Donna Mae Alaga 
A stream of realities.
Be it powered by satellite, cable, or digital platforms, television has transformed societies in aspects of development and social growth. A medium that parses societal issues before an audience, it continuously highlights pressing concerns that affect our lives thereby rippling a need to act on them.
Backward
The first World Television Forum was held on November 20 and 21 by the United Nations in 1996. Initially planned to anticipate the framework for modern journalistic technologies, it paved the way for the General Assembly to declare November 21 as the commemoration of World Television Day.
Forward
This observation marks not just the celebration of the myriad contributions of this invention to boost globalization but also sparks conversations on the shift towards responsible journalism, issues concerning journalists, and other equally substantial issues brought by the rapid movement of modernization.
Here and now
Television has become an avenue that shaped public opinion towards issues across various spheres and in decision-making processes in response to the dynamic needs of the present time. Though basked in passivity, television offers viewers the chance to engage in issues through an opportunity to hear and see disparate angles and viewpoints in a story.
Aside from bringing us a peek into the various versions of realities, it has been a crucial tool of mass communication and information that keeps citizens informed of the latest happenings in their communities. Amidst competition with emerging technologies and platforms, television remains conducive to feeding the intellectual and leisurely interest of the public.
As we celebrate this observation, may we develop the urge to challenge the narratives this device keeps on creating and forge societies that are connected instead of divided into borders because of unequal access to responsible information and truthful storytelling.
