It is difficult to describe in words everything that happens in Serbia and is related to reality programs, both during their duration and after each series. What is indisputable is that it is highly watched and if we go by that simple logic, if it didn’t pay off it wouldn’t even be broadcast. Do you remember that show hosted by Miki Perić “Cash at your feet”? NO? Why? The reasons are more than obvious… it didn’t hold its own, it didn’t give the same results as Farma, it didn’t give the possibility of gossiping about others after the show, being included live, it didn’t give arguments, curses, fights, arrogance… And all of this is unfortunately the soul food of Serbia, and by God and the region.
I have to admit that I haven’t watched Farma, but in Serbia you don’t even need to watch some shows, they are around you whether you want them or not. Every day in public transport, grocery stores, shopping centers, swimming pools, gyms, social networks, all electronic media, entertainment shows, magazine covers, daily printed newspapers, etc., you are condemned to watch the characters that most people love to watch in Serbia. and beyond. What can you do? The answer is not to switch off, not pay attention to it, find yourself some other occupation, turn on MTV or Discovery channel, because you live in this country where the majority decides what will be on national television. I know that many will say: Marko, I don’t watch TV, I’m not interested in it, I have and I know how to use my time more wisely, etc., and I respect that, BUT, the question arises: Do you know what the Farm is, who is on it , and how did you find out? That’s what I’m telling you about, whether you like it or not, information reaches you from a marketing machine that obviously knows its job well.
Sulejman Haljevac Memo; Photo: TV Pink
What I tried to do is to find out something more from the people who follow it, what interests them, why they watch it, what kind of image these people-participants leave about themselves, the country they come from, and what kind of message. they transmit to us. The answers I received were varied and the most common were:
- Why shouldn’t I watch when the whole of Serbia is watching?
- It’s killing my time, it’s distracting
- If it was bad, no one would watch it, why are you standing out and pretending not to watch it!
- I want to see how others think, why they fight, fall in love, etc.
- Well, there are famous people who embarrass themselves.
The other answers are more or less similar to this one, but what caught my eye the most is that you, as an individual, if you don’t watch the Farm, stand out, stand out. I didn’t just reduce that separation to Belgrade, where I live, in fact, that mirror is what is happening in the whole of Serbia. The society in which we move directly or indirectly dictates what is watched, or should be watched. I know a lot of people who watch Farma but they can’t admit it! In my opinion, this is a very bad stage, because then we get into a situation of resenting the environment for which it is soul food. Watching Farma? You are an inferior race. It is very dangerous. Social networks, Twitter in particular, contributed the most to this attitude. And how? The situation on Twitter is such that if you are a Farmer, you are on the pole of shame. Twitter, as one of the most interactive social networks, is actually a mirror of public opinion, where we can, and do, exchange views on everyday events in our country. And anyone who says that there is no place for some topics on Twitter is seriously mistaken. Of course, it depends on who you follow, and what your domain of interest is, but even there it is inevitable that you will read tweets about Farma, and sometimes even filters don’t help. Why is that bad? Is the majority who watch Farma, and maybe are on social media, smarter than the minority who don’t watch Farma? It’s just a personal choice, and let’s not judge those who do.
Bad Reflections of Personal Marketing
The data on how many are educated in Serbia, how many are employed, or what the unemployment rate is, are truly devastating. If we add to that the average age of the inhabitants, the picture of where we live becomes clear. We can blame the state, politics, social situation, etc. for these things, but those who make these programs know very well who and what they are marketing. Give people entertainment to forget their problems. The problem is that the consciousness of the average citizen of Serbia is highly poisoned by the false image that things will get better. Well, when you present young people on TV with one Ekrem Jevrić, who is at the level of a ten-year-old in terms of mental development, you realize that this is what Serbia wants to watch and what it wants to be interested in, and the level of empathy is high, some feel sorry for him, some interesting, some spit it out. All together gives one emotion that people are eager to forget about their own problems. The background is: If Ekrem can do it, so can you. And the truth is that you can’t!
