The Steady Decline of Cable Television Programming

Over the last decade there has been an obvious decline in quality television programming. While a moral indictment of Hollywood would be easy to conjure up, this is really more of a nostalgic view of the way things used to look on cable.

The Weather Channel
Remember when The Weather Channel actually reported on the weather? Nine times out of ten I turn to TWC and find "Storm Stories" - a series documenting weather-related catastrophes from years ago. Now if I wanted to watch a series recounting historic events I would watch a channel dedicated to that - like maybe the History Channel. When I want weather forecasts I would like to turn to The Weather Channel. Seems logical, doesn't it? And what about the other series they run "It Could Happen Tomorrow." Who cares what could happen. I want to know what is going to happen tomorrow. I am sure the show is a favorite with the tree-hugging, global warming whackos, but for the rest of us it is simply an interruption from the local radar views we so crave.

ESPN
The other day I was sitting around with nothing to watch but series reruns and I thought I would flip over to the all-sports network. I saw a dozen or so adults feverishly stuffing their faces with hotdogs. Please explain how this is a sport? When I was a kid I used to say that it wasn't a sport unless you sweat and hit something (preferably each other, as in football). These gluttonous fools were sweating profusely so I guess the argument could be made. Sometimes late at night I even see poker on ESPN. Poker is hardly a sport. What happened to the late-night programming selections such as the replay of the 1992 MLB playoffs, or that Denver playoff game where John Elway led the Broncos on "The Drive?" Now that was quality entertainment for the sports enthusiast.

MTV
Growing up my mother was convinced MTV was a tool of the devil. I thought it was pretty harmless myself, but I didn't watch much of it when she was in the house. Now that I am grown with kids of my own I have discovered Mom was right! MTV has some of the most disgusting programming on television, and the fact that it is dedicated to marketing to our youth is most troubling. Remember when Music Television actually played...music? Now MTV features shows like "My Super Sweet 16" where little snot-nosed brats get lavish sweet-sixteen parties running in the tens of thousands of dollars. The party is a complete bust if there isn't a new BMW waiting outside. What exactly is this doing to further the collective moral compass of our youth?

Disney Channel
My daughter loves the Disney Channel, but any time I sit down to watch it I find myself liking it less and less. How many Disney movies can you name where both parents are alive? Hard to remember one isn't it? Not Cinderella. Not Nemo. Not even Bambi. Even their regular programming plays up the broken family model. Hanna Montana's mother is deceased. The Suite Life kids run around a hotel without a dad in sight. I know families split and parents die, but do we have to sensitize kids to it at such an early age?