Category: media

“PBS is in real trouble, financially. Its difficult straits are misunderstood by nearly everyone. When PBS was created, early ideas to tax the sale of television sets and also to tax the broadcast networks (which are profiting off of the government- owned airwaves) went nowhere because politicians fear powerful lobbyists and don’t necessarily fear you. Unless you stand up. But when do you do that? When you worry money will be taken away from PBS. It’s true. People just like you, but possibly more riled, called their representatives, and a bipartisan group of politicians got the message and restored cuts to PBS. Hooray! PBS remains underfunded! See: complicated.”

“Do-it-yourself video technology has given an entire generation of young filmmakers the tools to master the video art form. But it has also created a cutthroat environment where only a few can find work. With an entire generation that has grown up behind the lens of digital technology, the movie industry has become very competitive, filled with young directors trying to break into the business.” There isn’t enough Hollywood to keep them all busy.

Now that podcasting has gone mainstream, the next big thing is video-blogging, of vlogs. “Anyone can create media and have a distribution outlet for it that bypasses television and mainstream media. It’s like slightly curated cable-access. Many of the vlogs have a home-grown, experimental feel. People capture moments in their everyday lives. Some post cooking lessons, short films or videos of local festivals or family events like graduations.”

“German ticket sales are down 20% compared to the first six months of last year, with Italy and Spain registering double figure declines. But the UK’s cinemas are showing only a small decrease, trade paper Hollywood Reporter said. Some European cinemas say adopting US practices, including summer blockbuster releases, have led to a decline.”

It’s difficult to predict what stars or what movies will live long after they’re made. But David Ansen takes a ruthless look at today’s A-List stars – “Who, in the end, promises to leave the most lasting legacy? When I toted up my speculative lists, the answer came as a surprise. He hadn’t even come to mind when I started playing this game. Nor does he comfortably fit into any of the standard categories, being the most unconventional of romantic leads, uncategorizable as either boy or man, and enough of a chameleon to morph from the most wigged-out roles in indie movies to the most mainstream Hollywood action fodder.”

“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s inspector general is expanding his investigation of corporation Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson to include a look at how former Republican National Committee co-chair Patricia Harrison was installed as the new CPB president.” The investigation is part of the continuing public and political backlash against Tomlinson, who has made a crusade out of his belief that PBS is biased toward left-wing interests.

What’s behind the Hollywood box office slump? No one knows, and don’t let anyone tell you they do, says Mick LaSalle. Yeah, the movies stink, but they always have, haven’t they? And yes, the ads and trailers are annoying, and the tickets cost too much, and c’mon, $8 for popcorn?!, but still… the fact remains, no one really knows what’s causing the slump, and it’s possible that, when the dust clears, it’ll just turn out to have been one of those unexplainable things that happens in the world sometimes. Or maybe not.

The recording industry may still be vehemently opposed to any music distribution technology that doesn’t generate loads of cash for the industry, but even as CD producers continue to rail against file swapping and piracy, they’ve been making nice with a new generation of online distributors known as “audio bloggers.” Why the discrepancy? You’ve probably already guessed. The industry views audio blogging as a potentially lucrative tool which has the power to galvanize record sales.

“PBS President Pat Mitchell said Tuesday she supports an investigation of what she called a “very troubling” use of federal money to track the political leaning of programming on public television…”

Why is movie box office down? One actress has a theory: “Hollywood’s ruling liberal elites keep going out of their way to offend half their audience. Constant gibes about Republicans, Christians, conservatives and the military litter today’s movies and award show presentations like so many pieces of trash on theater floors. Did we really need to hear another anti-Bush diatribe from Chris Rock at the Oscars this year?”