Right definition of “ ratings” should be, audience measurement technique, which helps having better insight in certain television program, audience percentage. So without more thinking, we are ratings, ratings are us, one can’t be without the other. The problem occurs when we begin being victims of that same rating system, like it happened many times before…

I started asking myself same question during this year and I am sure many of us think the same: Do we really want to be “measured” that way? What is more important, producing entertainment program for people or making money? Well I realized long ago, money is the main reason but if audience brings that money than why does no one listen to what we have to say about that!?

Maybe these lines can be a great opportunity to express a basic opinion of an ordinary viewers across the world…

We mainly got attracted and addicted to Turkish TV shows cause of their diversity in telling stories, real life events, great acting skills but most of all because of the emotions these stories provoke in us. Later on as we started to get interested about Turkey, Turkish language, actors, writers, directors, it became a circle without a way out.

Our biggest worry probably is, I would say ratings cause they decide how the certain day begins, is it happy or with disappointment. Before I used to watch TV shows for pleasure now I watch ratings so my pleasure does not get cancelled. Maybe it sounds ridiculous but its actually true, we get to enjoy our favorite TV show about first 10-15 episodes if we are really lucky and later on it starts the fight to survive. We check the ratings, write, beg, find who to blame, ask for informations, official statements, gossips all that in order to save it and in all cases we don’t have much luck and all effort is wasted. I sometimes envy those who just wait in front of the TV for a new episode of their favorite show without knowing what happens behind all of it, they have a healthy life.

Unique thing for all Turkish TV stations is that the even best ratings are often not good enough or we just don’t know what exactly is good enough, they just vary in strictness. Me personally I think problem is in quantity vs. quality. Market is huge, projects are being made I would say without any course what so ever, its all about the ratings, advertising, sponsors which brings money and the last in line comes audience. Yes, audience, someone who works all day, someone who wants to rest in the evening, someone who studied all day, someone who’s maybe only happy moment in life is to enjoy someone’s invented life on the screen.

How ever audience is often the one who feel sorry most, when certain show gets cancelled…

During this year, so many projects got cancelled, due to the bad ratings or not good ratings, what ever that means, which gives the impression of unprofessional relation towards people off, on and in front of the screen. It looks like some crazy run after the money, without any common sense or rules. Changing storylines, airing time, days, writers, directors, actors and if any of that does not go the way it was planed, killing few main characters at the end or just pulling out from the program scheme without any previous notice. It’s a bit exhausting, don’t you think!?

So I am asking you these questions?

Is it normal with all this world popularity of Turkish TV shows, measure the audience only in some parts of Turkey, rich neighbor hoods , knowing how many people are watching via live stream, how many Turks are living abroad and by these numbers decide on what will live on or not!? I know that we, out of borders of Turkey do not count in ratings, or bring money but you should sure think deeper about it! How do you actually know these rich or educated people have their TV’s turned on, maybe they went out to have dinner or they have something more important to do!? We all know television is a way of having fun for most of us less fortunate in life. I know these questions will left un answered, but if you at least tell us in advance which TV shows will not be cancelled after few episodes, so we can stick to it and watch it and don’t be disappointed, when it suddenly ends, you would save us a lots of headache.

And for the rest of audience in Total is it really possible to watch 6 different programs every night, 7 days in a week, people don’t have so many TV’s you know and its physically impossible…so hold that “rolling” button for a while.

Many good stories will never be told, many great actors without a chance to shine, always waiting for something new to be filmed, it looks like swimming in the blurry waters.

Sometimes I wonder are we that much jobless to chase the ratings, to look who will say what, to guess the current mood of the script writers, to tweet until 3 in the morning to make a difference, to personally call TV stations to get informations! I don’t know but to me it sounds little sad and its not really our job to save what can’t be saved, don’t you think.

I understand there is much bigger problems in this universe, poverty, wars etc. but help us at least have a little fun in these hard times.

As I am writing these lines, ratings are counted, audience is being “measured”, decisions are made, its already late I need to wake up early, drink my coffee and check the ratings!