If you belong to a Life Time gym, you might notice something different the next time you go work out: a rare break from the news.
That’s because the gym chain decided to stop airing cable news like CNN, Fox News and MSNBC on its big TV screens, effective this month, The New York Times reports. The organization tweeted out a statement Jan. 4 about its decision.
Our perspective on the recent tv programming change in our clubs. pic.twitter.com/r81EQFjZdE
— Life Time (@lifetimefitness)
“The decision to remove the national cable network news stations resulted from significant member feedback received over time and our commitment to provide family oriented environments free of consistently negative or politically charged content,” the statement reads. “It always is our goal to meet the majority of members’ expressed requests and we believe this change is consistent with the desires of overall membership as well as our healthy way of life philosophy.” Those still clamoring for cable news can watch it on smaller screens via certain cardio machines or on their own devices, Natalie Bushaw, a Life Time spokeswoman, told The New York Times.
Still, Life Time’s move was met with mixed reactions. One Massachusetts gym member, Uchechi Egbuchulam, told The New York Times that since news could be stress-inducing, if your goal is working on refocusing your mentality at the gym,”having [the news] on 12 different televisions while you’re trying to run on the treadmill is not the most conducive.”
Others didn’t feel the same.
“I’ve never seen anybody complain about this, none ever in our club,” Bryan Sieve, a member who attends a Minnesota branch, told The New York Times. “Who are these faceless people that all of a sudden have huge sway over changing a policy at Life Time Fitness without member input, consent or even fair warning?”
There’s no shortage of articles out there from the last several years — perhaps ironically — decrying digesting news as unhealthy. And the gym’s decision comes as news consumption is still changing: 43 percent of Americans say they get their news online compared to 50 percent who watch it on television, according to August 2017 numbers from the Pew Research Center. As recently as early 2016, that gap was 12 points larger in favor of more television.
That said, The New York Times notes that other U.S. fitness chains haven’t taken the same approach in terms of blocking cable news. At Planet Fitness, the issue had “never come up,” according to a spokeswoman.
Here are more responses the company has received on Twitter:
I find it hard to believe that many people complained. Wonder what their political affiliation is? Can I get a reduction in my dues now that I have less tv choices??
— julie lee (@tennisjewel58)
How about all you haters learn to enjoy the art of actually working out instead of distracting yourself. You might like it.
— BJ Knight. (@knightrunner71)
Very angry that LT think its acceptable to censor what we watch. I choose to ignore the garbage on the other screens and watch news. Easy. Don’t know what’s being said on with other channels. Whats wrong with people? Don’t they know how to tune to what they want?
— Kim Christianson (@caseyc215)
I think this is a great decision.
— GordonMcGregor (@GordonMcGregor)
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Life Time Gym Isn’t Going to Air Cable News Anymore originally appeared on usnews.com
