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4 I The Best Online Education System in the world
IMAGES ON MY TV SCREEN II
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
I saw a TV program which featured how a group of professionals decided to pool their energies, resources and
skills to construct miniatures of famous landmarks in my country. From the ground up, the exceptional team
worked their way in order to create productions made up entirely of Lego bricks. From the drawing board to
the actual place of construction, everyone in the group knew what goal they had to achieve. They were all
united in one common objective: to create innovative and inspiring creations that could incite the appreciation
for how rich our country is and how beautiful it truly is. Memory eludes me as to the exact airing of the
episode, but the program is a weekend magazine show that continues to earn raves for its modern, up-to-date
topics.
The TV program itself is one well-conceptualized show that never ceases to catch interest because of the
remarkable talent of its host, the impressive way she connects each and every topic in an episode into one
cohesive whole, and the tremendous amount of research that goes into every segment. Most likely, she has
chosen the best writers she could find in order to have a perpetually fresh take on things, whether they be
globally or locally flavored. I have often marveled at the amount of strategizing and leg work that must be
entailed in order to come up with one great episode weekly. Granted, they have an entire week to work on just
one episode, but one can imagine the enormous brainstorming that it could take. Hopefully, the show’s core
team never runs out of even fresher ideas so we can all learn something new every weekend.
Contrast that to some run-of-the-mill, hastily-conceived shows that we often see on TV. Quick: name shows
which you believe have become old hack or mere recycled shows that guarantee yawns and groans of
disappointments. Seeing those shows make you think: what were the writers thinking? How could they have
come up with such mediocre shows? Don’t they know that the key to keeping their audiences satisfied is to
find a unique take on otherwise hackneyed concepts? The audience can merely switch channels, but with the
number of such ho-hum shows on the loose on TV these days, surfing channels is the most likely scenario.
Let us hope that most TV people never forget how vital the strategies they have are in keeping their viewers
satisfied. No amount of make-up or pricey sponsorships can save them once they are no longer able to sustain
their audience’s interest. Strategize, strategize. Innovate endlessly. Those are what keep people coming back.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1.
Name one TV program/show that you find very interesting. How has the program/show remained
interesting to you?
2.
Why is it necessary to have a good strategy in doing any TV program/show?
3.
Why have some programs/shows been closed down? What are the common reasons?
4.
If you were a writer for a show, what particular topic would you like to write about? How would you keep
your concepts fresh?
5.
Why is it better to strategize with a group than alone?