Documentary Soaps?

[Michael Moorcock]

Years ago there was a really stupid chat show host called Simon something (actually saw a clip of him the other day -- forget his last name) who enjoyed considerable success on TV for a while. It was clear to me that people liked him precisely because he WAS thicker than the average citizen. That could be the appeal of many of these shows -- allows people to feel superior, at least to SOMEONE. Simon Dee. That's it. Maybe with the growth of celebratory culture (not really a new phenomenon in its basics -- look how people saw kings, queens, lords and ladies in the days before mass media) people don't just want to envy those who have their five minutes of fame but need to despise others ?
Of course, some of us wind up despising almost everyone on TV...
:)

[L'Etranger]

I do want to point out that there is still something like serious TV today, and many intelligent people with a sense of empathy are working in or for it. Docu-soaps on ARTE and several other stations are neither cynical nor catering to base voyeurism, but usually have a sociologic, psychologic or ethnologic approach. If they know anything about story-tellying, then, yes, they will also try to be interesting. I still prefer the stand-alone long documentary, but the soaps are there, and they do well.
When you're back in Paree ask which channel on the remote control ARTE occupies and then enjoy!
Too bad they haven't solved the problem to broadcast in three languages yet. Already doing a programme that is aired in French and German simultaneously is quite a feat, in costs and logistics.
ARTE has up to 10% market shares in France and about 3% in Germany.[/i]

[Theocrat]

I don't watch tv at all unless I'm at the in-laws and they thankfully gravitate towards Discovery and Animal Planet type stuff. Of course those stations still borrow from the formulas and I've seen a National Geographic show about "evil chimps" put together almost exactly like America's Most Wanted, so it probably won't be long before there's a reality show about animals all locked together...

Hahaha.. I can't believe im reading this. We humans are more screwed up than they are. I wonder how 'Ceasar' would feel about this?