I only know that these German films were not meant to impress the Academy. I saw them in both Italy and France. Or was it all just a dream...

The reason why hotels in Europe will often offer channels from other European countries and some Middle Eastern countries is that these channels are broadcast on a satellite which has a "footprint" over most of Europe and parts of the Middle East.

The American networks and cable channels are simply not available over here. Technical reasons aside, copyright restrictions would also prevent the networks from being broadcast outside North America.

The exception is the news channels, where there aren't copyright issues. CNN US and Fox News are available on digital satellite in the UK. I presume these are sent to CNNI and Sky respectively, and uplinked from London to the Astra satellite.

In Britain, the problem is not the lack of American shows on British TV. Quite the opposite in fact. The problem is that hotels in Britain offer a very limited range of channels. You only tend to get the five networks and a handful of other channels.

There is no shortage of American TV in Britain. CNNI will switch to CNN US if there's a major story in America. ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News are rebroadcast on BBC News 24, Sky News and ITV News respectively.

There are plenty of American imports on Channel 4, E4, Sky One, FX289, Paramount Comedy, LivingTV. ABC actually launched its own network here, ABC1 - though don't expect to see Lost or Desperate Housewives on it.

That'll be BBC World, the international news channel. There are separate international entertainment channels - BBC Prime (EMEA), BBC America, BBC Canada, BBC Japan.

The BBC is trialing a service where you will be able to download shows after broadcast, but due to copyright restrictions, this will only be available in the UK. News output is streamed online as there are no copyright restrictions.

In response to the original post, in a word, no. In fact, I watch a bit more TV the UK than I do at home which still is not a whole bunch. It can be quite amusing after an evening at the pub. When elsewhere, I do like one English language news channel and, if only one is offered, then no Fox please. When overseas, I like to use my hotel room for sleeping and not much else.

No, but I miss European TV when I return to the U.S. My TV in Europe always finds its way to MTV (most hotels in the U.S. don't have MTV). MTV in the U.S. is pretty boring filled with lots of dull reality programs and shows such as Pimp My Ride.
In Europe you actually get to watch music videos on MTV. The MTV station is unique to each country. Music seems to be more on the cutting edge. Stuff that you won't get in the U.S. for a month or maybe never. It is fun to watch the Video DJ's speak the language of each particular country and interview celeberties and local stars in various states of undress. Not I that I sit and watch for hours but it is nice to have it going in the background. Kind of like high energy theme music to get us motivated for a day of sightseeing. Germany and Italy were two of my favorite countries for MTV except for some reason Italy seemed to censor the videos much more.

Who is Lyle Lovett? ;) :p

I'm not sure posters are copping a sort of elitism when they say they avoid watching American TV...I think most FT'ers are both cosmopolitan and secure enough to admit they occasionally, or even more than occasionally, enjoy mindless or lowbrow entertainment, wherever they may be, and by whatever medium. Personally, I think TV isn't even that effective at proffering good lowbrow or mindless entertainment, but that is my experience, admittedly based on a very limited knowledge of TV beyond the mid 80's. Just by walking out the door it is easy to find compelling entertainment capable of satisfying the most cultivated of non-highbrow tastes in most European cities, and even easier in most Asian cities. I know quite a few people keep a TV on just for the ambient noise, particularly in a hotel room.

And although I have watched very, very little American TV since the mid-80's, I still ask myself the question: Which will I regret more when I return from traveling outside the US? Not having met more people, or not having watched more American TV?

But if I join your team for a pub quiz competition, make sure you've got someone else on the team who knows something about TV, otherwise I'll be a substantial liability ;)

No. In fact, the absence of American television is one of the bonuses of travel in Europe, just as access to foreign newspapers and streaming radio is one of the great pleasures of the internet.

It is wonderful to be able to see the world from other perspectives and to realize how insignificant our preoccupations can seem to other people.

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You can also see the Simpsons in the Netherlands and Belgium...and in Dutch and in English!!

SportsCenter
 

I miss SportsCenter and the ability to find a "dumb" movie to watch occasionally....other than that I don't miss it at all (don't really watch anything other than sports anyways).

I miss fox news, after watching CNN, it is no wonder the world has poor opinions of the US.

Or the BBC, or the CBC, or the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or the NZBC, or Deutsche Welle, or RAI, or ... Sorry, but it's not CNN that's the odd man out.

Not really, as long as I can get an English-language newspaper or two.

That said, we did enjoy an episode of the original Star Trek dubbed in German, in a Greek hotel. :D

Also, thanks to ian001 and NNH for the satellite explanation. ^

And in Sweden you can see the Simpsons in English. Only (thank goodness).

It;s called Sattelite TV
 

American chain hotels and other hotels in EUrope and other countries should subscribe to Satellite TV and have a receiver in each room so that you can watch the American Programs. You enter a 3 digit code and it activates the USA Satellite program and voilla you've got FOod TV,HGTV etc, Why can't the American Cable stations offer it in Europe? MTV and VH1 has European channells why not HGTV,Food TV,ESPN etc?

I don't miss American TV at all. There's usually some dubbed version of a US show such as Friends or Everybody Loves Raymond or Baywatch, which is kind of fun to watch for 5-10 minutes.

When I'm not in the US, however, I do try to find an internet cafe every night before dinner. I find that it's cheaper than booze, and I can stay plugged into what's happening with family and friends, as well as with my normal news sources.