IELTS Commentry: IELTS essay, topic: Some people say that all popular TV entertainment programmes should aim to educate viewers about important social issues (agree/disagree)

Some people say that all popular TV entertainment programmes should aim to educate viewers about important social issues. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Sample Band 8 Essay

It is often said that all influential TV entertainment programs should be geared towards raising people’s awareness about social issues that matter. While some TV programs could be suitable for this purpose, I disagree with the view that it should be mandatory for all of them, as the decision whether to do so must take into account the nature of the TV content and the channel’s audience.

There is a large group of professionals who would benefit from deepening their understanding of what is happening in the world. Stock traders and bankers, for example, must always keep track of numerous business trends on a global scale, and they would appreciate this type of information on their favourite TV shows. Young people are another suitable audience due to the fact that they enjoy learning about popular topics from TV programmes. For instance, SDGs or the Sustainable Development Goals has now become an important topic to learn for children at school. Educational TV would provide a welcome alternative to textbooks, making learning more fun.

Despite the potential advantages of incorporating educational content in TV programs, it is important to remember that the purpose of entertainment TV is for people to escape reality, to take a break from their hectic lives. Being reminded about some troubling social issues would not be appreciated by those who just want to unwind after a long day at work. Another consideration is how the content is perceived by the audience, because broadcasting serious topics as part of a comedy show might lead some viewers to believe they are of lesser significance. This would make TV shows of light-hearted nature a poor choice for inclusion of content on pressing social issues.

In conclusion, entertainment TV programs can be an effective form of education for some people and a great tool to spread information. However, not all of them should be used for this purpose as there are various ways people appreciate them.

Teacher’s comment: The writer presented relevant ideas in this well-developed response and expressed their position clearly. The order of information and use of paragraphing makes this essay easy to read. A good level of coherence was achieved through the use of linking words and referencing. The writer has a wide range of vocabulary and is able to express ideas flexibly and precisely, while keeping most sentences error-free. Overall, this essay is worthy of Band 8

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8