Over the years, televisions have changed from bulky boxes with antennas to wall-sized flat screens. Technology has grown to the point where electronic devices are a necessity.

The Internet is a tool that many teens use for school-related activities and social networking. Teens also have discovered movies and television programs on the web.With the economy taking a toll on teen finances, students are finding ways to watch recent movies for free using sites such as Hulu, Netflix and Zodop.

Sophomore Tiffany Atud said, “I rather watch on my computer for free because I don’t want to spend a lot of money for something that I can spend no money on, and the quality is just as good.”

As movie theater prices have been climbing steadily, it is no longer a surprise to pay $10 for admission. With Movies on Demand, fewer people are going to the theaters or renting films. Blockbuster has closed its stores because of these new, easily accessible means of entertainment.

Blockbuster has now created a web site where viewers can rent movies online. Other web sites, such as Netflix, have a fixed price for an unlimited number of shows and movies.

Some teens also watch television shows on their computers as television stations have created their own web sites where viewers can watch their shows at any time.

“I rather watch TV on my computer because it’s free, and I have easy access to it,” senior Emma Kawamoto said.

Most students enjoy watching TV on their computers because “I can watch my shows if I missed it,” freshman Leigh Gomez said.

Teens, who are busy, find it convenient to have a source that allows them to watch shows when they choose. Online TV shows make it easier to juggle academics with personal time.

With more teens tuning into their shows now on their computers, hit shows are beginning to charge for their programs. Unless teens have logins to accounts for which they paid, shows such as “Glee” are now unavailable. If more hit shows start putting logins on their sites, teens will either not be able to watch the shows online or they will have to purchase access. Such shows will be reaping financial rewards of what used to be free.