“24-Hour Television: Love Saves the Earth” is a charity program broadcast every summer in Japan that garners immense support from viewers!
But you know, because it has been around for so long, it also faces criticism and debates.
Here, I’ll break down those criticisms and explain them clearly for everyone! Let’s go!
1. Criticism as “Inspiration Porn”
Have you heard of the term “inspiration porn”?
This is one of the most well-known criticisms of “24-Hour Television.”
Inspiration porn refers to using the situation of people with disabilities or illnesses just to evoke feelings of inspiration.
This term was proposed by an Australian disability activist, Stella Young, criticizing the view that people with disabilities exist merely to inspire able-bodied individuals.
In “24-Hour Television,” the challenges faced by people with disabilities or serious illnesses are depicted in a very inspirational manner.
However, some viewers and people with disabilities feel that this is just an arrangement to evoke inspiration.
For example, when people with disabilities undertake special challenges, viewers might think, “They’re amazing, but they’re different from us,” which risks treating them as special cases.
While feeling inspired is not inherently bad, the problem is that it doesn’t lead to a deeper understanding of their daily lives and the challenges they face in society.
This criticism has sparked debates on whether using people with disabilities as tools for inspiration is appropriate.
“24-Hour Television” aims to spread inspiration and promote the spirit of charity, but focusing too much on inspiration might obscure the real faces and challenges of people with disabilities.
2. Questions About Donations and Appearance Fees
“24-Hour Television” gathers a lot of donations as a charity program!
These donations are used for support for people with disabilities, disaster recovery, and welfare activities, truly helping many people!
However! It’s known that the celebrities and staff participating in the program receive high fees, which has become a target of criticism.
Some critics argue, “If it’s a charity program, shouldn’t participants join without compensation?”
Especially, it’s seen as problematic that a lot of money is spent on production costs and fees when donations should be used for support and aid.
However, the producers explain that “To get many people involved in charity, we need popular talents and high-quality production!”
They believe that fees and production costs are necessary investments for the success of the program, ultimately to gather more donations.
3. Overemphasis in Production
In “24-Hour Television,” various productions are used to deliver inspiration to viewers.
Especially in charity marathons and projects where people with disabilities challenge themselves, a lot of emotional music, editing, and narration are used to draw out emotions.
But this also faces criticism for being “overdone.”
Viewers are moved, but they sometimes wonder how meaningful the challenge really is and whether it truly serves charity.
The charity marathon, where famous talents run long distances, gets huge attention every year, but it’s also criticized as a performance to boost ratings.
There’s a view that “using just inspiration to promote charity is shallow.”
4. Doubts About the Essence and Continuity of Charity
“24-Hour Television” gathers an enormous amount of donations in just 24 hours, but there are criticisms like “Charity shouldn’t end as a temporary event; it should continue throughout the year!”
The program reports on the use of donations to some extent, but some viewers feel it’s hard to understand what happens afterward.
Donations are collected, but some feel it’s unclear how they are actually used and how effective they are.
Moreover, after the program ends, viewers’ interest might wane, making long-term support less visible.
5. Changing Understanding and Awareness of People with Disabilities and Minorities
Recently, understanding of people with disabilities and minorities has deepened, and there’s a growing movement to respect them as equal members of society without treating them specially.
However, in “24-Hour Television,” people with disabilities or serious illnesses are often depicted as “special,” leading to criticism that this doesn’t align with current values.
Using people with disabilities as objects of inspiration can make their daily lives and societal challenges seem trivial, prompting voices that “People with disabilities aren’t there to inspire us!”
Conclusion
The criticisms of “24-Hour Television” include issues like overly emphasizing inspiration, transparency of donations, and questions about the essence of charity.
But such criticisms are important perspectives that encourage everyone to rethink the program’s influence and think deeply about charity!
However, it’s also true that the program has spread the spirit of charity for many years and has actually helped a lot of people.
Considering these criticisms, let’s keep an eye on how “24-Hour Television” evolves in the future!
(Note)
This text was generated by asking an AI!
But remember, AI’s answers are not always accurate, so be sure to verify important information yourself! Keep checking things out!
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