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FOR NON-VIOLENT TV: ARMENIAN SCHOLARS AGAIN RAISE CONCERNS OVER "AGGRESSIVE" SERIALS
http://armenianow.com/society/40235/armenia_television_soap_operas_serials_aggression_ violence
Society | 04.10.12 | 13:40
The International Day of Non-Violence that was marked globally on
October 2 gave another occasion for some local figures to raise their
concerns over increasingly "violent" television that they say twists
the minds of the public.
Five years ago the UN General Assembly set aside a day, the birthday
of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and
pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence, to bring the
world's attention to problems of eliminating violence.
Vahram Mirakyan, a researcher at the Yerevan State University's
Armenian Studies Research Center, used the occasion to meet with
journalists on Wednesday to talk about his concerns about the state
and quality of Armenian television.
The scholar contended that sometimes aggression that later turns into
violence has an acquired nature and is contingent on several factors
that exist in close surroundings as well as propaganda.
Mirakyan thinks that television now constitutes a major cause of
intra-communal violence in Armenia.
"Television channels show patterns that people are prone to copy.
'Aggressive production' is offered on prime time television in
the form of films containing violence or scandalous reports,"
said Mirakyan, noting that a 2011 survey showed that 30 percent of
Armenia's population spent 7-12 hours and 50 percent spent 3-5 hours
in front of TV sets a day.
The researcher said that he was particularly concerned about
the quality of TV serials that attract the largest audiences and
advertisers paying good money for commercial breaks.
Several months ago along with a group of several other scholars and
representatives of public organizations Mirakyan signed a letter
addressed to President Serzh Sargsyan regarding the "alarming" TV
production, in particular the quality of TV serials. They solicited
intervention by the head of state to resolve the problem.
"The [president-affiliated] Public Council is now looking into the
matter. It has gathered proposals from different creative unions,
intellectuals and soon there will be a broad discussion around these
proposals and a final plan will be submitted to the President,"
said Mirakyan.
TV producers, meanwhile, respond by saying that they are merely
depicting real life in serials and films, trying to expose major
problems of the society.
Another group of critics opposing the reforms on TV are liberal
scholars who, while often agreeing with the assessments of television
as being a low-quality enterprise, still abhor any interference on
the part of the state in what is supposed to be an independent and
creative environment.
Mirakyan, meanwhile, thinks direction is needed as television fails
to properly address public concerns, but instead presents violence
as a social culture.
"In fact, they generalize the real life of only five percent of the
population and project it on the rest of our society. According to a
recent monitoring of 22 episodes of one serial, murders take place in
eight of them, kidnapping is present in four episodes, and violence
is used against police officers in five," said Mirakyan.
While acknowledging that people have always been interested in crime
stories, eroticism and backstage, the scholar still called for an
alternative to all that to be made available.
Doctor of Psychology Samvel Khudoyan, meanwhile, also spoke about
the absence of cartoons that would teach kids something "good".
"I can't remember any good cartoon made recently. All cartoons are
based on aggression, which has a negative effect on our growing
younger generation," he said.
From: Baghdasarian
http://armenianow.com/society/40235/armenia_television_soap_operas_serials_aggression_ violence
Society | 04.10.12 | 13:40
The International Day of Non-Violence that was marked globally on
October 2 gave another occasion for some local figures to raise their
concerns over increasingly "violent" television that they say twists
the minds of the public.
Five years ago the UN General Assembly set aside a day, the birthday
of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and
pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence, to bring the
world's attention to problems of eliminating violence.
Vahram Mirakyan, a researcher at the Yerevan State University's
Armenian Studies Research Center, used the occasion to meet with
journalists on Wednesday to talk about his concerns about the state
and quality of Armenian television.
The scholar contended that sometimes aggression that later turns into
violence has an acquired nature and is contingent on several factors
that exist in close surroundings as well as propaganda.
Mirakyan thinks that television now constitutes a major cause of
intra-communal violence in Armenia.
"Television channels show patterns that people are prone to copy.
'Aggressive production' is offered on prime time television in
the form of films containing violence or scandalous reports,"
said Mirakyan, noting that a 2011 survey showed that 30 percent of
Armenia's population spent 7-12 hours and 50 percent spent 3-5 hours
in front of TV sets a day.
The researcher said that he was particularly concerned about
the quality of TV serials that attract the largest audiences and
advertisers paying good money for commercial breaks.
Several months ago along with a group of several other scholars and
representatives of public organizations Mirakyan signed a letter
addressed to President Serzh Sargsyan regarding the "alarming" TV
production, in particular the quality of TV serials. They solicited
intervention by the head of state to resolve the problem.
"The [president-affiliated] Public Council is now looking into the
matter. It has gathered proposals from different creative unions,
intellectuals and soon there will be a broad discussion around these
proposals and a final plan will be submitted to the President,"
said Mirakyan.
TV producers, meanwhile, respond by saying that they are merely
depicting real life in serials and films, trying to expose major
problems of the society.
Another group of critics opposing the reforms on TV are liberal
scholars who, while often agreeing with the assessments of television
as being a low-quality enterprise, still abhor any interference on
the part of the state in what is supposed to be an independent and
creative environment.
Mirakyan, meanwhile, thinks direction is needed as television fails
to properly address public concerns, but instead presents violence
as a social culture.
"In fact, they generalize the real life of only five percent of the
population and project it on the rest of our society. According to a
recent monitoring of 22 episodes of one serial, murders take place in
eight of them, kidnapping is present in four episodes, and violence
is used against police officers in five," said Mirakyan.
While acknowledging that people have always been interested in crime
stories, eroticism and backstage, the scholar still called for an
alternative to all that to be made available.
Doctor of Psychology Samvel Khudoyan, meanwhile, also spoke about
the absence of cartoons that would teach kids something "good".
"I can't remember any good cartoon made recently. All cartoons are
based on aggression, which has a negative effect on our growing
younger generation," he said.
From: Baghdasarian