Mass media like television and radio reach a huge audience and therefore, the impact of these media on the public is great. Any such tool that is capable of possibly influencing the thoughts and actions of people has to be monitored carefully. The reach of these media has to be leveraged to promote a positive mindset.
There might be an argument that such offensive language and behavior is bound to appear in reality shows, which are claimed to be reflections of the society but such language and behavior on popular shows only tend to make it look “cool” to youngsters. It is also an undeniable fact that youngsters of today are the adults of tomorrow. Their normal vocabulary will consist of foul words, which will be passed on to their children.
One comes across a lot of such programs. Reality shows, in which the participants hurl vile words at each other just for the sake of the prize money and to boost the ratings of the channel, are so common these days. These channels repeatedly show such behavior in snapshots, during the promos of such shows, to get more people to watch it. They are cashing in on the general human tendency to lean towards the darker side.
Common people no longer think about what they are going to say, on radio or on TV. The idea nowadays seems to be, speaking without thinking is speaking out one’s mind. Such shows portray thinking before speaking as a sign of weakness, by creating an image that words spoken spontaneously are those that come from deep within. That might not be the case always. Such “spontaneous” speech is more often a reproduction of the constant garbage that is hounded on them by the radio and TV shows.
On the other hand, interviews with real people, with real troubles – people who do not frame their speeches are educative in the sense that they show the public what their fellow human beings are going through. These programs create awareness, a gratitude for the position that one is in and the wish to reach out and help those in suffering.
Censorship of television and radio programs should indeed be there, in order to remind them of the great responsibility that they have. Censorship should be to the extent that the basic idea behind the program does not get affected. The intent behind the program (as to whether it is for entertainment/education/news/awareness creation) should also be kept in mind during the censor process. Programs which contain unnecessary amounts of offensive language or behavior, which might harm the public mindset, might as well be scrapped, since they add no value to the audience.
