The Hypocrisy of requiring Television

By Alexis Nunez Oliva
Executive Producer of Television

At public events, conferences, in print media and even in speeches by politicians, has become fashionable to require television programming that educates and caring values.

It would be absurd to think that someone advocates a television destructive or inciting violence, and we know that precisely because of its communicative power is a duty to care what he says and shows.

But commercial television is not a school or a teacher. The television was made as a means of entertainment, and through it you can find (or misinform) on almost any subject.

In many countries, along with TV entertainment, there is the so-called cultural television, or education, usually in the hands of governments and institutions that do not seek profit from their programming, and have the privilege of making instructional programs, sometimes with a creative achievement and high visual value.

Unfortunately when we review in those countries points rating, we see that the public does not see these channels, which practically does not follow these programs and choose before commercial television, from soap to spaces of competitions and comedy.

Some will say that if complete commercial television, the public then it voltearía to see the cultural channels, but it would be like deciding to close the amusement parks with attractive games for people to return to play chess at home.

What happens in today's societies is that there are needs for products, demand satisfaction and consumption of all kinds of products derived from the diversity of thought and tastes.

It is not fair to require television culture that is entertaining as it is wrong to require commercial television that is educational and defender of morals.

The countries and people living their realities, wrapped in joy and tears, in love and crime, in creating works wonderful and they get in the destruction of natural phenomena. And the television coverage of over-the-content business has an obligation to provide a window on those realities.

To do otherwise, conceal or temper reality through television, has the same risk that the censorship imposed by totalitarian dictatorships when dominate the media.

The limits do have to draw the television commercial is not lying, not to suggest statements of opinion, not to compel belief in what is not true and respond to the public with careful programming on its channels that takes into account the hours and family schedules of adults.

The computer games, the famous Nintendo, football and boxing do not have any responsibility in the education of the inhabitants of this planet because they were created as a form of entertainment for spectators and players. Television is exactly the same.

Teachers and schools have a duty to teach their students how to watch TV, and differentiate between reality and fantasy, entertainment and information, and the obligation of parents to choose channels in their homes, schedules and "dose" of television for that their children grow up with a proper education and experience without unnecessary.

When parents, politicians and even "experts" to require commercial television to educate and preserve values, in reality they are acting with the same hypocrisy of which requires loyalty to their partner is unfaithful while in office hours.

© All Rights Reserved for the author.