Currently there is a beautiful '74 Zenith that I bet would be a reliable TV for anybody who would take it.
This is not the first TV I have seen inwhich the seller is willing to give it away for free just to get rid of it. So, I suspect there will be many more to come that will be detroyed if they are not put to some good use.

Could not a TV like this Zenith console be donated to a hospital, or elderly care center, etc.? Maybe a man could visit some of those elderly care centers that have a budget and offer a reliable used TV with the promise to service or replace it as time goes by. There would be other deserving places but the elderly would certainly appreciate the efforts.

Could there be a government program or tax-break to repay whomever might do such a generous service?

People have gotten VERY picky about TV sets. It is too easy to buy a new FlungDung at Wal*Mart. With some work I have found I can give away an 80s table model, provided it works well and has remote. The last time I had a good working console from the 80s (beautiful cabinet, stereo sound, remote) I had to leave it on the curb for a couple days before it dissapeared. I talked to a number of folks who were desperate, desperate, for a TV (people who were pleading on freecycle with posts daily for any sort of working tv sets at all) and they would not take that console if I paid them. Frustrating. I just parted 2 80s consoles this weekend as they both needed work and there is no sense putting time/money into something that I can't even give away.

I am in the process of junking several modern TV's that I got from the TV shop. Some I've never plugged in. I'm pulling the yokes and degaussing coils and the rest of it goes to the dump. The reason is because I've got 20+ working TV's made between the early '80's and 2006 that no one wants. When I do get calls it's always "Is it high definition", "is it one of those you hang on the wall", "does it have a warranty", etc. I think I'll stick to vintage stuff only once I get rid of these sets. It's simply not worth my time pulling my hair out fixing the things just for them to sit here unsold. And, yes, I've had people that were so called "in need" turn down free TV's that I offered because they were "too old looking". I won't even get started on that.

What later TV's I've got will probably end up going to a needy person that is not snobby or to the church the next time they have a rummage sale. Last year, I gave them an '82 Magnavox console, a beat up 27" Zenith, and a 12" B&W. They were glad to get them and sold all three within the first hour. I got some much needed space and the church made a little money; so, everyone's happy.

Even the thrifts around here are picky. My local Salvation Army will NOT take sets with knobs, yet they will happily accecpt dozens of yorx "stereos" and white van speakers.

Even the thrifts around here are picky. My local Salvation Army will NOT take sets with knobs, yet they will happily accecpt dozens of yorx "stereos" and white van speakers.

Same here, I bought an '80 Zenith over the weekend at the goodwill because they never accept these{first dial tuning set I've seen there in months} I can't believe this one was there. I also am guilty of feeling sorry for it as it has sat there unsold for the last two weeks. The crappy "newer sets" have of course sold, leaving the reliable one to sit there. People can be so dumb.... This set has an AWESOME picture! And why do they accept super 8 movie crap and old cameras you could never find film for amongst other useless crap that just sits there, but not usable televisions? Again, the stupidity runs rampant in this country these days. And what about common sense? GONE!