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by Neetha S. Ratnapala

Culture in ordinary terms is referred to as 'customs, arts, social institutions etc. of a particular group or nation'. Culture also means refinement. The refinement therefore portrays the extent to which a particular nation is akin to a civilized state.

If culture be the hallmark of a civilization it needs nurturing, preserving and conserving. One is proud to be a part of that culture and civilization. Any country within confines of territorial boundaries faces many problems, be they economic, social or military, in its march forward. Every citizen has to face the reality of the situation he or she is in, as the country moves from one decade to the other. Each and every citizen becomes a part of the whole, and is therefore duty bound to preserve the identity of the country he or she is born to, or has become a part of through other means.

There are many symbolic features of one's culture. Sometimes it is linked to the religion and traditions of a community. Whatever may be the case in a country there are certain inherent cultural traits. These traits may differ from one nation to the other, or from one community to the other. Here our emphasis is more on national traits than communal. Just as each nation is proud of its national flag and the national anthem, each in a given nation should also be proud of one's national culture. This distinguishes one in a western society from one in Asia. The national traits leave a distinct mark over regional traits.

In the early ages it was a form of evolution towards a national culture, in the middle an acceptance and in the 20th and 21st centuries it was a case of jealously safeguarding what had evolved and were accepted.

People gave expression to their culture in the early years through primitive letters, arts, and manner of dress. Later it was through group activity, manner of dress, rituals and places of religious worship and learning. In the more recent past, through the use of the pen, cultural events and the media.

Media is in one sense a newsgiver, a pace setter, a critic, a highlighter, and a custodian. Audio and visual media both play a significant part in this role. Visual media, however, prove to be more direct and effective. Of the visual media, newspapers and the television enwrap us unknowingly, and unintentionally.

But the effect of the impact can be very sharp. Just as accountability is all important in financial matters, responsibility is in using the media for public information and entertainment. It's time we directed our attention to the responsibility involved in utilising the media, in particular the small screen.

Culture is so likened to our way of life, manner of dress, oral language, verses, songs and dance forms and more recently the tele-drama and the films. We grow up with our cultural traits, then we hand them down to our children as our forefathers have, though with limited resources at their command. There's a contrast in that we live in a more open and permissive society, having international links and boasting of the impact of globalisation on our little world. Globalisation or not, one truth stands above others, we have a culture to be proud of, and therefore conserve it we must. In a way we are at the cross-roads. How are we to march into the new millennium while preserving our culture?

The answer lies with the family, the school, the larger society of which the media is a part. Just as developments in communication facilities has linked us with the world, the media has exposed us to the larger world outside the confines of the family and friends. The proper manipulation of this exposure therefore is very vital in contributing to the development of our culture and civilization and preserving it for posterity.

How we expose the human form - (a gift of the world) is a talking point in many circles of different ages today. The woman in particular is the focal point here. How is the woman used on the cover pages of popular paper or tabloid? How is she portrayed on a calendar - the season for calendars being not far off, how is she displayed on advertisements, fashion pages, catwalk and the small screen as an employee or as a model.

The woman is a woman - she commands the respect of the male of the species only as long as she is portrayed respectfully. But does this happen? The woman is also the symbol of a national culture. She is made to adorn the national dress when it suits the organisers of an event to do so. She is made to smile, weep or cry when it suits an agent or organisation to display her feminine charms. She is made to represent her country when it suits an unseen hand to attract world attention. She can be even made, to wear a crown and be enthroned or deposed on man-made rules and games.

In such an instance is there any attention paid to the culture of a nation. Why do people trample on the values of a culture as it suits them? The erosion of values of our culture is best seen in ignoring the much desired form of a damsel in proper dress or clothing. If our young girls are indirectly encouraged to appear in public or on the screen in half clad dress or clothing where do we go from there? If our dance forms encourage such attire sometimes so tastelessly done, what can we hope for in a few years from now?

Are we really progressing or being de-culturised or walking backwards in the journey of civilization?

Democracy and personal freedom giving vent in the selection of dress is one thing, preserving our cultural values is another. In some countries there are taboos on certain types of programmes on the television and in the cinema. They take care to have some restraint on the exposition of the human form.

The news readers on TV appear in what appears to be their culturally approved if not national dress. The dress is a symbol of identity. Why do we want to lose our identity? There is no communal bias whatsoever here. It's a quest for national identity. Do we want to wrap it all up and bid good bye to our identity. Certainly not. Therefore it's time we revived our good old customs, and values, thereby awakening the young to their great cultural traits that they must take over for posterity. Let's not blindly ape the West or the East. Let the dress add grace to our beautiful girls we see daily on TV.

There is another aspect to this besides the cultural point of view.

Tim Utton - a science reporter emphasises that men can't concentrate on two things at the same time, especially when there is a pretty news caster on the television screen. For most chaps the news goes in one ear and out through the other when it is presented by such likes as famous Kirsty Young. The more attractive the news reader the more they are distracted, and the less they listen to what she has to say, because they are more likely to sit and fantasise about the female presenter.

Uttan mentions that psychologists monitored the attention levels of 1,500 male viewers during news programmes and found it changed in relation to the attractiveness of the presenter. These quarters failed to recall anything from the first 30 seconds of a telecast because they were busy assessing how attractive a presenter was. Drawing attention to our topic here we need to remind that a neat and smart attire in keeping to one's culture makes presentation more effective and fruitful if our aim is to reach the listener. A good example for this is our neighbour and friend India. So let the men watch the news and not the news girls.

Besides the attire, our focus should also be on the role of the presenters themselves. Its important that they are aware of what they are presenting. As in an oral presentation or speech, a background study of the items to be presented is needed. There should be a thorough knowledge of the place names, names of agencies, names of important personalities in various fields on the local scene as well as the international.

There'll be no need for excuses if they are ready and updated with the information they have to give to the nation. Over the years mistakes have been committed and we see an improvement on certain channels now, but there is more to be done and achieved. A stirring of the minds in such areas as history, economics and the arts, locally and universally, is all important. This culture of seeking knowledge has to be instilled into the heart and soul of the media personnel.

Another area that needs modification is in the weeding an editing of information. What do we want to give? For whom? To what extent? What impact would it make on the listener - for better or worse - these are things worth pondering about. Why do people listen to or watch the various programmes brought to their door. Would it be welcome? Would it awaken them? Would it leave a feeling of nostalgia, a resentment, anger, nauses? There is hardly any controversy over giving information except sometimes an imbalance or inadequacy.

Does it, spell out the policy of a government the people are curious to know about? The purpose of government spending, the ways and means of public taxes? The certain items overemphasised, while others are left out completely? Is there enough public participation in debates and over national issues? Is the information credible, accurate and reliable? Though the instances of public query are few and far between a media culture should develop where such instances are encouraged for the sake of good governance and listener satisfaction?

Over the controversy of what do give and how much to give, the media I believe exercise a free hand. Hence again as in the manner of dress, we are concerned about the limits we have placed on ourselves without compulsion on the cultural aspect of the degree of acceptance. Of course, none can lay down a rule to measure here.

Since TV programmes in particular are watched by the family at prime time, it's but ethical to show less violence of details of rape, or molestation or professional crimes, which may degrade a profession, or a religion. Cultural values are meant to be preserved and handed down from one to the other.

Violence, shock, abuse, these are as damaging as the word used to denote them. Shouldn't we therefore through the use of the media minimise the harmful effect it can play on our tender, and, younger generation. The use of language and dialogues, the outbursts the metaphors even certain songs, all penetrate into the minds of the young - specially if it happens to be an experimental venture.

They feel an exaltation in repeating such words, phrases and metaphors in peer groups that in return carry it to others - even to their own class rooms, to the extent that leaves some parents perturbed over the new found repetition of words in family company.

A language needs to grow and develop but a deterioration in the level and meaninglessness in the usage certainly baffles one.

The intermingling of two tongues is sometimes welcome and sometimes not. How and where do we demarcate between the culturally acceptance and not? In this area too therefore we sense the need for probing a cultural revolution in the media.

Sex is another area we need rethinking about. Here our attention is drawn in particular to some soap operas and films brought in from other countries in many languages. Shouldn't there be some sort of know-how on where to draw the line? This has gone on for many years. We yell at social problems playing havoc in our society today - a result or a culmination of attitudes towards being 'open' for so many years.

Isn't it time to ponder whether adults are ready to open the doors of their bedrooms to their offspring? Let's not make the grave mistake of believing that free media is identical with 'open media' unless it also means welcoming the views of others who prefer not to be too open, in the interest of the cultural values of the country.

Let's therefore through a cultural revolution in the media, make the media more responsible, more socio - friendly, more rewarding and above all a watchman of our own culture we can be always proud of.

In conclusion may I add, that, full freedom functions by when rights are balanced with responsibilities, and choice is balanced with conscience. The most potent power to put an end to internal and external wars, is the human conscience.

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