TV alternatives worth discovering

Published 1:05 pm Tuesday, June 23, 2009

We returned from vacation to discover that we have entirely lost our television reception. I had converter boxes ready, but the DTV signals are too weak in our area, so the channels we still receive are unwa-wa-wa-watchable. Now we enjoy our favorite shows when we choose on hula.com — without all the commercials. Our TV sets are now screens for DVD movies or Wii games. The constant junk television background has disappeared and we don’t miss it.

Six years ago, during the WHL hockey finals, we discovered the radio in our living room. This “home theater” system was often used as audio for DVD movies and occasionally for playing CDs, but Game 7 in Kelowna found my entire family sitting around the forgotten AM tuner. The scene was a flashback to a previous generation listening to FDR’s fireside chats together — and we won!

Mobile phones have changed the way we do business. Now when I e-mail a customer, they receive it immediately on their Blackberry. My phone is also my camera, my notebook and my wristwatch. The eldest of our five children has begun reading books again. For $1 he purchased 10 classic novels for his iPhone. He recently read “A Tale of Two Cities,” “Call of the Wild” and “The Count of Monte Cristo” on his phone. Isn’t that wonderful!

I think I may enjoy life after television. My wireless laptop grants me instant access to the largest library of information ever assembled. I can keep track of the Mars Rovers (Spirit is still stuck in soft ground), check the traffic on live webcams, and communicate with friends around the globe. And I click onto Heraldnet.com to read Nick Patterson’s latest blog, too. But just like my family rediscovered that radio in our living room, we now have an added appreciation for our morning newspaper. I feel very fortunate to have a quality local paper delivered daily. I read and enjoy every page, including the advertisements. Goodbye TV, don’t forget to write!

Craig Wood

Arlington