Monday, July 30, 2007
Idiotic Television
The opinions augment. Daily. Writing about it people nationwide, - yes, since a couple of weeks I also have in mind to write something about this topic. Especially today, after another evening of frustrated channel hopping.
I am a cable television subscriber since I have moved to Davao in 1999, I was it for many years in different countries. Yeah, I was really happy to find some of my favorite European channels including news- and sports channels.
Time changes everything. Also television. You might experience the same live in the Philippines
An outraged mother admitted that there are some programs, which she really finds unfit for children. Some? Do you observe, that even cartoons became violent and increasingly beneath human dignity? As long as ALL OF US (not only our children!) are able and willing to watch this idiotism in screen, shouldn’t we be so blue-eyed and think that for example a “parental guidance” would be enough to educate our young eduction.
Let’s start a channel zapping with our beloved remote control and then let’s start selecting a station, which might be worth seeing and remarkable. There are some, no doubts! Nevertheless, the majority of TV channels fill me with revulsion.
Inebriated “hot babes” have to show how they “survive” even while crying and puking in front of the camera during evening prime time. Enjoy your dinner!!! Reality TV brings us with disgusting competitive zeal into the darkest, saddest and many times - so to speak - into the intimate parts of our daily life,
Do you enjoy watching real happened accidents, police patrols, bleeding victims or “million dollar couples”, “which don’t even hesitate to eat mice, rats, and cockroaches” (”Disgusting, but I want the money!”)?
Do you enjoy watching the latest variations of wrestling entertainment? Yeah, “bloddy entertainment”? Can we lead our nation by boycotting those stations, which enjoy corrupting our mind by so much dangerous nonsense and stupidity violence and sexism practically being glorified in many TV shows.
It’s sad to say, but I guess an appeal to those TV-stations to change their programs and to think about their responsibility is useless. Nevertheless, a quality cable TV entertainment provider should not clutter us with more and more channels and increase the monthly rate at the same time.
So, what I gonna to do tonight?
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Do video games mean something?Does religion makes one religious?
Miracles or Charlatanry?
Lessons in Life
The Interdiction Society
# 1 zois said:
Hi Klaus I agree with you the TV no have nothing give good
for the people I like to take out my TV but I can’t. But one
my friend he is take out he is look any more TV.
I am live in Athens.
# 2 Paul said:
Radio could be a valid substitute. Not all stations in the Phils (or on shortwave, if available) carry intense or shock DJs with mindless music. Even in the northern provinces there is quite a selection of shows. All that’s needed is a radio set, a strong, noise-free signal, and an imagination.
# 3 AmericanLola said:
If you ask me, TV is pretty idiotic all over the world. We don’t have cable and do not watch TV. We do by but like to buy VCDs or DVDs of movies we enjoy and watch them at our leisure. There are now plenty of used book stores in the Philippines and we find treasures all the time!
# 4 rick said:
Yes i like the second hand book stores and enjoy picking the odd gem out, have uncovered some real treasures as you say American Lola
# 5 Tina said:
I agree with American Lola. We live in New York City and don’t have cable TV. Our neighbors think we’re from another planet.
We only watch TV for the news and for nature shows on PBS. Everything else is pretty much garbage.
For movies, we can borrow DVD’s from the local library and watch movies at our own leisure, pause the movie if we need to, mute it when it gets scary, and not have to listen to people making comments about it. What more can we ask for?
# 6 jul said:
Hi Tina and AmericanLola:
We didn’t subscribe cable TV for years now and we never have it in CDO. When I told friends about us not having cable TV, they too thought of cancelling subscription. I have to confess that TV becomes our lullaby especially after supper, if you know what I mean.:lol:
# 7 Tina said:
Hi Jul,
I understand perfectly what you mean.
# 8 Jim Cunningham said:
Hi Klaus-Although we are still in the UK I gave up SKY TV about four years ago as they kept showing repeats and adding chanels which were to say the least just rubbish, not forgetting to mention the constant increases in the subscription rate.
We both like to read and prefer to watch a good DVD at our leisure and of course converse with each other.
I have so many things I want to do when I eventualy come to stay permanently in the Philippines and watching TV does not come highly on my list.
# 9 Bob New York USA said:
About all I watch on TV these days is the news and maybe some of the PBS programs that may interest me. I dont subscribe to 100 cable channels and I spend more time learning things from being on the internet than from watching TV.. I buy used DVD for movies. Who ever thought major New York TV stations would be showing ” Informercials ” on weekend afternoons a decade or two ago although it is reported they make more money showing informercials if they have no major sports to broadcast.
In many parts of the world, Broadcasting is a business, too often these days corporate owned, so they must continually show a profit and that is what motivates the type of programs they will air and sponsors will buy advertizing time.
PBS in the USA is privately funded so they are not held responsible to stockholders and corporate entities to make big profits, in most cases they have quality and excellence in their programming. In the UK any residence with a TV must pay the equivalent of about $200 USD per year for a ” TV License ” from the BBC. The BBC is funded by the license fee charged to viewers and they have excellence and quality in their programs as they are not responsible to corporate sponsors for their income.
The ” Profit Driven ” business of commercial Broadcasting is, unfortunately, more responsible for what many have to ” endure ” in viewing TV. these dyas more than ever before.
# 10 Angie said:
Hi Klaus,
I have a humongous TV that is now an artifact of a bygone era. I use it occasionally, if something on PBS strikes my fancy. I like Suze Orman and Dr. Wayne Dyer, for instance. When they come on PBS, I get to use my TV.
I also watch other documentaries as I find time. But I don’t schedule my activities around them.
For news, I get my feeds from the internet.
Movies I watch sparingly (from DVDs) that I buy; or borrow from the library. Or very occasionally I rent from Blockbuster. I gravitate towards lectures on DVDs or spiritually inspired movies… Or other types that fall under “Special Interest”
For real entertainment, I prefer live theater. San Francisco offers a lot in this regard.
# 11 Jae said:
This topic gets my blood boiling sometimes.
The Philippine networks are literally destroying the mental level of its audience, which is substantial. Look at all the prime time programing. There was that Darna, then Super Twins, Encantadia, Lupin…the list goes on and one. What in the world are these programs? It’s so childish and idiotic, it’s just unbelievable. Makes me want to throw up. The audience is not just kids, but the entire family. And the wowowee and Eat Bulaga. Is it a variety show, or is it a soft porn? You got weeping contestants, and in the background, barely covered girls are dancing and showing what they do at nightclubs. And this ridiculous show, I believe it was titled Daisy Siesta about a group of filipinos working in a hostess bar in Japan… What are these people thinking?
The education system is bad enough as is. But for the networks to further destory one of the very few opportunities the Philippines has to educate its people–through primetime TV–is just unforgivable. TV programs definitely can be fun, and educational at the same time. It just needs a creative mind. The Phil networks are focusing only on juvenile fun, and zero on education.
Sad. And intolerable.
I do have cable only because I watch international news, Discovery/Animal Planet, and occasionally Living Asia.
# 12 Angie said:
“Television is a medium of entertainment which permits millions of people to listen to the same joke at the same time, and yet remain lonesome. ”
–T. S. Eliot
# 13 Another Bob said:
Keep the population “dumbed down” with television and you can ply them like putty.
# 14 Angie said:
Well… I “bonded” with my TV very early this morning, about 1:00 to 3:00 a.m. It’s because Wayne Dyer was on PBS with his (older, ca. 2005) program called “Inspiration, Your Ultimate Calling.” I was lucky to have been a guest when they filmed that program in San Francisco so I “experienced” Wayne Dyer live as he spread his stories of inspiration.
Watching it again was not the same as hearing him live, but it was a good encore.
Several people who have lived inspired lives were featured. Two of them remain close to my heart: Ryan (Canada) and Imaculee Ilibagiza (formerly of Rwanda, now a resident of Long Island, NY)
Ryan was a young kid (now a teenager) from Canada but his story started when, as a 6-year-old, he dreamed of providing clean drinking water for children in the villages in Africa. So he started getting “paid jobs” (ie, chores) to start his fundraising for his project. Eventually he did put up a well, which led to more wells… Of course, a 6-year-old having such a vision caught media attention. So more and more money started flowing to him effortlessly. Now he has a foundation and continues to deliver on his vision. There’s a documentary movie about him, “Ryan’s Well” and he was also a guest on Oprah Winfrey at one time.
Read his many accomplishments here: http://www.ryanswell.ca/story/accomplishments.html
His movie is on “Special Interest” at Blockbuster outlets; or you can try “Spiritual Cinema” — you have to be a subscriber.