Don't Turn Off The TV This Week - Watch These Shows Instead
[a href="http://www.suite101.com/event.cfm/116"] [/a]In my last column, I spoke out against the notion of a "TV FREE AMERICA." I mentioned that you didn't have to watch something on television just because it was there and that I thought it was more practical to become a "discriminating" viewer. Finally, I promised some viewing suggestions for TV FREE WEEK that would benefit your entire family. Well, here they are. My suggestions are divided into times of the day as well as by days of the week. It should be noted that there are many more worthwhile programs than you will find in this column. However, these programs represent the "best of the best."
Best of all, the vast majority of them are also suitable for viewing by your entire family. My television viewing suggestions this week begin on April 24th, the first day of TV FREE WEEK.
Programs available on weekdays during the daytime hours: PBS is the leader in this field. Check your local listings for the times in your area for the following:
SESAME STREET - Burt, Ernie, Big Bird and the gang have been around for over two generations now. Even so, they continue to teach children how to count, spell, etc. Even more important, they teach "life lessons" on how to be the best person you can be.
MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD - Mister Rogers has aged over the years, but his stories and moral lessons are as valuable as ever. STORYTIME - The premise of this show is simple, but effective. Guest stars come in and read great stories to kids. Nothing beats having a great reader read a story to you.
WISHBONE> - Confidentially, even though this is supposed to be a "kids show," WISHBONE is one of my favorite programs on television. Wishbone and his human family help dramatize a different classic story every week. (For the uninitiated, Wishbone is a dog.)
Daytime isn't strictly just for kids though. OPRAH WINFREY is the best of the daytime talk shows. She avoids the trash topics of her counterparts and tries to focus on positive guests and topics. Her program is generally very uplifting. For newsjunkies, weeknight viewing should include the following programs:
NEWSHOUR and NIGHTLINE. These programs may also be of interest older kids and may spark family discussions on the major topics of the day. NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER - This PBS series, airing weeknights, examines the top headlines of the day. Instead of the usual 30-second soundbites found on most network news shows, however, NEWSHOUR features in-depth interviews with leading newsmakers. Check your local listings for the times in your area.
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