Week Eight - Public Media

"The difference between Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting is the difference between consumers and citizens."

I realise that on my blog I speak a lot about watching television shows, but I only do this by buying the DVD to avoid commercials. I love watching the ABC, SBS and, my favourite, News 24. Why? BECAUSE THERE ARE NO FREAKIN' ADS! 


Being a female in today's society is hard enough without turning on the TV to relax and seeing all these advertisements about how we should look, think, or even feel. A relaxing night of watching something with your family, turns into a night worrying that you don't look like Jen Hawkins, or think like the lady in the dieting advertisement. Dr. Redman said that Commercial media is supposed to target the audience, and they do but not always in a good way.


So, I avoid commercial media. I don't watch shows unless they are on a DVD, which is maybe the reason I have over 400 DVDs and am constantly poor. I also like public broadcasting, and I'm honestly not lying when I say that. I like getting the "real" stories which you may not get from commercial broadcasters because they are afraid they'll upset so-and-so who helps fund BLAH by advertising during their program. I like how Public broadcasters can say what they want about a topic without holding back for fear of backlash. Due to this, I find that Public broadcasting allows for the quirkier and entertaining productions to really shine. 


Chaser's War on Everything, is undoubtedly one of the funniest shows to air and if you don't agree, please leave my blog :P. I was looking for something to highlight the UTTER crap which can be found on commercial media versus the honesty of public media, and struck gold when I found the following clip.

I don't think I can say anything else on this topic. Public media, to me, is a godsend. I realise their are challenges that public broadcast faces which commercial don't have to worry about, but if the public sector can continue to make outstanding shows like Chasers War on Everything they will continue to survive.