RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

Ana Šomlo

TELEVISION ON REVIEWS, REVIEWS ON TELEVISION

The Centre for RTB programme and audience research has carried out an enquiry into the review-television relations between TV critics and television writers. Questionnaires were sent to all Vugoslav daihes and weekhes which саггу regular ТУ reviews and to those involved in the creation of television programmes: writers, directors, cameramen, editors, journahsts... in ah the Vugoslav television centres. The majority of daihes and weekhes retumed the questionnaires duly fihed in. Replies were also received from many associates in ah the Vugoslav television centres. This subject seemed to be of the greatest interest to directors. Twenty eight chrectors sent in replies as did eighteen TV journahsts, thirteen writers and dramatists, nine cameramen, six editors, five musical directors and associates, four documentary film makers and seven associates from the various TV professions. The positions and opinions expressed were far broader than ahowed for in the questionnaires. As the questions were of an open nature, many of the replies were added and can be considered real studies on the subject, which demonstrates the great interest aroused by the enquiry. SUBJECT OF TELEVISION REVIEW There can be no doubt that television is becoming a more and more frequent fopic of discussion. Programmes, both good and bad, wih always be the subject of conversation, the reason for an exchange of opinion. Who is the reai judge to say what we have gained or lost if we did not switch the television on at a given moment? Сап we expect the viewer to check his opinion of a TV programme in з television review? Do TV reviews deal only with programmes on cultural topics or do they also encompass politics and sport? Can one single person be competent to write with knowledge on ah these subjects and at the same time be acquainted with television and ah its psychological, pedagogical and other aspects which today make up this, today’s most important mass communication medium?

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