In person, politicians usually try to be as nice as Mr. Rogers. That's why they hire actors to do the dirty work in the ads - they want to keep their own images clean. To stop watching would be a good way to tell politicians that we are fed up with the mudslinging and character assassination, and the hired media hit-men. The whole tenor of the campaign season might improve. The best part is, there's virtually nothing to lose.
Network television is nothing to write home about.
Most local news is pathetic and getting worse. In 1968, the average presidential campaign sound bite on network news was 43 seconds. In 1996 election, it dropped to 8.2 seconds. Third graders communicate in longer segments than that. Regrettably, it isn't likely to get much better.