However I have read that the 'youth' of today take multitasking to new heights, not just texting and surfing while watching tv, but even watching two programmes simultaneously with regular flicking between the channels...
So I guess it's no surprise to hear about a new startup 'Starling' whose goal is to promote a tool for 'co-viewing'. On the one hand co-viewing, whereby lots of people are watching the same thing at the same time sounds like a nice return to the old days of fixed (and hence shared) TV schedules. However the tool would provide a second internet window on the TV, to allow chatting/surfing/tweeting with others. The statement from the founder was that it explicitly wasn't a main focus for attention, but just something to catch that surplus bit of attention which he claimed we all have when watching TV. I.e. it is the ultimate distraction - something which is only meant to be just that - a distraction! Now it might seem that being able chat in parallel with a show is a nice idea - but didn't the old method of discussing after make more sense?! Maybe again I'm old fashoined, but nothing annoys me more than someone providing an alternative commentary to what I'm actually trying to watch - it's why I'm watching it in the first place!
I'm not sure what sort of shows this guy watches, but if something is so mediocre that one needs to bring one's own secondary entertainment with one, then it maybe isn't worth watching after all?!
Again fits in with the notion of the internet, for all its power, promoting thin, surface attention, without the deep post-pondering and consideration needed to properly learn things. It seems in this world view television, and everything else, is meant just to be another light stream of semi-interest, to dip into and splash about with in parallel, but not as a means to itself. A lot of partial content may add up to a full occupation, but surely this can't be good for our mental powers - not just couch potatoes, but diced and chipped potatoes as well.
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