Saturday, March 19, 2011

If I could change TV...

(originally posted 12/29/08)

As we go into the New Year, here’s a new kind of “resolution”:  If I could change TV for the better, right now, I’d work for the following…
  • Comedy shows that don’t rely mostly on insult, put-down, and disparaging humor that always sets up other people as the stooges, fools, victims, or butts of cruel jokes.
  • Fairer, more balanced news coverage that isn’t so slanted toward sensationalism, tabloid sleaze, conservative reactionary politics, and other non-helpful perspectives that hurt society, instead of helping it.
  • Fewer “reality” series.
  • Tighter rules on misleading, unfair, mudslinging political campaigns.
  • Less violence, across the board – fewer crime, CSI, war, spy, and other such “horror” shows that bring blood & gore into our living rooms.
  • More public interest programming that discusses and suggests real solutions for community problems, needs, and opportunities.
  • A return to musical variety concepts in prime time – like the Carol Burnett, Smothers Brothers, Dolly Parton, Jimmy Dean, etc. shows.
  • More believable, “real” people personalities, news reporters, anchors, and hosts – not the egotistical, plastic, pompous, perfect-hair people who presently over-populate the channels.
  • Less exploitation of vulnerable viewers like children, the differently-abled, and underrepresented minorities who (1) don’t get a fair shake in honest, accurate portrayals of their real human condition, needs, concerns, feelings, etc.; (2) are seen mainly as potential consumers to be sold things to (often unfairly or without sensitivity to their limited ability to discern false claims, unsuitable or inappropriate goods or services, or poorly-designed or inadequately-performing products; and (3) and stereotyping or even total absence of characters similar to them on TV.
  • More diversity of TV station ownership (especially more local ownership) so that there is less of a monopoly of the media in the hands of only a few mega-sized international corporations.         

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