The Great Indian Television Debate Tamasha

Almost all national television channels conduct debate on daily basis at a time when they feel maximum viewership can be achieved. Even ordinary wisdom would expect a debate to inform and educate the viewers on issues affecting their day to day life. We expect to gain some knowledge or receive viewpoint of various political parties which are represented by their official spokespersons in these debates . 

In reality, these debates on privately owned channels, deliver neither information nor knowledge. In any civilised society or nation, you would expect that one speaker will express his views on the subject of discussion in a time suggested by the channel or the anchor of the program. Many a times the spokespersons and very senior politicians from almost all political parties extend no courtesy or respect to the other fellow speaker and start interrupting in between, that too with very loud voice. Such a behaviour, one can expect, earns them brownie points from their bosses in the party. Many a times viewers can’t even hear what any speaker has to say. If this is not enough, the anchor also joins the verbal riot and starts screaming and shouting. Do we ever get to know the purpose and benefit of such debates?  

Well, this all looks staged. It is the cheapest form of Tamasha. It is more like entertainment now. There is no real purpose or motive to achieve an outcome from these debates. Television channels are particularly searching for some controversial remarks, comment or some absurd speech from fringe elements from so called religious groups. This makes the show interesting. The spokespersons from political parties are expected to fight each other with very loud voice to make the show very gripping or interesting. In rural areas one may have seen dogs fight for the enjoyment of the crowd.  

But, there is a clear danger resulting from such debates. It is dividing the society. It provokes people for all the wrong reasons. It is capable of even inciting violence. For the sake of increasing their TRPs, are the TV Channels causing irreparable damage to the society and country? In most of the debate the subjects which are chosen for discussion are founded on hate. Hate is being nurtured and served to the viewers for increasing TRPs and earn more money. At what cost? Dividing the society, creating hate and division among people. We have seen the political parties opposing each other in the past also but not with such intensity and hate. Who is inciting them to behave like this? Every participant in the debate wants to show that I can shout louder than you. What is the root cause of so called INTOLERANCE? Who is adding fuel to the fire? Let’s hope these so called debates do not take us to a point of no return.