Changing Channel

I don’t think I have watched a TV program other than sport or the news in the last three years. I no longer sit down on the lounge to watch a TV series or Saturday night movie, my TV watching habits are limited to live sport and twenty minutes of the news over dinner.

However this is only in recent years, when I was younger I would watch all different TV shows, with the TV being my only real insight into different cultures, countries, and ideas. Mum and I would watch ‘Home and Away’ every night, same time, and I’d become invested in the stories as they were somewhat relatable being set in Australia. I also liked ‘The Big Bang Theory’ as a sort of look into the American culture, whilst being a comedy and a somewhat educational show all in one.

Netflix and YouTube have changed the way in which I now consume media. Netflix in particular has opened up a range of TV shows that I would never been exposed to watching regular Australian channels. Shows like ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘The Inbetweeners’ have exposed me to vastly different cultures whilst still being entertaining.

When researching as to why a lot of Australians gravitate to TV shows produced in other countries, mainly the US and UK, I came across as forum of people discussing the matter- https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1802558

Many pointed out the sheer size, power, and money that US and UK media organisations have to produce content, in comparison to those based in Australia.

This seems to be why the shows that gain the most attention such as ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ are produced outside of Australia, however I don’t necessarily see this as a bad thing. The more content that is able to be shared around the world the better, it not only creates a global connection between fans, but also gives an insight into different cultures and ideas.

The more TV content from around the world available to Australians, the greater the viewing experience is.