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A Day with No TV!!! - Are you game for it?
Saturday, January 29, 2011 | 5:34:26 PM IST (+05:30 GMT) 16 Comments
As per the initiative of Hindustan Times, today is considered to be 'No TV Day'.. But are we willing to stay away from the idiot box for a day? Read on..
People have been spectators of No TV Day banners and posters all over the city. An initiative taken by Hindustan Times, No TV day, Switch on Mumbai Switch off TV on Jaunary 29, encourages people to switch off the idiot boxes for 24 hours and make the day constructive and eventful with their own creative activities.
But will it really be followed? An ambiguous question for which the answer could possibly be No!!!
Television has become so significant a part of life that today we can add it on to the list of 'Roti Kapda aur Makaan' - An entertainment source that can barely be given a backseat in the house. Television which was just a token of luxury earlier is now a need.
If we compare the shows of yesterday and today, there are Brobdingnagian differences to be pointed out. A medium where the shows were usually entertainment packages that provided a reliever, is today a provider of high points and suspense that could barely be missed by the viewers.
But at the same time, the concept of No TV day has been interesting because, thinking about a day without TV and hanging around with friends makes us curious to know on how we will spend it. But in a city like Mumbai where we have frequent power offs for an entire day, I think people have various other alternatives to spend the day.
While we kept aside the normal people, we thought to contact certain industry biggies on their take on No TV Day.
Producer Rajan Shahi who has shows Ye Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Chand Chupa Badal Mein running on Star Plus says "First of all I do not think that any medium should comment on how a day should be spent without another medium because it is a personal choice. I do not understand why the positive aspects of a day have to be highlighted at the cost of another medium. Spending a day with the needy and the helpless, go, visit and talk to the under privileged etc are positive conducts that should be highlighted. Television today is not just rooted to entertainment, but a source of education, information and everything. What I would say is that TV has made me a better human being."
Yash Patnaik, Producer of Rang Badalti Odhani on Star One, questions about the concept and says "What are you going to achieve by having a No TV Day? You don't make people spend time with family and friends by making a No TV Day and in fact TV brings families and friends together. It's just another gimmick and I hope the organizations who are calling this No TV Day spend the money and efforts in calling No Bribe Day, No Abuse Day, No Lie Day, No Enemy Day rather."
