Does Anyone Actually WATCH Religious TV, Like EWTN Or Whatever?

[amberpi]

Yes, I would love a la carte programming too.

But if I had to guess why they do this...besides money...it's for the example you gave. Since there is such a wide variety of sports, they lump together all kinds of channels that show a large number of different things. I totally get that women's college lacrosse is obscure for most, but DD9 is a lacrosse player and actually gets very excited when those games are on. My boys look for mens' lacrosse games. To say it mildly, soccer isn't my thing, but I know that its' fan base is pretty loyal. When we scroll through those odd sports channels surfing for lacrosse games, we see they're broadcasting things like college bowling, mens downhill curling, mixed doubles cross country ballroom dancing, underwater basket weaving, and I'm thinking , but somewhere, someone is watching...I guess. But I totally agree the sports channels with Dish can be frustrating. I can watch college bowling, but can't watch my Philadelphia Phillies, unless I pay a kings' ransom...and even then I'm not guaranteed to see all the games.

I wish that I could get the entire "non sportsball" package.

 

[rastahomie]

I can watch college bowling, but can't watch my Philadelphia Phillies, unless I pay a kings' ransom...and even then I'm not guaranteed to see all the games.

Don't get me started on blackouts. The Cubs are playing the Cards at Busch Stadium, so MLB blacks out the game in the St. Louis market because they'd rather I buy a ticket to the game instead of watching it at home. Sure, I'll just drive two hours, fight off traffic, find a parking spot, pay dearly for it, buy a scalped ticket at a 2000 percent markup, and sit in the hot sun.

Great idea, MLB.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

Nope. I set up a favorite channels list and delete all the shopping, religious, and other channels I don't care about from the list so I don't have to thumb through them.

 

[*Cinderelly*]

Nope, I do exactly the same thing you did and delete all the unwanted channels like the religious ones, Spanish and other Language Channels and such.

 

[soccerdad72]

I have gone through and deleted all the bilingual channels, religious channels, public channel and music channels off of mine. I read an explanation of why those channels are tacked on and how it would actually cost more if they weren't and it made sense at the time. I'm just glad I can remove them from the guide and don't have scroll through them anymore.

I've read somewhere that a number of channels are a bundled package for the carrier (Dish, Comcast, etc.) so they get 14 different channels that nobody watches for the 1 or 2 that people actually do (or something like that).

Where's tvguy when you need him?

 

[rastahomie]

Where's tvguy when you need him?

He was at my house at 8:00 this morning, drinking my coffee and installing my new Dish DVR (the old one got fried by a lightning strike last Sunday).

 

[javeyloveschelsi]

Not Catholic here, but we are religious. We have dish but generally speaking we don't watch any religious channels. I will occasionally turn them on for the kids if Veggie Tales or there is a kids monster truck themed cartoon on there my son likes, but that is about it. I don't mind INSP or UP, but they only show themes that are generally Christian based, not actual sermons or anything like that, but it's mostly shows that if I walk out of the room, I don't have to worry about what the kids are watching...

 

[RedAngie]

About 30+ years ago, I would sometimes watch Jim and Tammy Bakker's PTL show for laughs.

There was another guy who ran a similar religious clip-joint show that fleeced the faithful flock, but he wasn't nearly as entertaining as the Bakkers. The IRS eventually caught up with him as well.

Sometimes I'll come across a Catholic Mass on one of the Spanish channels and I'll watch for a few minutes.

 

[scrhsa]

I watch EWTN..well...religiously . Seriously, I watch it all the time. It was, also, very instrumental during my conversion.

 

[rastahomie]

I watch EWTN..well...religiously .

I see what you did there.

 

[willowsnn3]

About 30+ years ago, I would sometimes watch Jim and Tammy Bakker's PTL show for laughs.

I was so in awe of Tammy Faye!! Never knew what she was talking about cause I was just so awed by the hair and makeup.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't watch them but I will say oddly enough there have been some movies that I have randomly found and enjoyed that are shown on the BYU channel.

If we're watching a channel late enough the 700 Club comes on (as it is shown on various channels) but we don't watch that.

I know my mom used to watch Joel Osteen in the past. She did that for a while then stopped.

Some of my grandmother's neighbors but also my grandmother watch stuff like that when they are unable to make it to the mass or when mass wasn't able to happen that is held in the main area of the senior living facility my grandmother is at.

 

[pcstang]

Yes, I would love a la carte programming too.

But if I had to guess why they do this...besides money...it's for the example you gave. Since there is such a wide variety of sports, they lump together all kinds of channels that show a large number of different things. I totally get that women's college lacrosse is obscure for most, but DD9 is a lacrosse player and actually gets very excited when those games are on. My boys look for mens' lacrosse games. To say it mildly, soccer isn't my thing, but I know that its' fan base is pretty loyal. When we scroll through those odd sports channels surfing for lacrosse games, we see they're broadcasting things like college bowling, mens downhill curling, mixed doubles cross country ballroom dancing, underwater basket weaving, and I'm thinking , but somewhere, someone is watching...I guess. But I totally agree the sports channels with Dish can be frustrating. I can watch college bowling, but can't watch my Philadelphia Phillies, unless I pay a kings' ransom...and even then I'm not guaranteed to see all the games.

Nope, don't watch the religious channels. I switched to dish and there are two horse racing channels. Really?!?! The explanation is that they are packaged to stay on the air. If no one watches get ride of them! Hopefully, as others have stated, ala carte will happen sooner than later. If it wasn't for live sports I wouldn't have satellite. I had Netflix free for a year. I let it expire...every single time I searched for a movie, nope, not available. Complete garbage in my opinion.

 

[Southernmiss]

I know parishioners who watch EWTN regularly. I will watch if there's a new pope or something special happening. But haven't watched since the current pope was installed.

For the last 2 years of my grandmother's life, she was too frail to get her to church. Her caregivers turned on EWTN for the Mass and Rosary. For those that are truly homebound, I think it's a good option.

 

[Kitty 34]

About 30+ years ago, I would sometimes watch Jim and Tammy Bakker's PTL show for laughs.

There was another guy who ran a similar religious clip-joint show that fleeced the faithful flock, but he wasn't nearly as entertaining as the Bakkers. The IRS eventually caught up with him as well.

Sometimes I'll come across a Catholic Mass on one of the Spanish channels and I'll watch for a few minutes.

Gosh.....weren't they fun to watch!!!

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I watch the up channel

 

[wenrob]

Gosh.....weren't they fun to watch!!!

Even more entertaining once they got busted. Tammy Faye's giant, mascara tinged, crocodile tears were not to be missed.

 

[mom2rtk]

My grandma loved having the Catholic channel. After my grandpa died, she liked going to daily mass and loved having it available on TV the days she couldn't get out. It was very comforting to her.

 

[disneypofq05]

I don't know any of the channels you listed but we have a local Catholic channel. They have a cooking show that is hosted by someone from the church that I sometimes watch. I've gotten some good recipes off the show. They also have restaurant owners/chefs sharing recipes and I've found a couple of new restaurants. I don't watch anything else on the channel.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I went through a period of discernment in my early-mid twenties when I thought I might want to be a nun. I watched EWTN very closely, because the channel is run by an order of Poor Clares and they used to be on all the time. That, along with volunteering at my church and going to daily Mass helped me make my decision after a few years that it wasn't for me. I've done a complete 180 since then-I don't go to Mass at all anymore, although I still say a daily Rosary and pray all the time. I'm just not Religious material.