Back in my day: Australian TV put another buck on the barbie

Video Hits is gone.
Sure, it didn’t exactly push the envelope culturally; nor even open one to reveal a letter of authenticity to the millions of kids who’ve watched religiously as their favourite artists strut about. But what it did do was be a vehicle in which one could travel the musical airwaves on the idiot box in the comfort of pajamas prior to indulging the great Aussie weekend.

Plus, it was a part of ‘the circuit’; you know, a guaranteed bit of airtime for PR types with their travelling VIP from the entertainment industry.
Now where to go; The 7PM Project, The Morning Show, Kerry-Anne, The Circle!?

Seriously?
What does this really mean? It means commercial TV programming doesn’t give a fuck about youth. Nor about the wonder of creative television programming that expanded the imaginations of youngsters. When I was a kid we dreamt of riding shotgun with Michael Knight, stealing a kiss from Daisy Duke or perhaps being lucky enough to watch a band with that ‘man in the hat’. Cooking dinner or renovating a house was the furthest thing from our minds… in fact, it still is. Junior MasterChef… Sheesh! Didn’t we get pissed-off children were making sports shoes in third-world countries? Now we’ve got ‘em cooking on TV so production companies can make dollars on small aprons!? And as for watching rich Yank kids go to parties gossiping on shallow relationships as they learn to wear high-heels; no thanks. Pray we don’t get some ‘Bondi Locals’ reality show where we see the continuing adventures of 23-year-old ‘Porsche’ and her gaggle of tanned BFFs struggle with parallel parking, scarves, the perfect wine bar and keeping good posture in $300 thongs. Actually I’m keeping that one, it could work!
The word ‘Variety’ is more than a worthy charity organisation. It’s a word that meant you never knew what was going to happen but were guaranteed to be entertained, informed and stimulated as a family unit. Watching Eddie McGuire ‘pause’ mid-sentence on live television; or some half-shaved hipster burn toast, is akin to doing an endless detention in Hell – it’s insulting television.

‘Oh, but it rates well.’