‘Art Angel’ axed – what a pity!

PIA Arcangel (right) with guest Eugene Domingo

These days, viewers want to see more TV shows for children. Instead of bolstering programs for young viewers, however, some channels have been concluding the run of some worthy programs. For instance, we were saddened to see just last week that, after seven years, the educational show “Art Angel” (GMA 7) was on its final telecast.

That’s a real pity, since local TV needs a show like “Art Angel,” which tries to interest children in creative and artistic pursuits especially in the visual arts.  We already have far too many shows that appeal to young viewers’ shallower and less positive tendencies and proclivities – why not put an end to them?

What can we do about “Art Angel” and its undeserved fate? Are there enough parents, children, teachers and artists out there who care enough about the show and the key artistic service and training it provides to convince the decision-makers involved to give the show a new lease on life?

More to the point, are there enough advertisers out there who are ready to support the programs? Surely, they can see that it’s trying to turn our children into well-rounded individuals with an interest in the arts, unlike some other programs that generally appeal only to their less desirable inclinations.

If you feel strongly enough about this, let your voice be heard – and let’s see what our collective viewer and advertiser power can do.

Other casualties

While we’re at it, let’s remind ourselves that there used to be other good shows for children that are no longer on view today, except perhaps on replay telecast. We’re talking about the show “Pahina,” which inculcated a love fore reading, writing and literature in young students, and “Hiraya Manawari,” which had a more folk-cultural bent. Surely, new versions of these programs also deserve to see the light of TV day.

Another cultural program that should be revived is “Tipong Pinoy” which used to be hosted by Susan Calo Medina and Wency Cornejo. Fact is, we still see this show on replay on IBC-13 – and even after many years, some of its features are well worth our while.

Is there any chance of new programs like it being produced, to educate and excitingly engage new generations of Filipino viewers to know, value and love their “roots” as a unique people?

These and other programs like them can go a long way in “reeducating” our “colonized” youth to love, not the icons of western and other borrowed cultures, but our very own traditions and values. If produced by insightful and committed people, they can go beyond academic information and help us discover who we really are.