First of all, I would like to say that once there is a dead decrease in people’s interest in a TV show, traffic reduces and it dies off just like that.
In the year 2022, I worked in an organisation in the midst of ladies who were deeply into one of the biggest reality shows in Nigeria, BBNaija. We had a boss who hated the show to the core because most times it showed explicit scenes, and he took us as children who should not be watching things like that. We were adults—grown people—but anytime he came around and saw the TV showing any movie that was centred more on romance and sex scenes, he frowned and angrily changed the channel. The ladies would get really angry and wish he never came to work so that they would have all the time to themselves as regards watching TV.
When it was time for BBNaija that year, there was a football tournament going on, and that became a big opportunity for our boss to ban the watching of BBNaija. I was attacked by the ladies because, according to them, I made the move to ban the show on the TV, but no—it was the boss who intentionally did that.
Should such TV shows be banned or restricted?
Using BBNaija as a case study, this decision and people’s opinions about banning the show have raised a lot of endless controversy in the country. While many people have good reasons for letting the show be aired, others have trashed and beaten down those opinions with concrete reasons of their own.
As for me, it should not be banned.
Why?
Hold on and read on.
No lies, there is absolutely no tangible positive thing the show is adding to people’s lives other than fun and the promotion of some vices. But the truth remains that there are a lot of people who use the opportunity to make a living from it. Of course, a show like that enriches many people and also makes some people gain painful employment.
Still using BBNaija as a case study, it is not shown on all TV channels. We have options to skip the channels showing it and move to other interesting programmes we love to watch. For children whom we do not want to watch it, we can set parental locks on the TV to restrict them. Also, on social media, we can turn a blind eye to posts related to it. Just like me, there are some trends that do not bother me at all, and no matter how many times I come across such posts on social media, I do not read or view them because I have no interest in them.
I know you may say that it is not just about watching or posts on social media.
Well, as it works with my body system, once I do not find something interesting, I do not flow with anything related to it—and that does not mean I will talk down on people who are involved in it. I mean, just the same way a good percentage of ladies do not like football and ignore anything football-related, those who do not find some TV shows interesting should do the same.
Most of these TV shows that are talked down on today are still excelling because people find interest in them. Once the interest is reduced, within a short time, the show will go into extinction. So if you want a show to stop, influence the world or the country to stop watching.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to Week 201, Edition 03 of the Weekly Featured contest in Hive Learners Community
Photo: MetaAI