Ratings and relevancy are the key operatives for any TV channel but exasperated sighs have been echoing around the public domain of late, with many believing that television has dumbed down and needs to "return to its glory days".
It seems that quite a few viewers have had their fill of reality TV programmes, the mimicking of hit series and excessive repeats: Big Brother, Channel 4's run-of-the-mill shock inducing documentaries, and our own Tallafornia, Fade Street and The Voice of Ireland are but a few examples. You see it's not enough to import popular shows and air them repeatedly, we have to copy the format exactly and dole it out under the pretense that, "hey, that's not rehashed, it's exciting and fresh". When we're not being served up pilfered (not in the direct sense of course) repeats, we get a stream of shock therapy reality TV. And while we're jumping from one extreme to another the quality diminishes on all sides, leaving us with a watered down, worn end product.
Countless academic studies are carried out, in order to assess the effect of TV on society: Some of these sociological studies make waves by asking how violence on TV and film influences our behaviour in the 'real world'. Intellectual 'elites' make a point of asking these questions, and have done so for many years. Sure Groucho Marx, who worked on TV as both a presenter and guest for decades, famously said that he found television "very educating" way back when. "Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book" he explained. They didn't call him a comedy genius for nothing now did they?
Putting the opinions of a select few aside, you have to admit that TV does play a huge role in Western culture, and its influence continues to spread. That's why it's even more important to consider the interests and direction of TV production. Are the production companies making the television that we want? Or are they just churning out any aul trash they can spray paint shiny, new and eye-catching?
With an infinite number of channels, for the most part owned by a handful of companies, the limited choice of new programmes could almost be likened to the Orwellian dominance and control of public thought that's depicted in 1984, as laughably extreme as it sounds. OK the stations are not trying to brainwash us with propaganda as such, but sometimes you could be forgiven for thinking they're not that far off. If they can get you hooked on brain melting, yet oddly comforting shows, you might just keep watching. The channels targeting young people are some of the worst offenders when it comes to repetition and 'junk food' programming, so if the next generation turns out to be particularly brainless, we'll know who's to blame.
All that considered, we do have to ask ourselves, do these populist TV channels operate with good intentions, or is it all about the shock doctrine? Are people exploited by shows like The X Factor or The Undateables (a fly on the wall documentary series that follows the dating lives of people with special needs). Entertaining TV maybe (though it’s just as likely to be queasy goading), but this modern day Roman gladiators’ arena thrives on drama: Where is the line and is anyone untouchable?
Channel 4's 10 O’Clock Live launched a third series earlier this year and with some of the most popular comedians on the panel, it was marketed as a satirical current affairs show for young and trendy kids (or so the live audience suggested). It even stole a large portion of the 'all hallowed' Newsnight audience. However, whether it is really an inquisitive, open discussion or a cover for Jimmy Carr 'smut joke' routines, as it has been often criticised for, is as debatable as any of the surface deep talks they skimmed through on the show: Many a decent topical issue veered off course to facilitate a quip from Mr Carr.
Even if 10 O'Clock Lives stands up as a sturdy topical show, does it balance out the schedule of a station that's jam packed with shock inducing documentaries including Bi-Curious Me, Confessions of an Alien Abductee, Sex Stories, 16 Kids and Counting, My Transsexual Summer, Accused: The 77 Stone Babysitter and Big Fat Gypsy Weddings. Actually, anything to do with Gypsies will do for this lot.
it's not that there are no worthy television shows on our screens by any means, but more that there's a worrying amount of lazy trash. Love/Hate is making waves as it should be, but it’s also proving that there is room on stations like RTE One for so many more original and well produced series. The Clinic, Bachelor’s Walk, Love is The Drug, Bittersweet and more have already proven that we do have the talent, so why aren’t more Irish series being produced?
Buying in is easier but it’s also so dull. Bring back real TV, we say. Everyone’s sick of seeing kids who can’t sing cry on stage in front of a pompous ex-girl band panel, give us a show we can quote for years after. Come on TV, bring back the Del Boys, the Fletchers, Barrys and Father Ted.