Children entertainment got a little attention in the Eid special programmes organised by different TV channels to celebrate Eid festivity. Most of these programmes have been little more than ‘eye wash’ attempts to include child entertainment in the channels’ weeklong Eid special schedule.
And it’s nothing but the reflection of the ongoing trend of the TV channels’ apathy of organising programmes for the child entertainment, though TV is considered to be a big source of entertainment and education for the children worldwide. Such stereotype arrangements, which lack in creativity and attractiveness drive the kids to watch programmes of the foreign TV channels and they influenced by the foreign language and culture.
Even the TV channels those offered some programmes for children in this Eid, kept those in the early hours of the day, when children usually don’t watch programmes during the holidays.
Among such programmes, Boishakhi TV and Diganta TV have chalked out weeklong programmes for children daily in the morning. Maasranga TV has included Mustafa Manwar’s four-episode puppet show daily in the morning. Channel-9 has included a six-episode show Bicchhu Bahini, daily in the morning. Children stand-up comedy show Khude Rasik Raj will be aired on BanglaVision on the 5th day morning.
Regarding the trend, noted Bangladeshi artist and also a world famous puppeteer Mustafa Manwar observes that the TV channels do not have enough social commitments to invest for making quality children shows. ‘The sponsors are usually not interested for the children programmes and as a result the channels tend to neglect it as well. But the huge number of children who are the future of the nation is getting deprived of being educated with our own culture which is very frustrating. They are watching Hindi and English shows and becoming less and less interested in our own culture,’ Manwar told New Age.
To overcome the situation, Mustafa Manwar believes the intervene from the government would not be enough, rather the consensus from the general people is more needed. ‘We have many elements in our culture which could be presented in innovative to the children. The vast collection of Bangla literature could be utilised for TV programmes if the channels give more attention to their child audiences,’ said Manwar, who made a comeback in this year’s Eid special programmes.
Maasranga TV channel aired a four-episode puppet show, directed by him, daily featuring stories from Bangla literature.
-With New Age input
