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wetbenang
at
Thursday, May 18, 2006
REALITY FANTASISED
The good people at ASTRO recently introduced the 20 candidates shortlisted to try out as the 12 finalists for Akademi Fantasia 4. A lot of newspapers wrote about this, and carried the pictures of the kids. That means the reality programme will start soon.
The good people at ASTRO recently introduced the 20 candidates shortlisted to try out as the 12 finalists for Akademi Fantasia 4. A lot of newspapers wrote about this, and carried the pictures of the kids. That means the reality programme will start soon.
Yippee. I'm sure AF's die-hard fools can't wait to watch and part with their money to vote for their favourite candidates. A lot of poor fools will get poorer by the end of the season. And the sad part is, they don't realise that they are fools.
During the last season, I know of someone who spent as much as RM500 on SMS votes. Another person allocated about RM200 for each of her three children. And countless others I talked to were heavy voters as well. OKlah, if they have the money, why not, kan. People get satisfaction their own way.
Personally, though, I think this is extremely wasteful, not to mention stupid. What do you get in the end? Nothing. The only parties that gain would be the TV station, the SMS provider, and the candidates. And their hangers-on and users.
Yang memalukan most ialah, kebanyakan yang suka buang duit dan buang masa ni adalah orang-orang Melayu. Let there be some hiburan events, yang datang meramaikan majlis ialah orang-orang Melayu. Siap berkemah dan berkampung lagi. Bawak anak-anak sampai malam buta. Buang masa, buang duit. Yang masalahnya, diorang ni bukannya kaya sangat in the first place.
Yet, when prices of goods, petrol etc go up, they would be the first to cry murder. School fees go up, they complain. Prices of school books go up, they complain. But when it comes to hiburan, or Mawi, sanggup berkorban wang, jiwa dan raga. Orang Melayu.
I also read with disgust a couple of articles in this particular Malay tabloid. One of the 20 candidates wears a tudung. So the reporters wrote to suggest that she might have been selected by ASTRO because of her choice of attire. She could be popular because she could well be the female version of Mawi. So I suppose the would-be fool voters are supposed to forget that she could actually sing. And in another article, the same writers went so far as to suggest that this particular candidate could also win many votes because Mawi likes girls who wear tudung, and that she also might have all the qualities of a woman that Mawi idealises.
Aiyo. I am disgusted at the stupidity of it all. Of the articles. What were the reporters thinking? And their editors?
Personally, I feel that it's high time someone re-looked at the quality of journalism in this country. If we really want to educate our masses, please stop printing rubbish like these. They may be popular among the masses and the riff raff. But what's popular among them isn't necessarily good for them.
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then, probably you shud go down to the field and become a journalist again! :p
it has always been the case, not to offend anyone, but our malay so-called journalists (especially for the malay publishing) do not have the effort to think for themselves (they do think for themselves, but not up to the standards of thinking for the better!) All they do is copy and paste, do some riff raffs on some entertainment "news", or issue that do not need to be raised! end up, they will start writing nonsense...
but then again, probably, these journalists are just writing what these malays wanted to read, i.e. Mawi... because it sells! (not just publishing in this case, but films as well). So telur atau ayam? chicken or the egg? it actually falls back to our society, eh pardon me... it actually falls back to our MALAY society. we want to educate our masses, but what's the point if they are not able to be educated...
reality check: local journalists/film producer are there to sell, not to educate! darn!
p/s: yes, i am a malay, and proud to be one! but, the reality check, hurts!
Anonymous said...
4:56 PM
Itu la masalahnya. Semua orang mau bikin duit. But someone still has to be responsible isn't it? I had always thought (so naively) that newspapers/journalists had the moral responsibility to their readers/audience.
wetbenang said...
5:49 PM