Jumping between unrelated clips can feel jarring without a clear transition cue. The tv static sound effect solves that instantly, using classic crackling static to mimic an old television switching channels.
Why this sound signals a channel switch so clearly
The crackling static sound is widely recognized as the audio signature of switching channels on an old television, making it an intuitive, instantly understood way to signal a jump between different clips or content segments. 
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A universally recognized transition cue
Even viewers who've never used an old-style television with manual channel switching generally recognize this sound from its widespread use in media, making it effective as a transition regardless of a viewer's actual familiarity with the original technology.
Best moments to use it
This sound effect works well for a retro channel-switch joke, using the classic crackling static to transition between different clips or moments, mimicking the specific experience of flipping through old television channels.
Works beyond retro-styled content
This sound works for any transition between distinct clips or segments, regardless of the overall video's visual style, using the nostalgic sound purely as a functional channel-switching cue rather than requiring a fully retro aesthetic throughout.
Keeping the static brief
A brief burst of static, just long enough to clearly signal the transition, tends to work better than a long, drawn-out static sequence that could slow down the overall pacing of the edit unnecessarily.
Pairing it with other retro transition sounds
This sound fits naturally alongside other nostalgic transition cues, similar to how the rewind tape sound effect for a flashback transition uses a different but related retro audio metaphor to signal its own kind of transition.
Conclusion
The tv static sound effect gives any clip transition a clear, instantly recognized retro channel-switching signal. Browse SoundGIFs' sound effects library for more sounds built for smooth transitions.