The News

Over the years I must have made countless New Years resolutions, but can’t recall one that I actually stuck to. That is until this year, where I have achieved my first goal, in this years New Years resolution. One month completed, and not a single news programme watched. Not one.

Having previously been an avid news watcher and listener, last year changed all that, where a tipping point arrived.  I reached a point, where I was totally sick of it, and all that went with it. And so I thought to myself, why am I watching and listening to this distorted rubbish ? In fact, why I am I bothering listening or watching the news at all ? So, I decided in December to go cold turkey for the month of January, and see what happens. It was my time after many years,  to come off the News. To my pleasant surprise, I have reached the end of the month, and I’m clean. The battle of course goes on, and my next challenge is now to complete the coming months staying clean, and off the news. 

I don’t make a point of watching or listening to ‘the news’, but of course it is difficult not to encounter it as it interrupts radio hourly, so you are to be congratulated on achieving total zero for the month.

We normally go ‘off news’ when abroad for up to 8 weeks at a time and as you are aware, you are none the worse for that. Occasionally a subsequent news item will appear odd because I have not heard the previous elements.

I regard it as like listening to the archers, Miss a few episodes and it doesn’t matter as the storylines just bumble along, a bit like the news. 

Davy

I'm not sure I'll ever break the habit of watching the news - it's pretty much the only television that I watch on a regular basis, and when I'm away I buy a newspaper, as I go without the telly for the whole time I'm away.

And you have to concede that when we get something like the current virus outbreak, it is very useful to stay informed, if only to be sure that you don't panic unless panic is necessary and useful!

The one thing I continue to recommend is to get a PVR, and use it without fail for all live TV watching. It means that all I have to do is delay watching the news for a few minutes and then I can skip over:

1. Any coverage of the royal family
2. Any politician opening his or her mouth
3. Every advert break
4. Every piece about Brexit

It also means that once I've skipped over all of the rubbish, a half hour news programme typically only takes less than 10 minutes to watch!