Who's really to blame for the junk on TV?

People may complain about soap operas like 'Sawan Biang' that promote chauvinism and sexploitation, but perhaps it's time to see who's really behind those soaring ratings

Published on May 2, 2008

Our first instinct is to lambast television producers. Surely, they are the key villains after a much-publicised poll found that a big percentage of young viewers are inspired by sexy characters, such as the "hero" in a popular soap opera who abducts and repeatedly "rapes" the heroine.

But before we throw bricks and stones at the studios, we should keep in mind that television shows are influenced by the ratings, and the ratings are influenced by none other than us.

It's all right for society to decry the mega-hit "Sawan Biang" (Heaven Twisted), but the truth is it did not reach this level of popularity all on its own.

Women, or rather many of them, love the drama, and one of the hottest girlie topics at the moment is: "If someone as handsome as Kavee, the 'Sawan Biang' hero, abducts and makes you a sex toy, would you acquiesce?"

Where does it come from?

Still, it is debatable who really influences whom. If we ask the producers and directors, they will complain that they don't have much choice. As for the sponsors, their explanation is: "The audience loves it".

A director once told us that one of the 10 commandments of making a financially successful drama is having a jealous character that is evil beyond all description.

If we ask media academics, they will say that soap operas are like junk food - people eat it simply because it's there. And yes, junk tastes good. And yes, if you don't like junk you have other choices. But no, the restaurant chains will not tell us that their food is bad for our health.

This chicken-and-egg situation will continue. In fact, it has come to a point where "bad" publicity about a show can send its ratings skyward. Yes, shows like "Sawan Biang" glorify chauvinism and sadistic behaviour and condone sexploitation. Yes, feminists hate it, but it's a show that's on everyone's lips and advertisements have been pouring in.

So, when a boy says he wants to grow up to be like Kavee and keep beautiful women as sex slaves, who's to blame him?

Of course, studios have a social responsibility, because they have the tools to dictate our tastes, but for things like this it still takes two to tango.

We can raise a fuss about the "shocking" poll findings, but the phenomenal ratings of "Sawan Biang" are an undisputed proof as to who is as guilty the people in show business.