I don't know how it was in Kiwi-Land in the early 80s but here there was no streaming, no cable with 200+ channels, just 3 national stations, 3 local stations, an antenna and a fuzzy tv screen.

So you had 6 stations, we had 2, it was only 1989 before that went up to 3 channels.

Didn't you have PBS as well?

Yes we also had PBS.

Which prolly was showing better stuff than both NZ channels combined at the time

PBS was good as a small child with Sesame street and such but as you got older it became pretty lame. I recall as a kid in October they would play the classic Universals on Saturday night. I didn't get interested in docs until much later. Regardless, we had to watch what they showed us on the few channels we had with gang loads of commercials. When terrestrial cable came it was a God send. I finally cut loose my cable subscription 20 or so days ago.

dude just imagine how bad it was in NZ, just 2 channels (that stopped at 12am every night)
we would of killed as a kid to have the options you had in the US. Consider yourself lucky.
At least we spent more timer outdoors, Mofos.

Now my daughter is 2, she has ~40 channels (we do not pay) plus the the internet, completely different planet

Dude, I didn't wanna watch 3 quarters of the shite they were airing anyways. I spent most my childhood outside hanging out on the streets getting into good ol' fashioned trouble.