Just putting this top of mind! I love this guy.. if you are with CREWS, this is really a must listen to!

I'm never sure of where I stand on this stuff. It's like fast food, we all know it's not doing us any good, but we all indulge sometimes, and who are we to tell others what they can and cannot put in the mouths (or eyes and ears).

Sure, if all shit TV went away and all that remained were domonstrably educational and informative, then I guess people would watch it, but would we want to be that society? I believe that what we see on TV (and what WE make) is largely determined by what people want to see, supply and demand and all that.

I don't think we can coerce people to go one way or the other with their viewing, they will watch what they like, and more things like that will be produced. Somewhere along the way we slip in some 'nutritional content' in the form of documentaries and informative entertainment.

I dont think he is saying give people what they dont want, he is saying.. if you are using the people's airwaves then use it responsibly and not to be led simply by ratings.

Similarly, you can go to pay tv and eat all the fast food you want.. but the people should have a choice, not just junk, especially on public airwaves.

We play a big part of this too, as TV makers - docos shouldn't be "nutritional content" like hidden vitamins in fluffy white bread, it should be an alternative- like organics. And during prime time, people should have choices.. but our lives are ratings driven and people get what they want.

Is that really the way it should work?

There is certainly a place for cheap and thoughtless TV.
And I'm not being sarcastic.
I love KFC or BK once in a while (although these days that means once every three months max); pizza is a different story; I just love it!

Some days I get home knackered, and all I want to do is veg out on TV where I don't have to think.
Tell me twice, I might miss a bit when reading, checking my email, playing with my kid while watching.

But then there are times I want some substance.
I want a quality show, I want to think, I want to be challenged.

I fight this all the time when i work on doco's.
We are asked more and more to be repetitive; I'm not talking about rephrasing to make it clear.
Somehow documentaries are starting to get pushed towards being for this so called "dumb audience", broadcasters are desperate not to offend or put off the rating audience so make fluff that is easy to digest, and repetitive so you don't lose your place.
Often we fight to make it more doco then current affairs or magazine show, but it is a losing battle.

Sadly the networks have the dollars, and we have no choice but to make most shows their way.

I think there is a time for cheap, there is a time for "junk" (not always cheap, and not always badly made, but certainly not intellectual), and then there is time for alternatives, intellectual, smart, and well thought out ideas.
To be honest I love to make a cheerful silly show now and then; pays the bills and is mindless to work on.
But I do prefer to make shows that challenge me, and I try to inject some fun, or new ideas into programmes to make them a little different, give them an edge.
And I especially love to make programmes that challenge, that push boundaries, that make me think as much as I hope it will make viewers think.
There is a balance and I for one prefer to work on a balance of all of these in a year.
Too much of one makes me either bored, or over stimulated.

As for who makes what?
I agree that Sky and private networks are there for this so called "mainstream", and the national broadcaster should be making the alternatives.

Imagine if the state only helped middle class people because there are more of them; screw the rich and the poor.
Why not only give benefits to middle class? The extremely poor and extremely rich are fewer and don't really contribute to society?
That is how TVNZ, and the governments view viewers.
I do believe they are hung up on these skewed and somewhat questionable "ratings".
I have never trusted 'ratings' and think they are somewhat flawed; although we all have to pretend they count.

And now I will step off me soap box and return to rationality..... hmmm me rational?

In his speach he clearly says that there is a place for "low brow" television and you are right, there is lots of reasons we tune in.. or tune out.. hehehe

All he is saying is that "ratings" is not the only determining factor, I like that.. in the same way that money is not the only reason to do everything we do in life, its a big reason but should not be the only and I think people forget that sometimes.

I like his speach, its probably why its considered one of the top 20 speaches of all time.