TV - The path to a child's imagination

The Kasoa ‘Ritual’ Murder by some teenagers has rekindled the discussion on what our TV sets have become over the few past few years.

The introduction of digital satellite broadcasting has brought about the proliferation of television stations, with its attendant “junk” content. Many a people thought this would enhance the viewer’s television experience. The viewer would be spoilt with choice and would bring about better programming.

But what do we see? This revolution has rather been about a revolution on money charming Fetish Priests, occult groups promising quick money, Pastors offering quick fixes to all problems in this world, scammers promising to double the viewer’s money. And how could we forget how the many “lotto doctors” ply their trade with impunity on our screens?

If a Child learns through imitation, then the easiest way to teach a nation is by having a dedicated TV channel that would portray the lifestyles that the child should imitate.



Definitely, children and adults alike, will imitate what we see on our screens – kissing Telenovelas, comic releasing Indian soaps, affluent living Nigerian and Ghanaian movies, violent American movies, money charming and all problem solving Priests and Priestesses, and all illness curing Prophets and Prophetesses.

For years, there has been nothing on Tree Planting, Environmental Protection, Animal and Pet care, Farming and farm products, construction and all the other lessons a child needs to form his imagination. Not even TV stations that are branded in one profession or the other, are specialized in what they claim to be their motto.

Our children are definitely living in a dark world. Why won’t they engage in ‘Sakawa’, drug abuse and sexual Indiscipline? The youth definitely has not seen hard work on TV. All they do see are the lavish lifestyles of people, profligacy and of course, there are the twerking naked women on TV. Our youths are living the TV ‘stage’ life.



Ironically, our leaders and their children do not watch the same channels. Let’s not kid ourselves, they do not watch Ghana Television. Others would rather watch animals than watch Ghana television.

They have pay-per-view television that shows a variety of Science, Technology and programmes that suit their children. They watch the real world whiles ours watch the fanciful studio created utopian world.

You are what you watch, see and hear. We are reaping what we sowed and continue to sow.