Keeping up with the Jones'?

[birdie1971]

Listening to Radio 2 today, one female DJ referred to Freeview TV (as opposed to Sky TV) as 'poor people's TV'. This wasn't a slip of the tongue - she repeated the phrase about three times and even quantified it by saying that people who didn't have Sky TV were, by definition, poor.

Is this a new form of social snobbery based on your willingness or ability to pay for Sky?

[birdie1971]

Thanks for all the responses. It was Zoe Ball by the way – standing in for Ken Bruce on Radio 2 in the morning.

I really grated on me that some people think that not having Sky is a measure of one's wealth. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in my indignation. Like many others, I can easily afford it but chose not to do so; mainly because the additional channels that Sky provides don't really float my boat (with the possible exception of Discovery) but mostly because I would rather eat my own ear-wax than knowingly give News International my hard earned money.

It reminded me of a conversation I had with my brother a couple of years ago. He told me he was getting Sky and I asked him why (as both he and his wife work very long hours and don't watch very much TV). He replied that he was getting it so that his son (then aged about 8) wouldn't be ridiculed by the other Sky possessing children at his expensive, privately funded school.

I was dumbfounded. And saddened.

[albaqwerty]

As you said Birdie, keeping up with the Jones'

It's sad when folk need to feel that they have to spend money (whether they can afford it or not)

We went to some lengths to get internet for our children when they were at school. I don't think they suffered because we didn't have sky.

[modeller]

There are programmes on Freeview/sat which you cant get on Sky unless you pay extra.
Gromit I was surprised at your comment //I think the dishes are ugly,// because they are far less obtrusive than normal TV aerials stuck all over our roofs. In fact many of them can be positioned at ground level. My daughters dish is just leaning against her fence. Freesat also uses dishes.. Ordinary aerials have to be up high because they have to be within line of sight of the transmitter but dishes can be very low down just tipped up a bit to the eastern sky . I believe it is only a matter of time before most old type roof aerials will disappear.
As for Sky I have their basic free channels. I would like a couple of the pay for channels Discovery and Geographic but you have to buy a whole package most of which are free on Freeview/sat , which I already have.

[chris1957au]

Free view? how much is the licence fee in the uk now days, sure isn't free