Hollywood producers “always maintained that the blacklist was essentially forced on them by a powerful one-two punch of politics and public opinion. True enough. But it’s also true that the Hollywood blacklist descended directly — perhaps even more so than previously thought — from a virulent strain of anti-union sentiment. New interviews, access to internal Hollywood memoranda and a review of the existing but largely forgotten record all suggest that unions — one in particular — threatened to cut into studio control and profits. And the studios would do anything, even ruin lives, to keep that from happening.” – Salon 01/11/00
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MY AILIN’ WALLET
Overall recorded music sales went up 6.1 percent last year. But country music sales fell 4.5 percent. “We’re no longer the fad of the moment.” – Cleveland Plain Dealer (AP)
CARNEGIE SEASON
America’s concert hall announces next year’s season – 140 events, with 22 visiting national and international orchestras. – New York Times
BOOK TOUR HELL
Who says authors are good promoters in front of audiences or behind a radio or TV mic? Sometimes you just talk your way into a good humiliation. – The Independent (UK)
SUING GEOGRAPHIC
A group of writers and photographers is suing National Geographic Magazine for reproducing their work on CD-ROM. – CBC
TIME WARNER, AOL TO MERGE
Boards of both companies unanimously approve deal announced today. – Variety 01/10/00
- Deal creates new $350 billion company – Wired 01/10/00
- More business details – and here it’s $250 billion. – DowJones.com 01/10/00
- OPEN ACCESS? AOL was a leader in the fight to force cable companies to permit open access for internet providers to cable systems. But now AOL will be a cable system activists are howling. – Variety 01/11/00
- Saving a dinosaur? AOL to the rescue. – Washington Post 01/11/00
- Hollywood reaction: Big sigh – “It changes the landscape of all our businesses.” – Washington Post 01/11/00
- Saving a dinosaur? AOL to the rescue. – Washington Post 01/11/00
THE GIFTING GLOBES
Voter says gifts don’t do much (if anything) to win favor from press voters for the Golden Globes. “Maybe not, but Sharon Stone went too far this year when two couriers arrived at Golden Globe voters’ doors, one bearing a cellular telephone with a month’s free calls, along with a card signed by Stone and her Simpatico co-stars Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges, and the other a watch that sells for $395.” – The Telegraph (UK) 01/10/00
JUST WHO —
— makes the scheduling decisions at PBS? Putting great programs on against over-hyped network sweeps and Tesh-a-thons opposite Christmas reruns is goofy. Isn’t the idea to get more people to watch? – San Francisco Chronicle 01/10/00
EXTRA PAY
A group of Toronto’s movie extras vote to join media union, spurning the actors union in dispute over their low pay. – The Globe and Mail (Canada) 01/10/00
WE AREN’T THE WORLD
We survived Y2K but attempts New Year’s Eve to portray the planet as just one Big Happy Family leave one critic cold. “It was the One City Many Cultures theme taken to a new high. Forget germ warfare, forget the millions of missiles poised to strike.” Tough to do. – Daily Mail and Guardian (South Africa)