Some years ago, advertisers in this country pledged to support only child-friendly shows and withdraw their all-important spots from programs that polluted the broadcasting environment. Alas, the pledge has remained a hollow promise.
In the United States however, advertisers have been more proactive in using their multimillion dollars to boost only worthy causes and personalities. When Tiger Woods was revealed to be a serial womanizer, the manufacturers of some of the products and services he endorsed dropped him like a hot potato, and forced him to realize that icons and heroes like him couldn’t have their cake and eat it too.
More recently, top radio commentator Rush Limbaugh was forced to learn a similar lesson when he dissed a young pro-choice activist and called her a slut for insisting on her right to avail of contraception.
Even pro-life defenders were shocked at his virulent condemnation, and joined protests against the vile-tongued radio personality. More to the point, many of the companies that advertised their products heavily on his popular program withdrew their spots, forcing him to apologize abjectly for his sick rant.
We hope that local advertisers similarly will opt to support only worthy shows and TV-radio personalities, and steer clear of programs that demean or otherwise serve poorly the listening and viewing public.
We know that advertisers need popular programs to reach as many prospective buyers of their products and services as possible, but broadcast pollution is broadcast pollution, and nobody should support it, however indirectly.
When advertisers support a show that affects adversely or influences negatively its audience, especially the youth, the move risks backfiring on the sponsors, because the danger of prospective buyers rejecting or boycotting their products due to their unsavory associations becomes all too real.
Parents, teachers and enlightened televiewers should speak up in the media about the shows they feel deserve such support, if only to remind advertisers of their promise to support truly child-friendly shows on TV. All too often, viewers don’t share what they feel in this regard, so quite a number of good shows are terminated due to poor ratings.
In this continuing struggle to keep the good shows on the air, the best strategy should include a synergistic union of viewers, TV people and advertisers, all focused on providing children with the quality programs they need to develop their sensibilities to the fullest.
The three sectors need not be at odds with each other. If they all focus on the welfare of young viewers, they can work together to produce or support programs that can give the country’s millions of children invigorating and substantial shows relevant to their evolving levels of maturity.
In focusing on programs that can bring out the best in the Filipino child, they will vivify the best in themselves as well!