Discussion Topic - Television
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Discussion Topic - Television
Part 1: Introduction & Interview
Q. 1. How often do you watch television? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: Unfortunately, I don’t really get much opportunity to watch television that often because I remain busy most of the time with my office job. Besides, whatever time, I manage, outside of my work, I try to spend it to study (related to my job) in order to improve my skills and expertise unless, of course, there is a very good programme on TV.
Q. 2. Which television channels do you usually watch? [Why?]
Answer: As I have mentioned earlier, I don’t really manage that much time to watch TV because of my busy schedule, but whenever I get an opportunity, I try to watch news and sports channels because watching sports keep my mind active while watching news channel helps me put things (whatever is happening in this world) in proper perspective.
Q. 3. Do you enjoy the advertisements on television? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: Well, I don’t really enjoy watching advertisements on television mainly because most of them have no or very limited “artistic” values. Besides, I find them annoying because they interrupt the regular programmes rather excessively.
Q. 4. Do you think most programmes on television are good? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: No, I don’t think that most programmes on television are good, especially in my country, because most of them fail to convey any “good and timely” message to their audience. Besides, I also think that the performance of most of the artists or performers in the programmes is “substandard”, to say the least.
Q. 5. Do you enjoy watching TV or browsing the internet more? [Why?]
Answer: On any given day, I would enjoy browsing the internet rather than watching television because I believe that I have more freedom to see, read or enjoy the things at my own pace, and according to my own schedules and preference when I browse the internet.
Part 3: Details Discussion
Q. 1. How popular is watching television in your country?
Answer: I would say that television watching is pretty popular in my country because there is hardly any household in my country that doesn’t have at least one TV, if not more. Even many offices and businesses in my country these days keep TVs in their lobby areas in order to entertain or distract their visitors and customers. Besides, the fact, that many people in my country finish their offices and close their businesses sometimes in order to watch some popular TV programmes with their families, goes to further prove that television watching is indeed popular in my country.
Q. 2. How TV programmes differ now than that of 10 years ago?
Answer: TV programmes differ rather significantly than that of 10 years ago. For example, a decade ago, there wasn’t much diversity in the programmes except those that mostly focused on news, sports, drama serial or soap opera, movie shows, dance & musical shows and cooking programmes. But these days, in addition to these programmes, we can also see many different kinds of talk shows, reality shows, cross-cultural programmes, and live/interactive shows just to name a few. Besides, now, the quality of some of the TV shows today, compared to the TV programmes before 10 years, has increased either because of using advanced technologies or because of “ambiguity and complexity of character and narrative”.
Q. 3. What is the difference between young people and old people’s favourite TV programmes? Why they differ?
Answer: The general perception among the majority of the public, depending on, of course, what kinds of cultures they belong to, or what kinds of lifestyles they lead, is that “old people” tend to enjoy programmes that offer them some kind of “food for thoughts” while the young people lean towards those TV programmes that offer them some kind of “instant gratification”. In other words, while old people would enjoy a good news programme or “documentary” show, young people would prefer to watch a “musical concert”, or a “moonwalk dance” which is performed by some “trend-setting” and “stylish” artists.
I believe experience, expectation, lifestyle and peer-influence have something to do with this difference.
Q. 4. Do you think TV dramas reflect what happens in the reality of society?
Answer: I do think that TV dramas reflect the realities of our society to some extent one way or another by highlighting both the “positive” and “dark” sides of our societies, especially, when they showcase glamour, superficial behaviour, violence and materialism, which are present today more or less in almost all societies and across all types of culture. Of course, these TV dramas present them in an “excessive and unrealistic” manner most of the times, but they do so “purely” for commercial reasons and “artistic values”, otherwise they (dramas) would prove out to be boring for the common viewers.
Q. 5. What are the influences of foreign TV programmes on people in your country?
Answer: I live in a predominantly “agrarian” society where most of the people still live with their “traditional” values and lifestyle. But, when people, especially the young children, watch foreign programmes, they become a bit confused, as to which tradition and beliefs to stick with and which to let go, and thus eventually “corrupting” (for the lack of a better word) their own food habit, clothing style, language and behavioural pattern. Besides, when foreign TV programmes are shown in my country, they are posing some “stiff” competition, more often than not, to our local TV shows, which is certainly not “financially” good for our local TV crews and artists.
Q. 6. How do you think TV viewing habits change as people get older? Why?
Answer: As people grow older, their habits generally tend to change. The same holds "true" with viewing TV. For example, when they grow older, they tend to spend lesser time in watching TV due to spending too much time working or taking care of other priorities. Then, of course, they also tend to become a bit more selective in deciding which TV programmes to watch and what not to watch because they want to utilize their “free” time a bit more wisely. Finally, some people develop certain kinds of “interest” or “hobby”, as well as they grow older, and therefore prefer to watch only those TV shows, which are more “aligned” to his or her interests.
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