Ramzan Transmission cuteness alert? They are cute, yes, we get it. But do child guests need to be paraded on live shows, their cuteness flaunted, their innocence celebrated and their tongue in cheek responses greeted by surprise laughter, a source of amusement for strangers, their images plastered all over our social media feeds … they’re children after all and every child deserves his childhood. No? Won’t they grow up too fast?
Child appearances on national TV is not a new experience. From Sesame Street to Uncle Sargam, Neelam Ghar & Britain’s Got Talent, child artists and guests have made it on to our TV screens. Then what’s all the fuss about Ramzan transmissions and child appearances – is it a yay or nay for you?
A National Debate? We Wish!
The debate has sparked a conversation of sorts with audiences sitting on both sides of the fence; from those who call out the exploitation of children on national TV shows and social media feeds to others who ask us to relax and take a chill pill, these kids love to be there and are treated with the utmost love, care and affection – so what’s the issue really?
One Ramzan transmission host went so far as to defend his decision of bringing on child guests by stating the following:
“All these kids…I said to their parents two weeks ago, and I mean it because I am fasting, I said that I would treat these kids like I would my own children. I am a parent myself and I believe in karma.”
Host Waseem Badami: Express Tribune
Upon reading comments of viewers regarding the case of child guests on Ramzan transmissions, it seemed to me as if Pakistani audiences are simplifying the issue and perhaps, even personalizing the experience. The children we see on screen might be like our children, but they are not our children. They might like coming on the show, but that doesn’t mean they should be there, we might find them very cute, but exposing them to massive publicity at such a tender age might have repercussions later on in life.
You’re only a child once.
Let that stay as the most precious thing that happened in our lives. There is a reason that childhood must be protected, that children must have the right to live that childhood, away from the public gaze, as much as possible.
The world is a different place in 2024
The time when Chhotu would appear on Neelam Ghar and win a Rahbar water cooler for his father was a moment in history when the child would have his 2 minutes of fame without being recorded unknowingly on a stranger’s mobile phone, pasted on multiple social media feeds and his actions shared – innocent glances or words watched on repeat by millions of strangers who perhaps, might or might not find him cute.
The Chhotu in 2024 is a far cry from Neelam Ghar’s Chhotu mind you. He would have won multiple followers (perhaps thousands or more), each one hanging on every smile he gave, a word he uttered, his petulant, pure reactions turned into an awww moment where he would wise up pretty fast and realize that a certain nod or smile or response would earn him more likes, hearts and probably, more lucrative deals in the social media world.
What was that magic term again? Yes, collaborations!
It would also be fair to say that children all over the world, in western media are subjected to the same (horrors) exposure, but that doesn’t mean that just because the west does it, it’s okay. Every child needs privacy, a life away from prying eyes till he/she is old enough to take decisions on public matters with enough awareness of the world to be informed of the consequences. He/she should know that every smile he gets in response to his is not an innocent one, that when his face is used on someone else’s social media feed, they are earning revenue, social media followers or both, just by posting his image online. He/she should also be aware that the life of a social media star is transient, temporary unless they keep reinventing themselves, creating, staying ahead of the game every step of the way.
POV: A child who appears on a Ramzan transmission, or any program which is primarily dominated by adults, should have his rights protected.
The program, for example, should only be streamed at child-friendly hours, the hosts must share their earnings with the child guest, who must have a trust fund of sorts in his name, so that his earnings can be safeguarded, his parents will need to be mentored on the safety and perils of online exposure and no, this is not me getting too much into the nitty gritty; just head over to Nadia Jamil’s X feed and you will see for yourself, first-hand, the level and incidence of child abuse that takes place in our society.
This is not to say that child artists or guests should never appear or be banned from participating in TV programs, it is, rather to discern the nature of the program and how his appearance is promoted on the set. If a child is going to do the rounds of the Sohail Rana program and sing along with children, the project seems child appropriate and deservedly safe. But if the child is to appear in a program primarily watched and participated in by adults, his or her appearance is surely, cemented to gain likes, views, followers and channel ratings? To provide a diversion from the boring, monotonous adult faces we see in the program?
Keeping that premise in mind, the question to ask is: at what age is it okay for children to participate in online commercial activities? When does good fun become something more? The hosts and guests who appear on the show (I’m guessing) are not doing so without remuneration. Hence, is it ethically and morally acceptable to have our children work alongside adults, flaunting their “cuteness” and earning rewards not just for themselves, but all the people who are part of the show?
What is the difference between a child laborer in a sweat shop or carpet factory and a child guest appearance in a Ramzan transmission?
They are both part of a commercial endeavour, earning money, one in exchange for his manual work and skill, the other, for his presence and cuteness (also work). The carpet weaver receives money for creating a product that is then sold at multiplied rates to a customer – the child guest earns likes, followers and perhaps, revenue through his “cute” appearance, cheeky answers and (pull worthy) cheeks.
It is also alarming to note that most if not all children who appear on Ramzan transmissions are young boys, as if to say, that it is safer for boys to be exposed online as opposed to girls? Answer that for me, will you?
Both children, carpet weavers or child guests, have started to earn for their families from a very young age. Both have no say in the profession they are part of. The carpet weaver might have the liberty to say he does not like the job, the child guest will love his job and want to do it everyday (that does not mean he was mature enough to decide what’s good for him).
Give a child a candy for breakfast every morning and watch him say no! Get the drift?
The world of TV and overnight gains (fame), is a departure from the boring world of school, bedtime routines and playing with friends in the park – the child gets to do so much more. He earns the envy of all his school friends, teachers perhaps, and his cousins and peers. There is absolutely no reason to not do this.
Soon, he will wake up to a world full of endless possibilities, the phone will ring incessantly, the adverts will keep coming, the money will keep rolling in, until one day, he will either make it bigger or, the world will forget about him as it moves on to other, newer, younger child stars – smarter, cuter ones. And then, might he want to return to the big, bad world of school, school friends and math tests?
That, my dear Watson, is a million dollar question. Answer that and I’ll tell you who has more job security? A carpet weaver or a child guest on a Ramzan transmission show.
Who has a brighter future ahead?
Wait a minute don’t answer that, don’t overthink this one, make hay while the sun shines kids, for tomorrow it might rain – a moment of fame is better than a lifetime of anonymity. Right?
Said nobody.
