The boon and bane of TV programmes

As said, TV has positive sides. But its negative sides are too strong to be ignored. The first and foremost thing is that though TV has programmes like news and views, IEM (information, education and motivation) subjects but now it's seen that it has become more a source of entertainment based on events like dance, drama, songs, crime, violence, sex etc. Further, because of the nature of the programmes people particularly the young are affected negatively which in turn has a corrupting effect in the society. A story goes about a toddler who took his father's gun and shot at his friend (a toddler too). Asked about the reason, he told that the latter had refused a chocolate to him. It is a story more likely to be true since the children learn and imitate quickly. This episode was similar to that of a scene in one of the Indian movies where in a character had shot dead a man as he (the deceased) protested some of the excesses of the former. The ground however was too flimsy for the character to shoot dead the other poor fellow. On the moral count too, the TV has no less corrupting effect. Most of the foreign films and drama serials have themes based on sex, violence, immorality etc. And on these people spend around 5-6 hours a day which could otherwise be used in gainful pursuits. The children also enjoy their own programmes like cartoons, sports, etc. but often for longer hours. In one case a child did not go for home-coaching since the study time collided with that of his favourite TV programme. So the children enjoy TV even at the cost of their studies. For all such negative impact of Television, the anti-TV campaigners strongly argue to ban TV. But the Shah Saheb in his article came up with a balanced view and suggested not a ban but an arrangement whereby people could make a judicious use of television. They should use television less and less, save time and use for productive purposes. If they do so, they may set example and then they can influence the young people to follow them in this noble work of employing the valuable time in gainful pursuits. This will be something like stop smoking first and then ask others to quit or limit smoking. It is said that the incidence of smoking in the west has considerably gone down. This could become possible because of taking anti-smoking measures vigorously as a social movement.

Accordingly, limiting the use of TV has to be taken as social movement. Vigorous campaigning through available media -- print, bill-board, rallies, meetings, seminars symposia etc. -- has to be launched. To start with, foreign channels have to be banned as done in some other countries and local TV programmes improved consistent with quality, culture, moral, religious values and hopes and aspiration of people.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source