Machachari

Macchari is a local program that airs on citizen TV on Saturday between 7:30 and 8:00 pm Since its start there have been questions of whether it is a children program or not. In one of the ways to try and make it a children program the producer uses children as the main characters. These include Govi, Baha, Almasi Stella and Joy.however there are older characters who are either parents teachers or friends of the characters.
  
   children programs use so much fantasy.They do not use real characters but have the options of animations and puppets.Even where there are real characters animations are included.This is not so in Machachari. At all times the characters are real doing real things and visiting real places. In this regard it is there questionable how childish it  is. There mode of presentation in such programs include use of songs poetry and other creative works of art.Machachari uses dialogue all the time and only use song when introducing the characters.In terms of language however the program become relevant to the children. They use slang and simple English which is popular to all school going kids.

  Thematically it adresses issues that are relevant to children and parents/adults. For examle the responsibility of parents to their children,relationships between the young especially when they are approaching the adolescent stage and their every day life. In one of the episodes for instance there was a parents day in the school where the kids go to.Stella's mother seemed like she wouldn't attend and every one was concerned of how stella would feel.Baha's mother kept reminding Cinderella Stella's mother that that was her responsibility and she has to cop with.

  In most cases advertisements that come in between programs can be used to determine the target audience of the program. At every break of this program they advertise Ribena
 ,Blue band ,washing soap and soft drinks.Alcohol ads on the other hand are avoided. This shows that the target audience are both adults and children. 7:30 pm is also a time where both parents and children are at home and probably watching TV.

It can therefore be argued that as much as it is popular with the kids entertaining and educating them it is also meant to teach parents more about their kids and how to manage them.


Ann