American Idol, final night 2006. Two-hour extravaganza. I gathered with my children and started speculating: Taylor or Katherine? The program started with a few songs and some utter junk (e.g., a scene of Kelly Pickler eating calamari). I asked, "It only takes 5 seconds to announce the winner, and that's what everyone wants to see. What's all this?" The kids explained that they're doing a bunch of other stuff first. I asked, "Why? Everyone just wants to know who won. Announce it, then show the other stuff." The kids explained: "But Dad, then everyone will quit watching, and they want to make money off advertising."
It's obvious stuff, of course, but I want my kids to start thinking about these "obvious" things. The producers know everyone wants to know the winner, but they make everyone wait. That's rude, no? If someone came to see you and you made them wait two hours, they'd be highly insulted.
There are legitimate answers, of course. For one, you know that the two-hour show ain't gonna reveal the winner until the very end, so no one is being deceitful. It's not like the networks who advertise tip-off at 3:00, then don't start until 3:37 (then again, Ryan Seacrest announced at 8:30 that the results are "coming up," a statement that contains a measure of deceit).
Still, why aren't the networks more courteous to their viewers? It's hard for kids to stay up until 10:00. Why are they making them?
These are other questions I want my kids to ask. Does advertising revenue justify such discourteous conduct? Should a person care about mass culture to such extent that s/he is willing to tolerate such conduct. If I, a viewer, am willing to be treated this way, is it a bit degrading?
The final answer might show the networks harmless in their actions. I don't know. I just want those little wheels turning in their heads. It beats the life of a mass culture sheep.
