Red and Rover by Brian Basset for March 10, 2011

Isn’t Lassie on?

And you think it was bad back then? What would you think about what’s on TV today?

And not just on the soaps, puppybreath. Who told the sensors they could take this century off?

tv today is rubish read a good book or go for a walk it will be brtter then tv

Back then there was no daytime programming for kids. Then again, kids didn’t have a TV in their room back then either…

(You’re lucky, Red – at least you were never exposed to explicit “feminine protection” ads!)

It all started with soaps….

The “feminine protection” commercials are at least relatively demure, Destiny…it’s the ads for flavored K-Y Jelly that I never thought I would live to see. I remain to be convinced that this century offers any improvement over the last one.

My grandfather told my mother that although he went through two world wars and the Depression that he and she lived through the best. I believe that also although I try to remain an optimist and have a good life like they did.

There were lots of programs suitable for kids: Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Sky King, LOTS of westerns - Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, The Cisco Kid, etc… Our Miss Brooks, Fury, National Velvet, Leave it to Beaver..

My little sister watched Captain Kangaroo and Romper Room, maybe even Sesame Street (don’t remember when it started.

ellisaana, Yes, those were all great shows. I grew up watching them, too. But they were generally not on during school hours on school days. Kids were supposed to be in school. Most of those shows were on Saturdays and/or weekdays after school was out, and some on in the early evening for the whole family to watch.

Somehow, I don’t think Red would be very interested in Sesame Street at his age…only as a last resort.

In the 70s when I had an odd day off from school because of “teacher workshops,” I would often just turn on the local PBS affiliate which was showing instructional shows meant for schools. Sometimes I would see the same shows I saw in school, except in color. None of them actually explained what “irony” meant.

Tatenda - you are right. Most of those shows didn’t come on until after 3pm.

We didn’t have a TV until I was 9yrs old. My brother and I mostly listened to the radio before that.

But, if we were home from school and couldn’t go outside because we were sick, we had plenty of other entertainment: books, comic books, coloring, all kinds of paper crafts etc..

Or we played records - all those 78rpm yellow and green children’s records, plus my parent’s really eclectic selection of music.

and ladyfingers86 - Those e.d. ads are just slimy, but so are some of the feminine product ads and the lingerie ads.