TeeVee

Mr. Nestor U. Torre of the Philippine Daily Inquirer recently made comments at the quality of primetime news (TV Newscast in the News) and Star Circle quest.

I agree with him that indeed the quality of these programs are sub-par. However, the problem is not with the producers and, no, the viewers will not "wise up," as he suggested, not in the foreseeable future.

The rich have cable TV. The masses ride the mainstream TV airwaves and it is their multitude that has skewed TV programming.

TV has realized that many viewers now have very short attention span. Noontime shows start at 11 o'clock in the morning and ends somewhere around 3pm. They sustain attention, first, by giving cash dole-outs all throughout the show and, second, by parading gyrating girls in skimpy outfits. With their bellies exposed, many young girls today especially in slum areas display their gyrating prowess to the delight of their elders.

Othertimes, the networks show formula soap operas and showbiz news. Emcees in variety shows shout their lines punctuated with the last phrase almost-always bellowed in their attention-grabbing crescendoes.

The more credible news organizations of these networks are not exempt. To sustain the attention of the viewers, primetime news are filled with showbiz news, not once, not twice but many times interlaced throughout the telecast. To further sustain the attention, primetime news come with a Mission Impossible- inspired background music reaching cresendoes at each video transistion.

To even further sustain attention, the newscasters deliver the news in artificially inflected voices to force their audience to listen. And to really max the attention of the viewers, primetime newscast “chop-chop” the hottest news until the end (pabitin). Networks have even introduced raffle prizes.

Accidents, like dole-outs and movie stars, are also key attention-grabbers ("usisero" mentality) so nationwide primetime newscasts don't forget to mix in a motorcycle bumped by a taxi, or a drunk driver crossing his SUV across several steel barriers somewhere along EDSA.

It used to be unthinkable, but now, airtime for everyday petty crimes and accidents compete with real news- news that stimulate ideas and progressive thinking.

TV programming is specifically targeted at the biggest market for consumer products which is the masses. Proof of this is the array advertisements of the P5.00 variants of products – from deodorants, to shampoos, to tootpastes, to ice cream sticks, to electronic load, etc.

In our country where only 1 in 10 holds a college degree, where majority are poor and where many are unemployed and idle in their houses the whole day, TV has no recourse but to shift patterns to suit the tastes of those who can afford to watch TV the whole day.

Indirectly, the burgeoning population and the perennial “June problems” of our public education system, like lack of classrooms, lack of teachers, lack of books and book errors, is also silently changing the face of our society thus influencing viewing patterns.

What can be done?

In the near-term, perhaps, KBP can do something drastic similar to what SM Cinemas radically did to ST films in the 90's. SM's ban on ST films became the automatic death knell of the industry. In the same vein, KBP can immediately set strict standards for TV.

TV must also make little sacrifices by coming up with weekly primetime shows on current events and trends, culture, history and geography to help educate the viewers. TV content can go hand in hand with star power.

However, long-term solutions may not solely rest with TV media alone but with the government. Prioritizing the educational needs of the citizens should be top concern. For starters, our leaders should do away with their political hubris and squarely address education's perennial “June probems.”

Back to primetime news, it is refreshing to listen to watch the no-frills and very calm presentations of Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News and Katie Couric of CBS Evening News With their crisp and soothing voices, they tell important, well researched and in-depth news in a very professional way which reminds one of the late Harry Gasser.

Next to the parents and school, TV has the strongest influence in molding the next generation of Filipinos.

In a way, media help sets the country's agenda but TV media is doing this role in a rather negative way. 

One network has even upped its ante and has introduced a “dole-out type” gameshow spanning the traditional hours for evening and primetime newscasts. The questions asked in the gameshow leave much to be desired and worse are the answers to these questions.

Showbiz, titillating girls, dole-outs and tragedies are opium to the masses.  In our society where millions are mired in the stench and wretchedness of poverty, the loud voices of TV hosts entertain and help Juan dela Cruz forget his problems, albeit, temporarily, until the boob tube is turned off for the day.

In this Information Age, the learning curve derived from mainstream Philippine TV is sadly turning flat.

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1.  Randy David "Crime and the mass media"