Do you keep TV on for long periods?

We have it on for two hours each evening to watch programmes we have recorded. It would drive me mad if someone put it on all day . I do not even listen to the radio now . Alexa reads me a kindle book for about an hour before I go to bed and about tea time I ask her to read the news headlines . This covers UK news , local news and world news. If I am in the kitchen for a long time like ironing I play one of my classic music playlists from Amazon . We spen most of our down time reading .

My DH puts the TV on first thing in the morning. He likes to watch the news , I wouldn't mind so much if when he had watched what he wanted he would turn it off or at least down! Instead he disappears to do a job - lawn cutting etc . and leaves the TV on!! Drives me mad 😡 akin to noise pollution!!! I enjoy quiet time. I turn it off and within an hour it's on again , always too loud as he is hard of hearing . Was finally persuaded to use a hearing aid - never uses them because of course he does not have a hearing loss !!!! Fortunately we have other rooms I can escape to a d have a peaceful read.

I never watch TV. The news is pure propaganda. Hubby is hard of hearing and loves channel hopping. I prefer to spend time on the computer, lots of newsletters to read, play mahjong and solitaire, chat to family and friends in South Africa. I also enjoy documentary films.

Our TV is on most of the day, often on my own during the week, I dip in and out and use it as company, often though I’ll turn it off and out on some music or the radio I like the background noise ! My mum was always appalled ! TV in their house put on at 6pm for the news then only in for selected programmes

I’m a radio listener during the day although I do record radio programmes and listen through the TV.

I hate eating alone so usually have iplayer on for an hour at lunchtime and again for my evening meal. The TV is off then till later in the evening.

I don't understand the way that some seem to almost see a moral dimension to watching TV. What's the difference between watching a film and reading a book? Both are escapism and can sometimes be educational or entertaining. Similarly, what's the difference between watching TV at 2.00pm and 8.00pm? These days it's not about there being a difference in the programming, as so much is 'on demand'.

As I said upthread, whereas I resist self-imposed rules myself I do realise that others need to impose a structure on their days, and that's fine - I just don't understand why, or why these rules often seem to be seen as 'standards' that have to be maintained, with a sense of 'failure' if they are not. Each to their own, obviously, but I am interested, so if can anyone explain it I'd like to know .

Only when mum in law is staying. Then it goes on at 9am and stays on til bedtime. Sends me coocoo!

We sometimes put the TV on for the lunchtime news but mostly it doesn’t go on until 7.30ish. If we have visitors it gets switched off. If we get phone calls it goes on mute or paused. One absolutely unbreakable rule is that there is NEVER TV on Christmas Day. This has passed down from my grandparents who always told us it was a family day, no need for TV - we never missed it - always had fun, as my grandchildren do these days.

I don't like the TV on on Christmas Day, but now that we've got different generations with different ways all there at once, it is more difficult. I relent in the evening, when everyone has often had enough of interacting (), but as often as not as soon as I leave the room my mum puts it on, even though there is nothing worth watching.

As DAB reception here is not too good I listen to Planet Rock radio all day through tv. Cannot stand too much quiet as I have Tinnitus. So my favourite music on all day distracts from it, thank you Planet Rock 😄

It’s all the same noise - radio or TV, whether you have your diversion on some of the time or all the time. Airwaves noise.

Some people cannot concentrate on their reading, puzzling, cooking, computing if there is ANY noise. The radio silence itself is a distraction for me and I wonder how people operate in a vacuum without music or human voices.

It’s easy for me to tune things out. I have a friend who cannot tolerate having noise competition - it interfere’s with her ADHD.

Here, something is on all the time as background - I prefer that in my daily existence, and so does my cat - even when I’m gone, it’s on to keep her company. 😺
USA Gundy

Bel9v3d turns the TV on when she gets up, until we go to bed, the turns the bededroom one. I've no idea when she turns it off, I'm asleep by then

I watch too much TV and often have it on all day. Even if I'm not watching it I like the background noise. If it is off I hear every noise and feel quite unsettled as I live in a big old creaky house!

I must be an," unwanted caller " , biglouis.
I'm a GP . I'm ancient now and no longer do home visits but I often found that the TV was on at every visit and no one went to switch it off.
It made conversation, history taking and listening to hearts , lungs etc nigh on impossible.
Trying to ask for the thing to be turned down/ off usually resulted in mucky looks !

My husband has it on all bl**dy day, and then he sleeps through most of the programmes. But he wakes up of I turn it down or change the channel

TV is on in the early morning as I wake very early and like to hear the news from Sky and BBC. It stays on until about 10.30 as I potter about then switched off as I get busier or go out. I try not to have it on again until 6pm or so and it stays on all evening until I go to bed which is late. I am a poor sleeper so the TV in my bedroom will lull me to sleep. I know that so called ‘experts’ would throw up their hands in horror at the perils of ‘blue light’ and suggest whale sounds or some such thing instead, but my mind is so busy I can never relax fully without a bit of trite nonsense to wind me down. The TV is wonderful company as I live alone and I can happily read, do puzzles and sew with it burbling away unheeded in the background!

If I am home then the tv is on - since my husband died I don't like sitting here in silence, although sometimes I listen to music instead (and mute the tv lol!). I usually have the news channel on, half listening whilst I am on my computer, iPad or phone. I only watch properly late at night when I stream a movie or episode of a boxset before bed. My husband always liked the tv on constantly, even if he wasn't watching it, and I have picked up the habit - plus its company of a sort. My tv also nags me periodically - I have to press a button to stop it automatically switching off.

I find tv on in the daytime profoundly depressing, even though I live alone. It smacks of Abandon all Hope, that there’s nothing else in life to get on with.
It goes on in the daytime for a royal wedding/funeral or something similar, but I keep it for the evening after my meal and then I really enjoy it as I have been looking forward to watching the latest episode of whatever series I’m currently watching.

My DH has tinnitus, have found tv in background at a certain volume helps , so I can tell how bad it is on a day to day level. On by 10am bad day the weather plays a big part in tv use on nice dry when we can leave house for a couple of hours it can be 6pm , but in winter when his heath is not so good it can be on for 16 hours in 24 I have learned how to tune out .

The more I hear about “some” threads on MN the gladder I am that I take no part in it.
What a strange thing for Mums - who are presumably busy with juggling jobs, children , the home and a social life and who I cannot imagine would need neither to watch TV all day or indeed talk about it. ]

Nobody 'needs' to watch TV, but why shouldn't they if they want to?

As I say, I really don't understand the need for moralising over things like this.

I hate TV with a passion, and would only have it on for specific programmes...my husband, sadly, puts it on at 9am and it stays on until 11pm/12pm. If people visit it is muted or occasionally turned off

My DH has a TV on from 8.30 am - 11.30pm unless he is out of the house. Sometimes I am cajoled into watching with him but it's such a waste of time.

I rarely watch TV these days, but even when I did I only put it on for specific programs. I hate erroneous noise, it really gets to me. Usually I listen to music, audio books or podcasts via my echo dots, or earbuds. TV rarely gets a look in.