跨越真實與擬仿的藩籬——解讀“2100全民亂講”之後現代模仿意涵

Abstract

For quite some time in Taiwan society, making sense of our society via the television fare has become increasingly difficult, if not impossible. The loss of connection between social reality and its supposed representation has been most acutely felt on current-affairs talk-shows. Apparently practicing some form of participatory journalism, these programs, presumed to facilitate public debate on issues of general concerns, served only to flame up political confrontations and social division. As public dissatisfaction gradually reflected itself via audience ratings, the once hot “genre” seemed to lose its charm on screen. Ever since All People Blab at 2l00 was put on air, however, we have witnessed a renewal of the talk-show genre supported again by sufficient audience attention. In the program, we found newer elements were introduced elements that were simultaneously subversive and compliant to the genre’s general journalistic implications via postmodern pastiche and simulation. Thus, the program stands as a confusing phenomenon for us to grasp the relationship between television, society and its viewership in Taiwan today. The success of All People Blab at 2100 marks a trend of postmodern pastiche on television, making the medium all the more boundary-blurring than ever. It is therefore the purpose of this essay to explore this trend through a case study of the program. It first deals with the origin and function of current-affair talk-shows, so as to explain why traditional talk shows started to lose their hits. Then drawing on postmodern theory, it examines the programming strategies of All People Blab at 2100. Finally, it attempts some alternative observation, hoping to clarify the confusing media phenomenon of talk shows, which is unique of Taiwan.