In search of better programming

In our Thursday morning prayer group, we discussed the state of television. Most of us have learned to accept watching the news, the History Channel, EWTN, some old movie/show channels and even a few game shows as safe to watch. We would like to know if anyone in our area has TV shows that they would recommend as entertaining (not just spending time mindlessly with the television on) and also that you can watch with your children in the same room without becoming embarrassed?

I watched the Disney Channel with my granddaughter and a girl told her mother she was staying with her aunt (I guess a little white lie), then proceeded to go to another planet to save the world (no adults involved, just a few of her friends.) This brings "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to mind who was out all night and the mom never had a clue. Is this really the message we want our children to have?

The ladies were asking what we could do about this state of affairs and I don't know. Most people I talked to after that said they just watch the news, ballgames and old movies. Do we have any choices? How many people have been reduced to paying for programming and not having anything to really enjoy or educate them? Any light you could shed on this subject would be appreciated.

FRANCES PRESSWOOD, Thursday morning prayer group, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Scott City, Mo.