TV talk shows are a new phenomenon in our world of electronic media claiming credit and discredit, applause and criticism. These have already earned popularity, particularly among the conscious citizens of the country because of lively discussions on the issues which currently stir and affect the people currently.
Many people do not read newspapers minutely to grasp many important ideas, news and issues of home and abroad. Again, many cannot read several newspapers at a time to judge or comment on a burning issue. TV talk shows remind them of the burning topics of the day making the issues lively, interesting, familiar and popular.
Talk shows see intellectuals and experts draining out reveal their thoughts and opinions about a burning issue. It is absolutely necessary as our youth, future leaders of the nation, get to know these intellectuals. They now know only latest models, actors and actresses who frequently appear on TV screens in advertisements, sponsored by various local and multinational companies. It is strange that most of them keep themselves glued to television screens only to enjoy the entertaining programmes, avoiding the educative contribution of the media world. This means that the most important objective of the media remains neglected to them. The youth hardly try to understand the educative purpose of the media.
When TV talk shows go on, the youth willingly or unwillingly watch it. Sometimes they like it, sometimes not but they have some awareness of the issue discussed. Gradually, they become accustomed to watching it and get some food for thought. The conscious citizens of the country learn the opinions of intellectuals and experts. They feel a thirst for learning their comments which are impossible for them to get by individually contacting them. The TV talk show has opened the door to learn about comments and expertise of the guests and make them easily available to the audience.
But some talk shows sometimes show some guests just going on discussing without any definite goal. They hardly give any solution to the problem they talk about. The authorities and the presenter should take this fact into account with a view to making it more effective, fruitful, interesting and really educative.
Some topics take insufficient time making the show incomplete whereas some other issues seem not very important but take much time. They cannot suggest any tangible solution to the problem thus making the show lose its appeal to the conscious audience. The initiators must take these facts into account. In that case, a third party's role can't be overemphasised.
Many articles of some English newspapers offer solutions to some crucial problems as these are contributed by many professional writers. But unfortunately, many of these articles go unread and untouched by the readers. How many people read English newspapers? TV talk shows can arrange discussions on the basis of different informative articles published in English dailies and weeklies which will help people know the treasures hidden in the print media.
The writer is Manager, BRAC Education Programme.
 masumbillah65@gmail.com
Making TV talk shows useful
Masum Billah | Published: December 09, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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