You can have access to TV or reading material. But it’s limited.
In a medium security prison, there’s probably going to be a TV on the housing unit. Prisoners can generally watch TV when they’re not supposed to be doing something else. In a maximum security prison, the TV’s are more likely to be in an off-unit rec area which greatly reduces access. In either case, you’re sharing the TV with a few dozen other people so you probably don’t have a choice in what you watch. And there will be restrictions on when the TV is on.
Reading material is more accessible. Prisoners can buy books and magazines. But obviously that costs them money. And there’s a limit to how many books and magazines they can have in their possession (we prohibit hoarding). There are prison libraries but they’re relatively limited.
And these are the rules for general population. Some prisoners are locked down. That means twenty-three hours a day in their cell. No TV and a strict limit on reading material. In NY, the rule is a religious book and five other items of reading material.