![Tuning in to more than I can manage Tuning in to more than I can manage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/BsiwkMTjUiUfGgmGHtfdCy/a477dc90-fac6-4771-9796-6c97f1d0dfee.jpg/r0_279_5344_3285_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
I grew up in a coastal town where the television viewing options were just two channels ABC and WIN.
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However, there was always plenty of excitement when the wind blew a particular way across the ocean and the sky was clear. That meant that we could enjoy a few extra channels - 7 and 10 (as I remember) - for a while.
The biggest disappointment was when the extra channels dropped out midway through a show.
As a child and teenager I lived in constant hope that the day would come when my town had permanent access to more than just two channels.
That time eventually came but not until I was a young adult in the mid to late 1980s. By then I could tune in to four channels whenever I wanted to.
But perhaps we should be careful what we wish for.
Fast forward to 2024 where television viewing is a smorgasbord of channels. The free to air channels alone are significant in number.
But if you factor in the many streaming options - Netflix, Stan, Disney, Kayo, Foxtel to name a few - the choices seem endless, and somewhat overwhelming.
No I don't have all these streaming options at my disposal, but I have some.
I have my favourite channels - discovery, history, lifestyle, sport programs and those channels that offer sitcoms old and new.
However, I recently decided to flick through all the channels to take a closer look at what else was available. The end result was the realisation that too many channels can be overwhelming. I don't think I need so much choice.
Maybe that minimalist attitude was developed in my youth when I had only two viewing options.
However, I will admit I am one of the newest fans of Bridgerton and have tuned in to watch the next series filmed in the Southern Highlands.
What are your favourite programs to watch? I'm open to recommendations.
Jackie Meyers, Editor