TV IS NO LONGER AN IDIOT BOX

By: Princy Narang

Engaginglifethoughts.blogspot.com

Yes you have read it right that our very own Television is no longer an Idiot Box. This statement seems a bit difficult to digest for all those who have continuously heard from their parents, teachers or society that don’t waste time in watching TV as it makes no sense and it is an Idiot Box which will make you an idiot too.

In today’s world TV has become Smart by which I am not only referring to Smart TV but to the content and variety of channels and shows it offers. Earlier TV was the only source of entertainment and it was offering only 3-4 channels which were showing only serials with just limited time for the daily news. The serials were only full of unrealistic family drama, which were liked only because of unavailability of more shows and more mediums of entertainment.

But in present era due to Internet we are exposed to worldwide entertainment and thus TV is no longer the only medium for entertainment.

So with time TV has evolved a lot from a mere idiot box, not only because of the enormous competition from Internet but also due to changing mindset of the viewers who have evolved from mute spectator to an intelligent and active participator.

TV today is full of variety of channels suiting different mindset of different people. We have today not few but hundreds of channels and thousands of programmes which fulfils the requirements of wide variety of people.

Let us now see why TV is no longer an Idiot Box:

• It provides channels like Discovery, National Geographic, Animal Planet, History TV etc. which provide immense knowledge about nature, animals, plants and different places which are of great help for our kids to learn and comprehend.  
• While channels like TLC, FYI, NDTV Good Times are very much informative as we can easily go through these channels and can know about the cultures of different countries, food available there, what all are the important places in those areas. So people become aware about different areas not only for travelling purposes but these are important for those who wish to study or work abroad.
• Currently a number news channels are running 24X7 which keeps us updated about whatever is happening throughout the world.
• Channels like NDTV Profit & CNBC TV 18, not only provide updates of the share market in real time but also provide valuable views of various experts which helps a lot many people who make money by investing in shares.
• Even the channels which are known to show the daily soaps have started showing certain reality shows such as KBC; India’s Got Talent; Dance shows like DID, super-dancer; music shows like Indian Idol, Sa re ga ma pa etc. and these shows enable a lot many people to showcase their talents and thus are helpful in shaping their overall personality and career.
• Moreover there are a few channels like Baby TV and Discovery Kids which are of great help for our kids to learn poems, stories and about everyday science etc.
• Also channels like Food Food, Living Foods etc gives detailed recipes of different variety of food which not only help the women to cook new and innovative food but also are of great help to those who wanna make a career in culinary industry. Also these channels have programmes which show about health foods which can be easily prepared and there benefits.
• Today’s TV provide various dedicated sports channels like Star Sports, Ten Sports etc which provide non-stop sports coverage for the sports lovers and enthusiasts and also inspires those who want to become a sport-star.
• Even few channels show programmes which are based on role play and simulation exercises such as MTV Roadies, Big Boss, Fear Factor etc. These programmes provide an insight to the viewers regarding what could be the possible behaviour and actions during such situations.
• Apart from the basic channels even the DTH providers also showcase certain on demand which help in learning new skills such as TATA SKY provides channels like Tata Sky English, Acting Adda, Dance Studio, Smart Manager, Fitness, Cooking etc. for interested niche and also Tata Sky Classroom, Fun Learn and Smart Games for kids.
• Also for property seekers there are shows on different news channels and even there is availability of a whole new channel named Magic Bricks Now which is of great help to those who are looking for buy and sell of property. These programmes not only provide information about available properties but also provide complete guidance regarding where to invest and what are future prospects of that property, via various expert comments and interviews.
• For those who are interested in shopping sitting in the comfort of their homes, there are channels like Homeshop 18, Shop CJ, TV Shop, HBN, Tele Brands etc.
• Also certain channels have come up with shows like Rising Stars which require live voting and the current season of KBC which started the concept of play with show and this has created an extended stage in and out of the TV.

By going through all the points above we now have a clear idea that this is Golden Era for TV and it has come a long distance from being a mere entertainment source or the Idiot Box. We can say that TV has taken a paradigm shift from what it was 2 decades ago. This change is not only in form of the content shown but also catering to various needs of different types of customers. TV has become a tutor, an expert, an encyclopaedia about nature, world and the whole ecosystem, a travel advisor, an expert chef, a shopping mall, a huge talent platform, a news reader, a market expert etc. All this shows that TV is a great source of information, entertainment and knowledge.

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