Over the horizon

We always feel the swiftness of time when we stand on New Years' Eve. But in this last year, when I look back, I feel very proud at how far Showbiz has come along and how much it has matured. Each and every praise and criticism has helped guide us towards betterment. Many wondered whether the Bangladeshi media could ever be portrayed as glamorously as it's being done overseas, but through Star Showbiz, we aim to show that it can. We are all aware about the crises in the media, but we can also see the scenario developing. I hope, by the end of this year, when I sum up my thoughts again, the current crop of trouble is taken care of and we have something new to look forward to.

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Media in Bangladesh is now in a bit of a rut. You may say that I am being unfair, but let me ask you this; how many households do you know that still watch Bangladeshi TV Dramas? The answer will shock you. The majority of our own countrymen now tune in to Indian channels for their entertainment. And why not? They stay up to date on what their viewers want and they don't flood a 30 min program with 20 min of advertisements. The film industry is already down and struggling to get up. If due attention isn't provided, the TV media scenario will also mimic that of our film industry and that's a stage I hope it never reaches. Why is the situation so bad? I know of it, the audience knows of it, most of the artists in the industry know of it. Why not the owner of the TV channels themselves? Bangladeshi television has a glorious history created by BTV. So in a way, when it celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2014, there was a lot to commend them for. But there is a lot wrong with BTV now as well. The quality of programs they used to be able to produce and where they stood in comparison to modern demand is no longer a reality. Sure you can blame this lack of quality down to the fact that its government controlled. But what about the large number of private TV channels? What's their excuse? It's high time we realize that the duty to improve our content lies with all of us; people inside and outside the media. And I refuse to accept things like that lack of creative or knowledgeable people in this country because that's just hogwash. I believe that the younger generation has the potential to take our industry to a whole new level, but maybe they aren't getting the exposure or supporting infrastructure that they need. We need to organize a solution to fix this situation. We at Star Showbiz plan to extend our support to television in months to come through reviews and discussions so that the best programs come to light. Hopefully we will be able to create a platform of recognition of not only the artists we see on screen, but the hardworking men and women behind the scenes.
In this spirit of improvement, I reach out to the readers of Star Showbiz and ask them to help us improve even further because we do believe in constructive criticism leading to growth. Send us your thoughts over email and Facebook; tell us what you are watching, what you are enjoying or not enjoying. Thank you for staying with us. Happy New Year once again!