I download specific tv shows to watch but for the most part, I ignore it. I find whenever I'm at someones place and they have a tv on, my brain just fully shuts down and I sort of drool out of the corner of my mouth.
Sometimes you do indeed learn a little something/get a little cash, but at least 99% of the time you're wasting your fucking time/money.
And if you still manage to be lucky enough to learn something/win cash, it's still not very edifying (I'd rather make a million by myself than 30 millions with the lottery).
i was suggesting you can learn about the target audience, by watching TV. this works even if the content is bad. like our culture or not, i'm interested in what it's like (which is important to know, if you hope to improve it).
for me at least, tv is not dangerous. i don't drool, i don't buy stuff b/c it says to, i don't like stuff b/c it says to, etc