Free TV!

 

Many people my age remember when TV was black and white with limited channels. Fewer remember the fight in California to keep TV free. 

I had friends who had large console TV’s. Some even had color TV’s. Though the colors were often very weird and seemed to need constant adjustment, I envied those who saw the full weekly spectrum in the Wonderful World of Disney. For years, the only way I knew the difference between Kansas and opening the door of Munchkin Land was the change in the images' sharpness. 

Skim through social media, and you will often find posts about old shows and limited channels. What channels those were, depended a lot on the local geography. 

If you look closely at the photo of our house, you will see part of our antenna in the upper left corner. This was our bigger, better antenna. When we first moved in, we brought along our smaller one from Santa Monica. My dad mounted it on the roof by the chimney. Our small TV was on top of the stereo cabinet in that corner of the living room.

One day he was trying to position it for better reception, with my mom calling “better” or “worse” out the window. He just couldn’t get good reception for his baseball game. He got so frustrated, he picked it up and threw it on the hillside. Suddenly the picture cleared. The antenna stayed on the side of the hill, slowly getting bent by winds and passing animals. When my dad replaced it, he got the sturdier antenna planted on a firm support. 

That was probably about the time that the “FREE TV, yes on 15” signs went up. It was a proposed initiative in California to block paid and subscription TV services. It won the vote, but later lost in court. 

We had a chance, no matter how slim. But how many of us would be willing to return to the limits of locally broadcast programs? Cable was out of the budget when my boys were young. They eventually stopped yelling “I want my MTV” and got their music video fix at friends houses. 

I admit that I like the world of options I have through the internet. I’m particularly fond of access to humorous who-dun-it’s from the UK and related countries. Yikes, but when you add up the cost. Between service providers and subscription streaming, it can bring on huge attacks of “remember when.” 

Yesterday California had one proposition on the ballot. That was the only choice we had to make this year. The people spoke a loud “Yes!” It will be a few days before we know the full tally.  In this current political climate, the courts are called in on almost every such choice. The threats began even before the polls closed. I hope the people’s votes stand.

Note: if you would like to know more about the Free TV initiative, I suggest this link:

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_15,_Prohibition_of_Paid_Television_Programming_Initiative_(1964)