Blought #27: Cable's Deathbed

The model used by Adelphia for my family's cable box from

the late 90's the mid-late 2000's

As far back as I can remember my mom always had a cable subscription. I can remember watching old Nickelodeon shows like Legends of the Hidden Temple, Rugrats and Fox Kids’ X-Men on a black tube TV.

Then came the big clunky cable box. Now I could watch the animation giant Cartoon Network and their Emmy award winning programming (See Blought #11: The Evolution of Cartoon Network) along with a slew of HBO and Starz channels.
I remember sifting through the guide in awe that I didn’t have to watch the TV Guide Channel anymore to find out when something was coming on. Even better, by that time I was 6 and able to read a description about the upcoming episode of Sponge Bob or Dexter’s Lab.

Then 2008 happened. Mom took some employment hits and our cable subscription was severely downgraded, and I’m pretty sure we weren’t the only American family to cut down on our cable during the Financial crisis. It just so happens that around that time my mom began to get these weird red envelopes in the mail and inside would be a DVD. At the time I had no clue what Netflix was.

Blought #11: The Evolution of Cartoon Network

Boy were the 90’s a time to behold. Just like the forty something to be generation did with their nostalgia of the 80’s, us millenials are doing the same with the 90’s. He-Man, GI Joe and Jelly bracelets are now artifacts worthy enough of enshrinement in the Smithsonian.

For me the 90’s was WWF, action figures and occasionally a little elementary school thrown in there somewhere. One of my favorite past times as a child was watching cartoons. A hobby of mine I am still active in today. Back when Adelphia was the go to cable provider for the Cleveland area their channel selection was somewhat limited. They did however carry the kiddie essentials of the time which were Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel (I've never regularly watched the latter).

Blought #1 'Can A Kid Be A Kid These Days?'

Remember the 90's, I do. It was a time when all was well and the US was worry free. At least my pre-pubescent mind thought so. The only things I was worried about pre-2000 was Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. That was the golden age of cartoons for me. Cartoon Cartoon Fridays was the best part of my week. Dexter's Lab, Power Puff Girls, and Johnny Bravo were some of my favorite shows to watch. It was cool being a kid at that time in the world of television. Those characters gave me an escape from my chores, spelling test, and teachers constantly calling my mom about my behavior.

Today television is far from what I knew 15 years ago. Everything is live action and real people. I hated shows with real people until I was 12. Today all I see is teen stars talking boy business and becoming sex symbols when their shows go off air (Hi Miley). Dee Dee and Bubbles never were the talk of the town because of racy photos. It's almost as if childlike innocence doesn't exist anymore in children's programming. I know these shows are intended for teens but I'm sure  8 year old kids are watching this stuff too.

I don't know how to feel when a kid watches t.v. today and all they see is kissing and crushes and drama. ABC Family is the worst. Some of the shows I've seen on there are frightening. I don't think that Secret Life show is appropriate for a 12 year old girl to watch. What happened to Kim Possible and Penny Proud? Sure they had crushes, but it was animated and rarely the main focal point of the show if ever. Programming isn't very family oriented when high school kids have sex and get pregnant. (change your channel's name at least)

I would just like to know will my future daughter or daughters be subjected to images of teen stars on television kissing boys and being caught up on boys, to being on tabloids because of a drunken night on the strip at 17. The real question is can kids be kids today, or is television and other media outlets making them grow up too fast?