Idiot box and morals

Watching television has become an integral part of today's family life. It has moreover become part and parcel of daily relaxation with the entire family glued to the idiot box especially after dinner to lap up the fare that is being dished out. When TV first burst into the Lankan scene in the late seventies programs were essentially mundane and innocuous as would be the case during the experimental stage. There was nothing brazen or controversial that raised eyebrows. Sinhala teledramas dominated the prime time entertainment with the occasional Western or Hindi movie screened to cater to a diverse audience. Even the commercial broadcasts were of a mundane variety and more often than not evoked mirth for their bland and supercilious nature. In short TV then provided family entertainment. By this we mean its content was such the entire family could watch television together without unease and embarrassment.

However with the passage of time TV content underwent a dramatic change with more and more bold and explicit scenes creeping into its programs making it embarrassing for family viewing of TV any more. So much so the authorities at one point were compelled to order TV stations to shift the screening of certain films/programs into the late hours for obvious reasons. This was a time when there were only a few TV channels operating and the authorities were able to monitor programs. Today with a plethora of local channels and mega sponsorship there appears to be no control on the fare that is being dished out. So much so that it has warranted Government intervention no less to scrutinise Television content to see if there is a corrupting influence that cause harm to young minds.

Speaking at a school function in Kandy on Sunday Mass Media and Communications Minister Keheliya Rambukwella wanted a ban on TV commercials, teledramas and other programs that pervert the minds of the young. He went so far as to say that the harm this could do to young minds could be even worse than the youth taking to drugs.

A good many TV viewers no doubt would endorse the sentiments expressed by the Minister. Today TV has been drawn so deep into the jungle of commercialization that it has lost all direction and purpose. Some of the programs aired on private channels should certainly come under the microscope for their callous disregard for basic decencies and moral standards. It is no exaggeration to state that some of these programs border on the vulgar where young couples are made to perform various stunts and gyrations in provocative dance sequences. There are also those who might question the language used by certain announcers and the impressions they convey in their narrations. There are also vulgarization of the Sinhala language in most instances not only by TV anchors but also radio announcers which are picked up by the young and adopted into their daily vocabulary.

As a medium of entertainment TV has failed the larger masses with its determination to cater to a niche market comprising the youth. In the process it is acting irresponsibly showing little or no sensitivity to the country's cultural values or national ethos. While striving to promote 'superstars' among the young, certain TV stations have thrown overboard all sense of propriety and decency making it all too obvious that what they are interested in is to grab the limelight and improve their ratings.

True, TV is essentially a medium of entertainment and there may be differences of opinion as to what constitutes entertainment. And with the communication revolution where it is difficult to hide anything on any subject or sweep things under the carpet. It is futile to block . Television becoming bolder and daring with their brand of entertainment. But since TV is viewed as a family in the majority of homes it is essential that certain criteria be laid down where entertainment is dished out without impinging on morals and certain set values and customs held aloft by most Sri Lankans.

Not just in prime time. There are even cartoon programs for children where certain unsuitable language and terms are used in the dubbing process which as pointed by the Minister is of a substandard quality. These terms needless to say would be etched in the minds of children and become common currency among them leading to a debasement of the language.

While TV without doubt is the most popular mode of relaxation and entertainment to Lankans as with the rest of the world the authorities should also ensure that certain unwritten laws are not breached by TV stations in the race to improve their ratings and hog the limelight.