It's encouraging to read that young people are starting to get a good foothold on the ground. Tech is cool and helpful but only as far as we can throw it when it breaks.
is switching channels or otherwise ignoring the TV while ads are on also stealing?
Not using a piece of a service (the ads) is not stealing, nor likely is it violating any service contact.
How do you react?
1. Tell me to go to hell.
2. Try to figure out a way to eat the cake without getting your thumb smashed.
3. Accept the offer.
1 & 2 are perfectly rational human reactions. 3 probably indicates some degree of mental illness on your part.
There's also probably a deep sickness in the society and culture that allowed me to make the offer in the first place.