The Glenlivet family have just discovered TV: they think it's full of smut

Jim Woods, a water bailiff, was one of the strongest backers of the campaign to bring television to the remote Scottish highland village of Glenlivet. But now he is concerned about what his children are watching.

Like more than 100 of his neighbours, Mr Woods has only been able to watch television for the past four weeks - since, after several years of campaigning and fundraising, a powerful new transmitter was sited above the village.

Some have welcomed its arrival with open arms. Others, including Mr Woods, have been shocked by the programmes being beamed into their homes.

"During the first week we scanned through quite a lot and I was absolutely shocked at what was on offer. There is far too much smut and sex, even in the early evenings, and late at night it is not far off pornography," he said.

"Blind Date, for example, shows scantily dressed girls giggling over questions which are all about sex. This just sends out a message to children that they have to dress like tarts if they want to be noticed.

"Now the rule is that the remote control stays beside my chair and if I don't like what the girls are watching it gets switched over. We are not going to discard our family values just because we have a television."

Not everyone is suffering from culture shock. James Grant gets up every morning at six to watch the breakfast news. Often he is still tired from watching the late film on Channel 4 the previous night.

The arrival of a free television from a local pensioners' charity has transformed James's life. Since his wife died nine years ago he has lived alone in a little stone cottage on the outskirts of Glenlivet, nestling among the wild moors.

He has now become an avid follower of a host of soap operas, quiz shows, documentaries and current affairs programmes.

"I spend a good few hours every day with the television," he said. "I don't really think about what I am going to watch. I just take it as it comes. Sometimes if there is something good on I will stay up after midnight to watch it, but I am always up for the news first thing in the morning. The television is very good for the election. I like hearing the politicians' views and what they plan to do."

Until just one month ago James used to spend his evenings alone playing the fiddle and the piano, but now he is too busy for this. "If the television wasn't here I'd just be counting my fingers every evening. There is not a lot to be done here once I have fed the hens and the dogs."

Jimmy Innes, 46, has not had time to watch anything himself. But he notices his children crowding around the television at mealtimes.

"My sons watch more TV now that they can see what is happening. They have been following the snooker because they can see what colour the balls are," he said.

Chris Burns, the former headmaster of the local primary school, is delighted that he can now be sure of seeing both legs of important European football matches.

He said that before the transmitter arrived, "you could watch the first episode of a series but you could never be sure of seeing [the] end."