ONE SIZE MISFITS ALL
It seems to me to be unfortunate that TV Production people, those who make our entertainment and edification packages, are in real trouble. The condition, too, is worsening.
In theory, we should be working together, rather than opposing each other.
They depend on the income they receive from the shows which are sold to us and, in turn, we look I look to them them as people with training, experience, money, and know-how and, at least, they know the whereabouts of the need creative artists needed to provide such a product for us to buy.
Yet, season after season, these prize-winning persons seem to be incapable of producing other than one-size-fits all program materials. The ape and imitate each other; the deride the arty edges of the business when they try new, innovative techniques and try to continue rehashing the old formats until they have become threadbare and tattered.
The least admirably among them tend to depend more and more on shock values. The prove season after season that excess violence, profanity, obscenity, rape and ravishment are not, as such, entertaining Their idea of comedy seems to center on either male crotch kicks or sight seeing tours of female cleavage. Each year they steadfastly prove that such shows are shallow and doomed.
To remain vital, television needs to develop purpose. its lose its meaning and need to be refocused on a definite set of goal worthy of the best elements of it audience. It can do far better than it is doing. It has proved that, by becoming the overwhelming media giant of our century. It has brought us endless reams of good entertainment and educational creations over many years. It is because of its sterling achievements that we are so concerned about its future.
The major need right now seems to be a need for TV to decide what it wants to be, where it is going, and to try to work toward such goals rather than attempting to recreate and maintain a Golden Age which it once knew and cannot ever know again in exactly the same way. The industry needs a new sense of purpose.
TV producers have had everything their own way far too long. There are now other kids on the block are ready to entertaining and edify in their mode and TV can no longer survive on re-runs and new versions of the same old formats season after season.
Have you noticed that the last three “changes” offered in American TV have all been British imports – The “millionaire” things, the “survivor” things and “reality” farces?
A.L.M. October 15, 2003 [c449wds]
