“I never realized you were such a big fan of bull riding,” I told my wife after hooking up our HDTV antenna I received for Christmas. We just turned on the television after what seemed like hours of scanning for channels and Sera decided to settle on the first thing that was on: cowboys riding bulls competitively. This was not the kind of television I expected either of us to be watching, but after a few years of only Netflix, I suppose she was excited about anything new.

We get about 20 channels with our indoor antenna, which is more than enough to keep me happy. I mainly was interested in the broadcast networks to get local and international news. With the news only on in the morning while getting ready and the evening shortly after we arrive home from work, I anticipate the television will remain off for most of the time.

Most of our favorite shows are on Netflix or we don’t mind watching them a day or two later when the network uploads them to the Internet. That being said, Sera is thrilled she’ll be able to watch “Grey’s Anatomy” at the same time as the rest of the world. She’s often plotted to have us sneak into an empty Mayo Clinic waiting room so she can discover the latest drama occurring in Seattle’s fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

There are some surprise channels that appeared after our scan. Apparently PBS has a much larger presence for antenna users, as do channels for non-native English speakers. We also get a channel that some would describe as a classic movie station, but I’d describe it as dull movies that the station probably didn’t have to pay money for in order to air it on television. That’s all OK though, because we do get a few channels we’ll actually want to watch.

Needless to say, we’re both excited about what my wife is calling “natural” television. Because it isn’t cable, satellite or streaming online, Sera has decided the best name for the television channels we now receive is “natural” television. She’s frequently suggesting we watch it or pondering what’s on. Unlike her, I still have to process what she means by natural television when she motions for me to hand her the remote control.

I suppose she can call the antenna “natural” if she wants. It doesn’t look like a stereotypical antenna. This is not the rabbit ears my parents (maybe grandparents?) played with when they were children. This is a sleek, flat piece of what looks like plastic. Who would think something as thin as cardstock could provide unending entertainment (well, only if you’re interested in infomercials and the Spanish radio television station). If I was being honest, I might almost call this antenna unnatural based on how simplistic it looks compared to what I’m use to imagining.

There is a fear that I have with “natural television.” First, the term makes it seem like it’s OK to consume without risk. I’d probably drink all-natural Coca-Cola all the time. What about all-natural orange juice? Bring it on. Natural water? That’s way better than the unnatural stuff. Natural television surely can’t be bad, so let’s watch it nonstop. I don’t know if Sera’s intent was to make the product sound more appealing, but the name at least takes away the guilt that I’ve wasted hours in front of a screen instead of snowblowing the driveway.

I’m also very aware we’re getting television shortly before the birth of our little girl, which seems problematic at best. Soon, we won’t have nearly as much free time. Beyond our entertainment needs, many doctors and early childhood professionals recommend zero (zip, nada) screen time for children under the age of two. After some quick searching, others are recommending that if little ones do have interaction with screens (computers, tablets, etc.), it’s best practice for those interactions to occur together with both the parent and child. I guess I should forget about putting on “The Lion King” to entertain the little one while folding laundry.

With any new piece of technology (yes, I’m calling a television antenna a new piece of technology), it comes with pros and cons. A whole new world is opened to us through programming on local channels, and that may mean we learn something new about ourselves. Hopefully we can all start the new year learning things about the ones we love — but if that means Sera will be watching a lot more bull riding, you’ll find me reliving the good old days in the other room watching Netflix on my iPhone.

 

Rochester resident Matt Knutson is the communications and events director for United Way of Olmsted County.