Actually - yes - you can wear out the contacts on the remote. They are only flimsy carbon-coated rubber. My t.v. one has worn out on the main 'OK' button - which means that I can no longer browse the digital version of teletext aka news etc. A new remote will be £25.

And my editing VCR (with hard drive) no longer has a button working for 'forward / fast forward' on its remote. A replacement will be £30.

I've tried taking said remotes to pieces and cleaning the contacts but to no avail - the defunct buttons really need re-coating with carbon / graphite.

I too surf the digital (Freeview) channels and have found that if I keep switching channels - before pausing to let any one channel 'settle' - eventually I have to do a re-installation of all of the channels. During this I lose all programmed time-shift entries, and then have to set up the recording lists all over again.

Another 'feature' of rapid surfing is that due to the close separations of the channel frequencies (or something like that) I tend to lose the ability to receive some of the weaker channels like 22 or 32. Then if I go to one of the programmes on those channels I get 'No signal.' The cure then is to re-install all of the channels yet again.

So in answer to your question - no and yes. No the t.v can't be damaged per se, but may require re-installation of the channels; and yes - it can wear out the remote contacts and the solution is to purchase a replacement - at great expense.

I would opine that if your daughter wishes to continue her irritating habit that you tell her when she's worn out the remote she can then buy you a new one - if you can get one that is.