Full Frontal PR Report
Michael Raisanen

I grew up with only two TV channels, both of them State-owned, and three national radio outlets, also run by the State. That was it. I’m not describing the Soviet Union, but Sweden where the country had a monopoly on TV and radio until the early 90’s.

The political, psychological, philosophical and sociological implications of having state controlled media can be discussed forever. No, I won’t do that. Too boring. Instead, a few anecdotes about what TV used to be like back home in Stockholm. You might imagine that my childhood memories of television are dull because of their socialist constrictions. You’re imagining wrong.

I remember when TV viewing could be something exciting, exclusive and…communal. For us, a Twisted Sister or Madonna video was a national event (at least for the kids). Since there were so few programs to choose from, everybody watched the same thing, and so the whole nation was basically on the same page (channel).

I remember when TV 2 introduced a pop-chart show and started airing music videos. There are no words that can describe the joyful rush of emotions I felt as I watched 25 commercial free minutes. Pure bliss! It was like a weekly birthday party, and every kid in the country was invited. The whole schoolyard was talking about how impossibly cool the “I Wanna Rock” video was. At work, our parents discussed JR Ewing’s constant crushing of Cliff Barnes’ pride on Dallas.

On the other (boring) hand, I also remember the infinite dull days of switching the TV on only to see horrible cartoon show from Czechoslovakia on one channel and a two-hour feature on some completely unknown poet from Lapland on the other one. Three days could easily pass without one fun or interesting thing on TV. Don’t get me started on all those “educational” children’s shows with hidden agendas. No wonder so many of my friends turned out to be such fervent socialists!

My parents allowed me to watch the Muppet Show, but only while battling their fear of my being brainwashed by the velvet clad, mustachioed, softy puppeteers and their political schemes.

Since those odd days the Swedish State has relaxed its regulations on media. We now have (believe it or not) nine commercial cable channels competing with the two public ones. Needless to mention, quality of TV has risen enormously. Nowadays, you can even catch the Swedish version of Survivor on a State-run station.

The next time you hear someone complaining about today’s media jungle, pay no mind. The alternative is informational totalitarianism controlled from the top. You don’t want that.

What you want is 24 hours of televised garbage. Trust me. Even that would be better.