Four channels of fun

[Honolulu Blue]

Some of you are a little young for this, but when I was growning up, we didn't have cable TV and had exactly four channels to choose from - local affiliates for ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS.

Nowadays, I'm sure that just about everyone that wants it has access to cable or satellite TV, and with it dozens or hundreds of channels.

But let's think back to those olden days for just a bit for this question:

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ONLY FOUR CURRENT CHANNELS FOR YOUR HOME TV SET, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Here are the ones I would choose:

1) ESPN2 - The Deuce is one of those rare 24-hour channels that doesn't have infomercials, and that's a point in its favor. It does have some interesting sports and pseudo-sports that the main channel doesn't have.

2) ESPN - The classic. I expect to see it on a lot of lists. Would rank higher, but they still insist on running 8 hours of SportsCenter every day.

3) CBS - Currently my favorite of the networks, though by a slim margin and subject to change without notice.

4) GSN - This may be somewhat of a surprise, but they do have some good old game shows, and a few decent new ones.

Thanks for sharing.

[Oilers9911]

1)TSN - The Sports Network from Canada.
2)CBC - Gotta have my Hockey Night in Canada.
3)Spike TV - For UFC stuff and their schlocky "men's shows"
4)SHowcase - Another Canadian network that shgows Rescue Me and Trailer Park Boys

[Pumpy Tudors]

I can't narrow it down to four right now, but good call on GSN. If I happen to be up late on weekends, I watch PlayMania. I do wish they still had Russian Roulette, but that's gone. It's a great channel to watch as a time waster, in any case.

[spleen1015]

ESPN and HBO is all I need, but I just to answer the question...

1. ESPN
2. HBO
3. ABC - Just for Lost
4. Toss up between NBC and CBS

[Alan T]

A quick threadjack.. speaking of the 4 channels thing.. I remember back when CBS lost the NFL , a huge story in the atlanta area was CBS changing to uhh.. channel 46 I think? and Fox going to channel 5. That was pretty much the beginning of Fox and a huge move to get into the market (many of the tvs had poor reception for the UHF channels which in Atlanta at the time was 17 (TBS), 36 and 46. I remember some channel 69 too (dont remember what it was).

I had cable tv at the time, so it didn't affect me alot, but I remember the huge hub-bub..

Now for the 4 channels I would want...

1. ESPN
2. Fox
3. CBS
4.. hmmm I guess ABC with NBC losing out.

I wanted to put on HBO, but most movies I can watch on dvd already anyways.

[condors]

tough call to get it to 4

1-FSC-Fox Soccer Channel easily what i spend the most time watching
2-CSN-Comcast Sports Network like a local version of ESPN also shows my home teams hockey, basketball, and baseball games
3-FN - football network get alot of mileage out of this channel no infomercals means its usually what is on when i fall asleep and wake up in the morning
4-espn news - gets the nod over espn and espn2 because that is really what i want from espn

i usually only watch sports so this cuts out the "together" shows with my wife (so usually will only watch football), i also got netflix to catch movies so i don't need them but i will miss spike, hbo, comedy central, history and discovery channels as i watch them as well. It would also end my watching of my favorite TV show mythbusters :(

[bosshogg23]

HBO - I watch pretty much all of their original programming.

Sci Fi - I watch Stargate and some of their(crappy) original movies but I would choose this channel for Battlestar Galactica alone.

ABC - Big Ten football......sadly I cant think of anything else I watch on ABC.

ESPN

I thought about choosing the History Channel but they replay crappy old war movies too often.

[Subby]

1. HBO - easy, if I could only have one channel - this would be it
2. NFL Network - best non-movie channel
3. FOX - Redskins games
4. NBC - SNL, The Office

[SirFozzie]

1. Fox Soccer Channel
2. GolTV
3. Setanta Sports
4. CBS

1-3 for Soccer./Rugby/AFL etcetera, 4 for Pats games on CBS

[JonInMiddleGA]

A quick threadjack.. speaking of the 4 channels thing.. I remember back when CBS lost the NFL , a huge story in the atlanta area was CBS changing to uhh.. channel 46 I think? and Fox going to channel 5. That was pretty much the beginning of Fox and a huge move to get into the market (many of the tvs had poor reception for the UHF channels which in Atlanta at the time was 17 (TBS), 36 and 46. I remember some channel 69 too (dont remember what it was).

The move was also big because WAGA-5 was such a heritage station in the market, and by then (IIRC) was the only one still with their original affiliation (as the NBC & ABC had flip-flopped several years prior).

As for 69, it was probably WVEU at the time. Depending upon when exactly this was, they've had all sorts of programming through the years, always a non-affiliated indy station.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I don't like to think about stuff like this. It scares me.

But, if I had to...

Fox (NFC football, 24)
ABC (College Football, Lost)
NBC (Heros, Earl, Sunday Night Football)
Fox Sports Detroit (Red Wings)

I don't think I watch any CBS shows. I'd miss out on AFC football games, but I could live that I suppose. I don't really watch ESPN except for college football and Monday Night Football. I could go to a bar for those if need be.

[BrianD]

For me, not much has changed.

1) CBS
2) Fox
3) ABC
4) NBC

[Glengoyne]

For me, not much has changed.

1) CBS
2) Fox
3) ABC
4) NBC

What he said.

Sadly Discovery would come before ESPN these days.

[albionmoonlight]

NBC (Earl, Office)
FOX (House)
USA (Monk)
HBO (Which I don't even have now, but if I only get four stations, I splurge)

I'll just get my sports from the internet and sports bars.

[Vince]

I'd probably take...

ESPNews -- too much crap on ESPN that I don't like anymore, and this is really most of what I watch ESPN for.
Fox -- Not that I like the station, but I gotta be able to watch football on Sundays.
CBS -- Ditto.
Comedy Central -- Laughs are always good.

[Subby]

I tought about ESPN for a bit, and several newsy outlets like CNN.com and MSNBC. Honestly though - the need for those channels has been completely replaced by radio (drive time) and internet (at work).

I suppose with the news of NBC's streamlining I can axe them from my list and just get their programming from their site or YouTube. Same with the other networks.

I'll add Sprout in place of NBC. Something for the shorties.

[Samdari]

1) ESPN - has MNF and WSoP, two of the only three shows I never miss.
2) ESPN2 - college basketball
3) ABC - LOST is the other show I don't miss, and the only network show I realyl watch.
4) TNT - Just because I have to pick a 4th, I'll take the L&O repeats.

[Draft Dodger]

if it was me, I think it would be pretty simply

HBO - (I don't get it now, but I watch all the shows)
CBS - for the Pats
NBC - Office, Heroes, Studio 60
Com - Daily Show and Scrubs reruns

I'd lose Lost, but I'd live. I haven't tuned in to ESPN in years.

if my family is picking, I'd have to bump off two for the Food Network and Noggin

[lordscarlet]

I think I'd have to go with the 4 major networks. HBO has a lot of good programming, but it's 1 or 2 shows at a time. I can get sports from the networks. I can get a few good comedies as well. I would miss Jon Stewart, and the best show on television, BSG, but it would be the best bang for the buck.

[RPI-Fan]

1) Combination of all the Discovery/History/History Int'l/Science Channels
2) NHL Center Ice
3) Fox (football)
4) CBS (football)

Would like ABC and NBC for a handful of primetime shows, but could live without them.

Would like ESPN for MNF and Sportscenter, but someone had to get left out...

[Router Help]

1. Fox Soccer Channel
2. Fox Sports Detroit
3. Cartoon Network
4. Whatever Discovery/TLC/ETC. channel that has actual educational programming instead of a bunch of grease monkeys building a car or home makeovers.

[Joe]

ABC
CBS
NBC
FOX