Active channels is like viewing thumbnails of pictures; it is beneficial for people who want to have a general aerial view and can select what they want. If one scrolls to another news channel in the active mode, audio also switches to the new 'thumbnail'. Some people find the mouse a must, some are happy with keyboard shortcuts and a few hate touch screens. Active mode is useful if you surf a lot, want to watch a particular news item and not sure when it will be aired or only want the highlights of the channels transmitted; definitely not useful for those who want a particular channel (serial, sports) for extended time.