A Truly Democratic Culture
This quote was on my iGoogle today:
Television is the first truly democratic culture – the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want. – Clive Barnes
Oh so very true. Especially with all the crap on TV these days; Dancing With the Stars, anything starring David Caruso, American Idol, any game show or “reality” program really.
http://www.democrats.com/cnn-censors-impeachment-youtube
TV is not democratic because someone controls what goes out because someone controls the people who control what goes out. It just looks democratic. An illusion.
It’s like saying that because something is on the internet it must be true.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/24/184250/101
haha.. yeah, i saw that article yesterday about Fox News.
News is very different from the entertainment division. People really do have the choice there. Sure, Studio Execs decide what initially makes it on the air, but people decide whether it stays. If it weren’t democratic, at least a little, shows like Family Guy and Jericho wouldn’t have gotten second shots.
I don’t agree that it is “available to everybody”. Believe it or not, there are people who don’t have televisions. Then you’ve got the various levels of channels to consider… local, cable, movie channels, ppv, naughty stuff, etc. So does that mean that I, who merely has local and basic cable channels, am less important than Shep, who has a suscription to every adult channel and then some? He is able to buy himself more representation in this so-called democracy… what a corrupt system! ;)
AND… reality shows are God’s way of reminding us that at least we aren’t THAT freaky. Kind of a pick-me-up… unless you’re related to one of them…
lol trix…. you are taking the quote way too literally.
The people decide what stays on the TV – sure.
But others limit that choice for a variety of reasons.
Fox would not have certain shows that say NBC would – and don’t forget that shows just don’t entertain, they maintain trains of thought or the provoke new ways of seeing a problem. So if you never provoke the output becomes the drug of choice for many people which is reflected in what they will then choose when presented with a choice.
This is why people do not watch the news, do not watch documentaries, do not care for what lives outside their immediate locale. To engage them outside of that is to broaden their horizons and giving people knowledge is a dangerous thing because you cannot predict what will then happen. To engage them is also a change and making a change in something like viewing habits is really hard. Why do they put god shows on early? To hook the viewer. They know that people won’t even press a button to channel hop if they get things right. And that’s no effort.
So TV gives the appearance of a democracy but it is not. Advertising drives it, the politicians drive it, the Actor’s Unions drive it, other vested interests drive it. People don’t though.
It’s not a democracy when the choice is so limited (esp in the US) even if that choice appears to be from a large number of alternatives.
This coming from the guy who has seen every episode of Saved by the Bell at last 15 times.
saved by the bell was the people’s choice though. that’s why it was on like 8 times a day :D
shep – you haven’t have you? Really? That would be sooooooooooooooooooooo bad.
i am no too proud to admit it. Saved by the Bell was THE tv show of my generation. I don’t know anyone my age who hasn’t seen every episode at least once. I grew up on it, what can i say?
I don’t think we control what is on TV at all. Many shows that had high viewer ratings ended up canceled and just as many crappy shows stay on for many seasons!