical Christian peers because we have several sets and are big T.V. watchers.  Thus, although chosen entirely by random, we made a good Nielsen family.  Well, I guess we’re Vidiots, but considering my kids all have done outstanding in school, with very good grades, very good S.A.T. scores, etc., I don’t think it's done any harm.  

I look forward to this season of the year because it’s when the new shows start.  I can’t wait to watch “The Office” on Thursday night and see how things worked out between Jim and Pam.  Like my son, I’m excited that “Lost” will be back on ABC in October.  There WAS a sad bit of news this week, however.  Boston’s WHDH-TV Channel 7 became the latest major market network affiliate to buy out and essentially absorb a competitor, that being WLVI Channel 56.  For anyone who is excited about the new CW network being on 56, don’t panic.  They’ll continue to run all the CW programming, but the Channel 56 Dorchester studio and operations center will be sold, a number of folks will be laid off, a few will be rehired at Channel 7, and what used to be the Channel 56 news at 10 will become the Channel 7 news at 10 on Channel 56.  That sort of thing is already done in RhodeIsland where FOX affiliate Channel 64 is just “Channel 12 light” as it’s owned by Channel 12, and in fact Channel 12 results of the R.I. primary were simultaneously covered last week on both 12 and 64.  Yup, there’s less and less choice out there.  What was it Bruce Springstein said, “Fifty-seven channels and nothing on”?

Although I’m a pretty conservative Republican, when it comes to this kind of stuff, I’m a flaming liberal.  I usually HATE mergers and consolidations because inevitably the public loses!  Example:  banking in New England.  Example:  The MetroWest Daily News bought The Framingham TAB a few years ago, and now they’re essentially the same paper.  Example:  Shaws bought the Star Market chain a few years ago and now Star Market is just a Shaws with a Star Market sign out front.  

Well, I’m getting tired?  What’s on T.V.?!