Video Beat EXTRA - Image Is Everything- June 2007

James Loving - National Radio Text Service - Sunday June 10, 2007

Channel V - Top Model - Donald Trump's Apprentice - Tommy Lee Goes To College - Pinoy Big Brother - Cambodian Television -

Is Programming About Responsibility, Credibility and Accountability?

While co-hosting the Cal Tex Drive Time Show in Cambodia our primary listening audience were primarily college and high school students and some young adults. You could say it was the MTV Generation.

The difference was the listeners were young people that were learning the English language. What they learned was largely influenced by what they watched on TV, listened to on radio; from their English teachers and who they chose to associate with.

At that point I realized how much young Asians were influenced by what they were watching on television and how that adhered to their behavior and their personal lives.

What come with programming is responsibility, credibility and accountability. In our opinion this is where many programs and networks fail and their credibility is diminished. It comes down to what they say and the images they display can result in a positive or negative message..

Channel V which is a music television channel from News Corp. that is televised in the Asian region. Two years ago their logo was two-fury hypodermic needles crossed in the shape of a V. What did this mean this was a channel for drug addicts? The symbol has since been changed, as has some of the management.

Two weeks ago the channel requested its viewers to watch the Janice Dickenson reality model show and throw a party, behave like Dickenson and make a video of the party. They were then asked to send the videos into the channel.

For anyone that has seen this show Dickenson's rude behavior is no way for a person to act. The question is why would Channel V encourage their viewers to do so?

The hypodermic needles, encouraging Asian viewers to behave in a rude manner is unconscionable and irresponsible. What are they trying to say and sell?

In the past we listed Dickinson's show as recommended TV to watch. The first show raised many questions one being is she going to continue to act like this? By the third show the behavior worsened and we unlisted the program.

But there are some shows that are a positive influence that Asian youth can benefit from.

IT'S ON !!!

In the It's On category, Donald Trumps Apprentice is one that shows Asian youth can learn what it takes to be involved in top level business in the USA.

One could argue that it's unrealistic for Asian youth to aspire to that. The point being is that The Apprentice program is a better influence than rap music depicting violence and women as ho's (whores)? It's a matter of choice and what one chooses to do with their time and influences.

The current Apprentice series was televised last summer on Malaysia's TV 3. This is the worst of the bunch due to a poor cast. In television they say that after the script CASTING IS EVERYTHING.

In Asia this is something programmers don't get at the moment. This Apprentice series is an example of the bad casting problem but still worth watching.

A new wrinkle in this series is Trump's son and daughter make frequent appearances as judges replacing Carolyn and George.

Trump admitted on a Larry King show that he FIRED Carolyn because she started to basically become too caught up in being Carolyn.

The positive influence and example for young Asian viewers is that though Trump is a billionaire he and his children value education. His children didn't sit back and try to live off his money but sought to attain a higher education by attending the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School that is recognized as being one of the finest business schools in the world.

Trumps children are young attractive and intelligent and better role models for Asian youth than rap music.

This is not to degrade all rap music. There is some good rap music with positive messages such as the Black Eyed Peas "Where Is The Love."

The Apprentice airs Thursday nights on the Star World channel.

On the brighter side "Tommy Lee goes To College" is in reruns on Channel V. For those that don't know Tommy Lee is a rock drummer that was a member of Motley Crue. He was also married to actress Pamela Anderson with whom he made an X-rated video of their love making. Ahhhh...Excuse me....

This show is about Lee who is almost a half-century old (ohhh... my... 50) returning to college at the University of Nebraska. He takes on a college roommate try's out for sports and the band. The problem is though he is an accomplished and recognized International rock star he has problems adjusting and being good enough to be in the school band.

The series is entertaining and Lee does a nice job fitting into a college scene where the students are all young enough to be his children.

The show is a must watch. We've seen it three times and it doesn't get old and the laughs keep on coming.

TOP MODEL is also in reruns on Channel V. One show they are airing is a recap of how previous series were filmed.

Interesting comments came from judge Nigel Barker said a several of the contestants become working models.

Each series ends up in a foreign country. Ken Mok a producer on the show said that on the trip to Japan in cycle 3 resulted in a disaster.

He noted that Japanese customs authorities detained the models for two days after their arrival. The schedule was for the show be in the country for three days of shooting. The dentition of the models resulted in Top Model having to squeeze their planned three days of production into one.

Host and creator Tyra Banks said she enjoyed the trip to Thailand the most of all the trips and intends to return there and stay for a month just to relax and enjoy the country.

The Philippines ABS-CBN network exemplifies productivity of talent in their effort to develop talent and programs for their expanding International network.

The latest example is the resourcing of their Pinoy Big Brother show that is currently on the air and had been so for over 100 days. Dionne Dennia Monsanto was evicted last month after earning the reputation as being the most nominated for eviction of all of the housemates.

The 21-year-old multiple beauty contest titlist and Paris Hilton fan landed on her feet. Shortly after her eviction she appeared on the ASAP variety show as a dancer. Within weeks after that she appears as an actress on the TV soap "Your Song" and has the third lead role. The show is now in its third season of production making her leap more signifigant.

Monsanto does an incredible job and comes off in such a smooth professional way that belies what is projected to be her lack of acting experience. She is so good it raise questions of how much acting experience she had prior to entering the Big Brother House. Her acting talent is so refined its as though she was an actress prior to entering the BB house and being introduced as a law student.

More ABS-CBN productivity is the development if singer actress Sarah Geronimo. Geronimo has been performing since she was a young girl winning talent contests. She has appeared on television soaps as an actress and as a performer on the ASAP show.

This past fall she was the host of the talent show for youth "Little Big Star" and sang the Philippine national anthem prior to a Manny Pacquao title-boxing match in Las Vegas Nevada.

In May Geronimo turned 18 and also graduated from high school. This August and September she will be going on tour of the United States that include dates in New York City, Washington, D.C.; San Diego, Los Angeles and San Jose California; Chicago, Illinois and Jacksonville, Florida. Stay tuned....

Philippine television is easy to relate to. They have talented performers that exude a lot of passion in their work. The messages are easy to relate to with the themes primarily being love relationships and comedy and most of all fun entertainment..

In Cambodia the programming is blurred. The images are not clear and the messages are the wrong message for a country that is recognized for violence, pedophiles, human trafficking, parents selling their children into prostitution as well as trying to heal from a violent past of the Khmer Rouge atrocities.

Much of their programming is demeaning, involves guns, violence; young people drinking and females portrayed or made up to look like prostitutes. The producers of some of the shows can take a perfectly wholesome looking girl put make-up on her and she then looks like a tramp in the street.

The question is what are they trying to say? Are they saying this is the way one should look to get a job on television in Cambodia?

Some of these shows productions involve foreigners. They have no previous experience in television or radio and come from a background of teaching English. The result being a disaster.

Above all of the rubbish that is currently airing on Cambodian television are two ladies that have maintained their dignity, a wholesome image and have been productive and resourceful in their television careers.

Chan Thouen was the runner-up in the first Freshie Boy and girl competition in 2002. She has been a television presenter on several shows on the Bayon television network. In doing so she exemplifies that a television personality can be successful in Cambodia through their talent, intelligence and wholesome appearance.

Vanda Meas also a runner-up in the 2005 Freshie Boy and Girl competition is also having a successful television career as a presenter. She is also intelligent and has a wholesome look that is a positive influence on Cambodian youth.

Meas has appeared on several television shows on Cambodia's TV 3 since she was a Freshie contestant. One of her first successes was as a co-host on Cyclo Phnom Penh where she bloomed as a vibrant personality that defied her somber image as a Freshie.

She then became a third member of Women Talk where at the beginning she was largely ignored by the other members of the cast but she toughed it out and is now an integral member of the show that now includes four co-hosts.

Meas is now showing another side of her talent as a co-host a children's show. With the youngsters she displays warmth not often seen from other Cambodian presenters. Meas career looms large if it can avoid professional jealousy or political interference.

To some Cambodian producers sex sells but to some outside viewers sex smells as in SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE.

COMING... SIMON COWELL's Power of Influence

TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia - Thailand time zone. Check your local listings for time and date in your area.

Repeats of Top Model are flipped around by Channel V for undisclosed reasons.-

SUNDAY

12:45 PM - ASAP - TFC (The Filipino Channel) - Please note that this and ALL TFC SHOWS ARE SUBJECT TO TIME SHIFTS.

MONDAY

1:00 PM - TOMMY LEE Goes To College - Channel V

8:00 PM - FEAR FACTOR - AXN - Season 6

10:00 PM - TOMMY LEE Goes To College - Channel V

TUESDAY

8:00 PM - ON THE LOT - STAR MOVIE channel - reality film making show

12:00 Midnight - ON THE LOT - STAR MOVIE channel - reality film making show

WEDNESDAY

8:00 PM - ON THE LOT - STAR MOVIE channel - reality film making show

THURSDAY

10:00 AM - ON THE LOT - STAR MOVIE channel - reality film making show

11:00 AM - WORLDS APART - AXN - (rerun of old series)

9:00 PM - THE APPRENTICE w DONALD TRUMP - - Star World Channel

FRIDAY

2:00 PM - WORLDS APART - AXN - (rerun of old series)

3:30 PM - THE APPRENTICE - Star World Channel

4:30 PM - CLICK (On line) computer Internet show - BBC

5:00 PM - TOMMY LEE Goes To College - Channel V

9:00 PM - ON THE LOT - STAR MOVIE channel - reality film making show

SATURDAY

8:00 AM - WORLDS APART - AXN

11:00 AM - FEAR FACTOR - AXN

1:30 PM - CLICK (On line) computer Internet show - BBC

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

4:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily @ 4 PM

7:30 PM - HIGH NET WORTH - CNBC - Business news magazine show

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