American Programs or American Programming

Coming of age I went through times where era's of music genres came and passed. I saw the development of Rap and Hip Pop music and the impact it had like so many other genres before it.

What stands out among them and is relative to them all are the claims of social impact they have on our society and children alike. Much blame is given by way of such impact and is held in relation to crimes and immoral acts that occur in our world today.

Coming of age I also noted a change in style for the formatting and content in television programs. Many early adopters of sitcoms remember embedded messages and lessons of moral integrity while being entertained with a comical side story or element. Shows like Growing Pains. Family Ties, Different Strokes, and The Cosby Show were all of this type and nature.

Now however we have little more than memories and a few select reruns to remind us of this time and age in programming. Reality shows offer little if any enlightenment other than what entertainment value they hold for some.

A subscriber today of any cable/satellite programming will find an extensive and exhaustive list of available news channels. These news channels all having a spin or point of view for the material they present.

Now with this I bring forth something to ponder. Why so many spins....why so little information? Depending on the subject matter and source providing information/validation we are given but fragments for which to conclude our own opinions or share the one provided us.

In matters of government involvement could it be that current and developing matters can not be addressed for security and safety issues? Or could it be that an informed America could be dangerous to a government of questionable actions? Are we told only what a majority feel we should hear?

You see, taking the fact that a spin/point of view will be directed differently from each news group and the information be fragmented by either source or news team, we have to wonder if we are being programmed by all or any of these providers or perhaps the government itself.

Yes, this seems far fetched for many but why not take a page from history and use the elements that propelled many television shows into the national spotlight. Many will claim just like rap music's impact that the news showing of school shootings and related events only promotes ideas and how to's for the sick and demented.

I say too, that it be easily so for the acceptance of politics and decisions concerning government ethics to be used in this fashion. It interest me greatly that we thirst for change, sour of either political parties view, and yet wont elect an independent into any high branch of government office.

Do we not desire for a difference and what many perceive to be a "one of us" to become part of the political stage? Sure the independents can be mere Republicans or Democrats in disguise or even work for either party to foil and steal votes from the other. We could not do much less harm by electing them than we have by electing the unacceptable officials we have today.

This sets the stage for questioning whether an independent possesses the aptitude and understanding required in the political arena. I have to question however, do any of our current politicians have an aptitude or understanding for the position in which they hold and the matters in which they address.

Back to American programming however, we are now infused with and limited to the taking in of
a particular point of view. Yes the news has existed for ever and been presented us, but not in such a manner or with such over abundance. It is because of this, that I feel an uninformed America is better than an ill-informed America.

I believe we need to decrease the media impact of today and return or re-implement what once was. Why has the entertainment and programming value there of changed so much? Is it fair to say the distribution of old would not work today? Sure I agree we can't air the same shows from years ago and expect acceptance or popularity, but we could infuse the ingredients form which made them successful into fresh and new ideas.

Then again....it could be a question of American Programs or American Programming?