I'm Turning Off My TV This Summer. Here's Why.

Today is the beginning of what we call in the TV biz the "Fall upfronts", which are advertiser presentations which double as the networks' announcements of their Fall schedules. NBC goes first today, ABC goes Tuesday, CBS goes Wednesday (and at that time, CBS would be wise to let the cat out of the bag as to who's hosting "The Price Is Right" in the fall), and The CW and Fox go Thursday.

It's a safe bet, then, that the networks are going to begin peppering us as to which of their fall shows will be the big hits. [ABC has started already flogging its new sitcom "Cavemen". STOP IT NOW.] Sometimes the ruse works ("My Name Is Earl" was flogged by NBC all summer in 2005 and once it got on the air it became a big hit), sometimes it doesn't (CBS' "Smith" which ran, what, two episodes?), but it's always annoying, especially to those of us (e.g. teachers) who don't like to have the start of Fall any sooner than it already is. Therefore, once the final new episode airs this Spring, the TV goes off. I'm probably even cancelling my cable too. So there.

And ditto to you retailers who similarly want us to buy our back to school things in early July.

LET ME ENJOY MY SUMMER!