Oh Giraffski I envy you! After 6 years without a telly DH became determined to have one... well, technically we have a tv card in the computer, but it means that we can now get (rather fuzzy) pictures of terrestrial channels.
I hate it. Even though I often sit down with DH for 1/2 hour in the evneings to watch something, and DS1 now gets to see Thunderbirds (which he loves), and I know it's good for the kids to be in touch with their culture & they can even learn things (cbbc)... I still wish it would go. I HATE the adverts. I hate the snippy short attention span camera work, the mindless bits we try to avoid but can't help but pass over. The way it dominates the atmosphere in the room. How easy it is to plonk down in front of it when, really, I have 200 other things I should be doing. TV used to be a treat when we went on holiday or to some1 else's house, no more. DS1 def. has worse behavior after he's been watching a few hours. Even though I am limiting the tv time to just 2 hours before 6pm on holiday days (and no tv before 6pm otherwise). When the license comes up for renewal next year I'd love to get rid of the tv-card... but even if DH is amenable, I know the kids would go into full revolt, so I think we're stuck with it for the long term.