Readers share feisty notes

At a recent TV forum, some participants were eager to contribute their spontaneous and even graphic reactions to the shows they watched. We saw this as a bracing sign that televiewers are no longer as passive and “forgiving” as they used to be. So, our TV people should listen—and learn —before they can no longer make amends, and are caught with their collective pants down:

A “popular” complaint was voiced by a participant who griped that teleseryes have become predictable and boring, because they keep dramatizing the same, age-old conflicts, like romantic triangles and even “quadrangles,” the rich-poor divide, the vengeance motive, “multigenerational” resentments, etc.

Positive note

On a more positive note, the recent “Bagito” series was credited with tackling the “hot” issues of teen pregnancy and fatherhood, and thus warning teen viewers against ending up like its hapless male protagonist.

Back to the negative notes: A participant cited some TV shows as being notoriously child-unfriendly, including a number of noontime programs and gag shows. She urged TV producers and performers to keep reminding themselves that children are watching, so television fare has to be “GP” practically all the time.

Another complaint was raised in the form of a nagging query: Are TV commercials exceeding their prescribed limit in terms of number of minutes per telecasting hour? The complainant believed so, and hoped that a TV watchdog body could count those actual minutes. —Any takers?

A befuddled query, obviously from a nonfan: Why is Ai Ai delas Alas being hailed as the country’s “comedy queen?” —Good question!

Well, the answer could be that her movies and “comedy concerts” were big hits some years ago. But, her recent efforts have been noticeably less successful, so a reconsideration—and “uncrowning”—may be in order. —What do you think?

On the nagging, needling issue of objectivity in TV newscasts, the participants got a brisk discussion going: Some adhered to the basic principle of objectivity at all times, but others noted that, in the Philippines, a “personal” style is preferred—which is why some TV anchors come up with comments at the end of a newscast—which others find highly objectionable! Again, what’s your opinion on this objective-subjective score?