New York – Terrie Williams doesn’t know anything about what’s coming up in this fall’s new television season. And she’s fine with that.
Williams, a mother of four from Richmond Park, Ill., is among the 62 percent of Americans who say that TV programs are getting worse, according to a poll by The Associated Press and AOL Television. Only 22 percent said that programs are getting better.
“They didn’t curse on TV like they do now,” said Williams, 38.
“My daughter is 19, and I am still uncomfortable watching things with her. It’s all about sex, sex, sex.”
TV networks seem more interested in separating people to watch different sets around the house instead of bringing families together, said Williams, who has fond memories of watching “The Waltons” long ago.
The likelihood of people believing TV is getting worse increases with age, the poll found. Nearly three-
quarters of people ages 65 and over believe in TV’s decline – not surprising with most networks relentlessly chasing the youthful demographic that advertisers pay a premium to reach.
Television historian Tim Brooks cautioned that there may be a “good old days” effect at work in those poll results – people who give a rosy tint to the past. Many critics believe that, because there are so many channels now, there are a lot more good things to choose from.
“It’s indicative of the love affair that people have with television,” said Brooks, a Lifetime executive. “As with the people you’re closest to, you’re always complaining. Complaining in a loving way, of course.”
That doesn’t mean networks should dismiss these poll results, especially now that people have so many entertainment choices, he said.
Eugene King, a designer from Philadelphia, may typify what Brooks means. King, 51, agreed that television isn’t what it used to be, yet can tick off all the things he likes to watch: “This Old House,” “Masterpiece Theater,” science-fiction programs, even Jerry Springer.
He’s aware enough to cite a specific new show – NBC’s “Journeyman” – that he’s eager to see. When pollsters asked which new shows people are most looking forward to seeing this fall, only 7 percent could name one.
Midwesterners are most likely to think TV shows are getting worse, the poll found.
And a startling 85 percent of white evangelical Christians who attend church at least once a week said TV is going downhill.
The poll found 71 percent of Americans believe there are too many reality shows on television, but that’s actually an improvement from the 80 percent who said the same thing in an AP-TV Guide poll in 2005.
Fewer than one American in 10 said they have watched a full-length television show over the Internet. For those under 30, it’s 14 percent, the poll found.
The poll found 28 percent of Americans say they would like to see more news on television, compared with 17 percent in the 2005 survey.
The poll was conducted by Ipsos and involved interviews with 1,204 adults from Aug. 24-26.
The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
