TV Times.
I had a new television aerial installed yesterday, as the reception on the old one was extremely poor. Nothing unusual in that you might think, except that the problem with the reception has been obvious for over 18 months and it's taken me this long to get around to doing something about it. The reason is partly that I don't watch very much television these days, but also that so much of what is on offer on the five terrestrial channels is so dire.

About a decade ago I recall that there was much talk about how an increase in the number of channels would somehow lead to less choice not more; the idea being that the new channels would only show American cop shows with car chases 24/7, to the detriment of the glorious BBC's grip on quality drama, current affairs, blah blah blah. Stephen Fry in particular stands out in my memory as being guilty of furthering this illusion. In an especially nauseating sketch on one of his shows, a man who was heard saying he wanted more televisual choice was seen asking for a choice of cutlery in a restaurant. Fry, playing the waiter, returned with a bag full of 1,000 identical plastic spoons announcing `Here's your choice!'

Forward ten years later and back in the real world, the results could barely be more different. When I visit friends who have Sky, I notice that they have the option to watch any of about half a dozen rolling news channels, a vast variety of documentaries about science, history and entertainment, as well as sports galore. And when I look at the five channels I have, I see nothing but programmes about property purchasing, antique auctions, celebrity chefs and elimination shows. The odd bit of quality still gets through, (Fry's QI show is great) but I'm sure that the slots are soon to be reallocated to more urgent subject matter, such as bathroom DIY and highlights of Ready Steady Cook.