Essential viewing

I read in the Dominion Post that a severely arthritic Christchurch woman has won a landmark case in the High Court over Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ). The court ruled that WINZ must pay the woman a special benefit to cover repayments on a loan she took out to pay everyday expenses and medical costs after becoming a beneficiary. "Accommodation costs and hire-purchase arrangements for essential items, such as television sets, were acceptable expenses under existing criteria, the judgment said."

"[E]ssential items, such as television sets..." If it is essential to have a television, it must be essential to watch it. After all, it can't be essential to have one, just sitting, in a corner. If it is essential to watch television, is this because certain television programmes are essential viewing, or is it just a case of meeting a minimum daily viewing allowance? If certain programmes are essential viewing, which ones are they? I need to know.

After this, I will not be trading in my television for a refrigerator.