Why is television getting so bad. Mindless celebrity shows? TV quizzes, Freak shows Donahue etc, You can be famous for doing nothing shows, Decorate your house, throw out everything and start again, endless consumption programming. Even the news is presented to viewers with all the blaring music and jingoism of a soap.

The reason for the television programming we are experiencing here in the UK today is for the same reasons that Americans have been used this type of programming from the invention of the medium and its availability to a general public. That is- to alleviate the transfer of a public corporation into a private one

The BBC over the years had a world-wide reputation for balanced and unbiased news reporting and a wide spectrum of cultural, drama and educational-value programming, was its non commercial status.

When mass television became available both the British, and United States, governments had to decide whether television should be under government control to ensure quality as happened in Britain. Or be licensed and sold off to private companies as happened in America.

Thus, from the very beginning in the United States T. V. viewing consisted of Quiz’s adverts and soaps sponsored by soap companies in order to sell – soap. Put to use purely as a commercial medium television had a heavy bias to spread business propaganda. There for the programs needed to be sympathetic to business interests even the news or especially the news.

How far have we gone down the same road as American TV?

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How many programs can you spot on ITV that are not sponsored by a big business? Is this anything to do with the drop in standards of British Television programs? Do the programs lead the adverts, or the adverts lead the programs?

Have you noticed on the news when big business deals or developments are reported the emphasis is on the interest of the business rather than on the local people and the environment the developments will effect?

Have you noticed when massive redundancies are reported it is usually pitched as if it is the workers fault?

Have you also noticed the amount of dramatic music and physical street violence shown on the news when government reform is announced, reform that will undermine civil liberties a lot more than it will to lessen the violence portrayed.

How many programs rely on CCTV camera coverage for cheap and scary coverage? Does television give the public what they want? soaps: quiz’s, chat shows, talking-head talent less-personalities shows.
John Pilger, a writer and documentary filmmaker made a film about Britain, and Americas, involvement in the Gulf War. The bombing of civilians, the amount of children who have died through lack of drug supplies by trade embargoes and such like. The film received the highest ratings of any of his films to date. The reason for the high ratings, apart from being an excellent researched documentary of the conflict was. The film was shown at a prime time viewing spot in the early evening as opposed a late night spot. Where most thought provoking political material is usually kept at the behest of program planners and executives whose only concern is reducing the budget, dumbing down the content and increasing their bonus.

The more you watch the less you see.

Thirty years ago educational programs could be found on television dealing with diverse subjects as ‘practical building’ and ‘literacy’ in the form of soaps and programs that stretched the intellect as well as entertaining. This type of program is rapidly disappearing as the public is subjected to slurry of mind numbing trivia.

It is not what you watch on TV but how television is used, is being manipulated as a pacifying drug from the miseries of work or unemployment. ” I Just want to veg out in front of the telly”. It is interesting to note here. In the worst hellholes of American prisons, where murder, torture and rape are day to day occurrence by guards and prisoners alike. Where prisoners are denied such basics as exercise and gym equipment or library facilities. The one thing that is never denied a prisoner, no mater if in solitary or how bad his conduct or crimes were is- a television.