Mediocrity Takes Over TV - Dis-/Agree?

Source:
http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=12371

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MEDIOCRITY TAKES OVER TELEVISION

Posted online: Friday, April 14, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

A week ago while surfing channels I caught an episode of Kandy Floss where hostess Archana Puran Singh asks her guests Rakhee Sawant and Sandhya Mridul if they would go all the way for their dream role? While Sandhya refused outright that she would not compromise on her values, Rakhee Sawant proudly declared that she would have no objection. Archana complimented Rakhee for her honesty and applauded her lack of double standards.

Is this what we have reduced our late night slots to? po*nography, liberal use of expletives, undignified language and below the belt humour. A wave of mediocrity has taken over the television medium as a result, the more gimmicks and shock value you add to the programme, the higher TRPs are guaranteed.

In ten years the medium has grown for one channel to 100 plus and transformed the small screen to a monster hungry for more and more programmes. Every year, as the belly of the Frankienstien spreads, we make bigger compromises and our standards fall lower. What's worse we learn to justify our follies.

So Ekta Kapoor describes her saas bahu serials as socially relevant, the reality shows defines it as a platform for common man aspirations and Kandy Floss proclaim that the bold interviews are about freedom of speech. The good thing about the urban elite is that they unburden their emotional baggage through intellectual debates.

On to television, Rekha Modi, the much-maligned script writer of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi accused by TV star Smriti Irani of making threatening calls to her has not only won the case in her favour but initiated contempt proceedings against police commissioner AN Roy for the violent treatment meted out to her by his three policemen in the lock up. She has sought the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) for violation of human rights while being investigated on FIR registered by the complainant. That's not all. Modi's lawyer has claimed that his client will fight the FIR case as no chargesheet has been filed so far.

Something tells me that this legal battle is going to take a bitter turn. While truth may take a long time to prevail, one thing is certain that Modi is going to fight this till the end. As they sey hell hath no fury of a woman scorned. While Smriti Irani has claimed that the fight is about standing up for her rights, you have to grant it to Modi to have the courage to go against a leading banner, lead star to restore her lost dignity. The real life drama is so much more interesting than the synthetic serials the two have churned out together.

Show business in trouble
Almost a month after living in terror and writing letters to Congress President and Maharashtra Chief Minister, finally Govinda's mischievous caller has been traced to a crazy fan settled in UAE.

The drama brings to focus several issues. Isn't a 26-year-old mature enough to comprehend the implications of her dangerous action? So, how can the girl's family defend her foolish behaviour instead of reprimanding her infatuation with a film star? The more important, why did the website where the girl availed the actor's number not stop to think of the outcome of its irresponsible act?

The anti-climax was when a Mumbai based newspaper printed the fans' telephone number and the martyr pleading 'Don't I have any right to privacy?' Well so did Govinda.

It's almost morbid the way Salman Khan has got embroiled in the poaching case. While a section still believes that Khan is a pawn in a dangerous game of police, politicians and media who will not let go off a sensational story, the film industry is in trouble with 80 crores riding on the superstar.

It is an abstract feeling with no concrete proof but something tells me that whenever and if at all, Salman reveals the complete story, he is going to surprise everyone. In the meanwhile the print and the electronic media who have recurringly capitalised on the news can make efforts to investigate two pre-requisite factors in this case. One, when was the Wild Life Protection Act updated after its institution in 1972? Two, more important, how many registered cases violating the Wild Life Protection Act (besides Pataudi and Salman) in all these years have been reported?

I would not be surprised if Salman Khan is the first and if that is true, it is something to think about.

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thanks for the article i remember this i watched it