90s TV Picture Quiz

Spanky said:
Tv was much easier to classify then as well. You had like, four, five stations? Compare it to now... sometimes less is more.
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Depends on where you were. Cable was a well-established presence by then. Found a list that shows the average number of channels people RECEIVED (not the same as available).

1985 18.8
1990 33.2
1995 41.1
2000 74.6
2001 89.2
2002 102.1
2003 100.4


So note that it more than doubled between the start and end of the 90s. And I know I personally had access to more during those times.

Now if you're limiting to broadcast only, that's a different thing. For many years it was CBS, NBC, ABC, and PBS (you also had UHF channels but they tended to not show original programming and were local only). FOX came along in 1986, although it wasn't a major broadcast channel until several years later. Both UPN and WB had broadcasting in the 90s as well, and there has always been a large number of channels that are technically broadcast even if most people can only get them through cable (Grit, QVC, Telemundo).
 
Kendar said:
Found a list that shows the average number of channels people RECEIVED (not the same as available).
Click to expand...
But they weren't putting out original IP. Even when Fox started I don't think it was doing original IP for some time. I could be wrong on that. I know UPN and WB both started with their own IP but it was only one or two shows.
 
I agree that there's too much TV now or at least stations. But the overall quality is much better now. And the streaming services and places like HBO give theb writers much more creative freedom. I guess shows like Twin Peaks, Buffy and X-Files were all the more unique because they were the rare examples and remain iconic today.
 
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