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Media, as evidence of the crisis of society

2024-01-19 13:56:00, Opinione Mentor Kikia

Media, as evidence of the crisis of society

Illustrative photo

In 1989, on the only Albanian screen, RTSH, the viewers followed with the greatest attention a show, it was a literary competition. A group of talented students had captivated the public in a competition of literary knowledge. That race was won by a student of the "Luigj Gurakuqi" Institute (now a university) in Shkodër. He was Luan Rama!

35 years later, times have changed a lot.

A multitude of televisions fight in a frenzied competition for the audience, and those who have managed to "hold the viewer" in front of the screen are comedy programs and reality shows. Earlier "Portokalli", and then "Big Brother Albania" or "Love Island Albania", these internationally patented formats. Despite the criticisms and anathemas made by many commentators on the network, these have been and are the most watched programs.

Critics motivate their attitude with the fact that such programs have no educational value. I personally don't follow them, but I willy-nilly fall in contact with information since the "news" about them is present in every information medium.

I also think that these programs have no value, but the goal of the producers who invented them was not the production of values. The goal was the show, securing the audience, which translates into advertising, that is, money.

The problem, I think, is not why reality shows such as "Big Brother", "Love Island", or other formats are produced that, in the fight for the audience, shorten the presenters' dresses more and more. The problem is that we do not produce educational programs at all, that is, programs that promote values.

What would happen if today, on an Albanian screen, the show of 1989 was produced, with that literary competition? Would he have the Big Brother audience? We will all say no! But we cannot say that it would be neglected at all.

In the fight for an ever-shrinking audience, the media have found salvation in three areas:

-Crime news: -Political shows: -Reality show that goes towards banality.

Educational programs do not sell, they do not have an audience. And the media wants money, it wants advertising. So she sells crime, sex and political mud.

Is this the fault of the televisions that produce them, or of the audience that follows them?

This does not have a correct answer. But what is clear is that what is happening is evidence of the deep crisis of society. During the week, people are informed about every person arrested, every person who has been killed or died, even from coal asphyxiation or from falling on a bicycle in the canal.

They watch debates between analysts and politicians and political ads every night. While on the weekends, they go out as families, even with their children, no doubt, to follow programs based on social experiments, without any value, but medially and economically successful.

- You don't go to the cinema

- You don't go to the theater

Children do not have puppet theaters, there are no educational films for them, there are no educational and training programs, there is nothing of the sort. They are growing up publicly consuming the same menu of information and entertainment as their parents.

If we do not invest in formation and education, including family-school-media-cultural institutions, and other public assets, we will continue to be a mob and not a civilized society.

Photo: Luan Rama in the competition of 1989/ CNA