It's weird. It's boring, but I liken it to the musician's habit of having MTV or some such show permanantly on, with the sound down, while recording their own stuff.
It's so brainless that it doesn't distract you from what you're doing but in a way it provides a counterpoint to what's going on around you.
I particularly like it while sitting in my office at work. A bit like having a fishtank in there...
