Category: media

How is it possible that among the hundreds of television channels available to the average American, there still isn’t a place for the arts? “While networks devoted to everything from cartoons to car culture have thrived, channels aimed at the fine-arts consumer have either collapsed (the seminal arts channel CBS Cable) or survived as changelings, serving up increasing amounts of reality TV while still sporting their original stately monikers (Bravo, A&E). Symbolically at least, the poetic voice of Paul Robeson has fallen silent to the raspy ravings of Kathy Griffin, and the groundbreaking works of Picasso have been masked in favor of the tattoo-shop shenanigans of Inked.”

In the age of the multiplex, many of America’s classic movie houses have fallen to the wrecking ball, or at least become dilapidated antiques with no prospects for revival. Enter the League of Historic American Theatres, “a nonprofit that advocates preserving old movie palaces, vaudeville theaters and performing arts stages.”

The FCC’s crackdown on televised profanity has broadcasters of all stripes running scared, even staid old PBS, which usually has more to fear from conservative activists than it does from the threat of indecency fines. Specifically, PBS has changed the rules for the award-winning documentaries that have long been a staple of its programming, excising profanity wherever it occurs, even in the mouths of soldiers caught up in World War II. Documentarian Ken Burns, for one, can’t believe the new prudishness.

“Consumers are complaining about their steadily climbing cable TV bills – up 86 percent in the past 10 years, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Their local officials agree, but with a caveat: That’s not all that’s at stake, they say. The municipalities’ ability to enforce cable operators’ customer service standards, control rights of way and take a cut of their revenue is at risk. State or federal bills would allow would-be cable operators to bypass local franchise agreements.”

“Disney’s firings, which started at the top with the studio’s production chief, are the latest in an industrywide contraction that has cost more than 2,000 jobs worldwide. In Los Angeles, particularly, the economic effect is being widely felt. Here, in an industry built on bravado, people are suddenly talking openly about being afraid.”

“In show business, an industry that’s all about relationships, the ways people get tossed can resonate louder than box-office grosses. Keeping score of who’s up and who’s down dominates workplace conversations because the latest pecking order determines the fate of projects. Still, Hollywood seems to have a knack for the memorable pink slip.”

So what do Disney’s cutbacks signal for the movie industry? “Nothing seems assured or certain. Everything is insanely expensive. Pictures that you think are going, suddenly get pulled. The rules aren’t being followed. There’s a sense that the way things happen is up for grabs. You have to ride with these strange tides.”

The 30-second TV ad is becoming less and less effective, and advertisers are trying to invent nw ways of getting through to consumers. “Today’s consumer, especially the under-35 generation raised on computers and cellphones, demand interaction with a product and prefer to do their own research prior to purchase. Advertisers are scrambling to adapt.”

They’re making a movie version of Hairspray. Ah, you say, but there already is a movie version of Hairspray, and in fact, the current Broadway show is based on that earlier film by John Waters. True enough, but they’re making a new one based on the musical anyway, and that’s created a bit of a drama in the city of Baltimore, where the story takes place. The original movie was filmed there, and the city badly wanted to be the site for production of the new version as well. But due to a combination of cost issues and logistical problems, the entire movie will now be shot in Toronto, and Baltimore will have to be content with a few still photos of itself, digitally inserted into the action.

YouTube is currently serving 100 million downloads a day. So what’s the great attraction? “YouTube, Google Video and related sites have revived vaudeville, then stabbed it in the neck with the razor-sharp shards of a torn can of energy drink, kicked it in the ribs, and left it onstage to writhe for the amusement of millions. And you can be part of it!”