Category: media

More than 1000 movie theatres in western India are threatening to close later this month in a dispute over taxes…

What? Oscar voters aren’t going to get DVD copies of nominated movies this year because of fears of piracy? Critics “claim that a blanket ban on screeners will suffocate independent films, and they’re absolutely right. When the crunch comes for end-of-the-year screenings, there’ll be no time–and nowhere near enough screening rooms–for Academy voters to see “American Splendor,” “Winged Migration” or “Whale Rider,” to name but three of the many superb films that lack the budgets to promote themselves. And so the elephantiasis that afflicts the movie business will proceed apace, as the most heavily marketed films–though often the least interesting ones–lumber toward Oscar glory.”

“Bad” language is on the increase on American broadcast networks. “It’s not hard to understand why these increases have occurred on the networks during prime time. First, there is the competition from cable. Popular programs such as ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Sex and the City’ use vulgar and explicit language that makes network shows seem prim by comparison. Then there is pressure on entertainment programs to keep up with their own network news divisions.”

Recently the BBC announced it would put all of its archives online, available free over the internet. The initiative, “if successful, could enable viewers to download some of the 1.5 million TV programmes and 750,000 radio shows hitherto buried in the BBC archive. To enable viewers to download their favourite programmes, both archive and current, the BBC is developing a new internet media player or IMP.” But, predictably, there are numerous issues to be worked out. And the likelihood of getting all the BBC’s shows online isn’t likely…

For decades, the voice of news in Quebec was Radio Canada. But “since the network relaunched its flagship news programs on Sept. 1, viewers have abandoned Radio-Canada in droves and discussions of its botched effort to inject a ‘convivial’ tone into its broadcasts have become water-cooler common in Quebec.”

Hollywood’s attempt to crack down on movie piracy by banning the age-old practice of sending advance copies of Oscar-nominated films to Academy voters is misguided and laughable, writes Peter Howell. “[Fpr Your Consideration] screeners are more than just an ego stroke. They allow critics and awards voters to see many more movies than might otherwise be possible, especially the small gems that get swamped by the blockbusters during the brief window when a large number of films are opening at theatres. The practice contributes to greater awareness on the part of voters, and isn’t that a good thing?”

TV shows are as identifiable by their theme songs as by their content, and as the TV age has evolved, so has the character of the jingles which call us to the screen. “Older TV themes shun subtlety in favor of eager exposition… [But today,] viewers are greeted with savvier, less overtly cheesy intros, from pitch-perfect indie rock matches (‘Crank Yankers’ and Fountains of Wayne; ‘Malcolm In the Middle’ and They Might Be Giants) to savvy instrumentals (the sweeping Irish-tinged cellos of ‘Angel’; the sassy cha-cha of ‘Sex and the City.’)”

A new free-trade agreement between the U.S. and Australia threatens to devastate Australia’s cultural and film industries, according to union activists there. At issue is whether Australia will be able to maintain its own cultural identity if a flood of American films, television shows, and other items of mass culture are allowed to hit the open market unrestricted by local content restrictions.

“Now that DVDs have become fully accepted by the masses, and even progressive-scan players can be found for under $70, what’s a videophile got to do to stay ahead of the pack? Or perhaps the better question is: Now that DVDs are almost 7 years old, which is an eternity in the consumer electronics world, what comes next?” The answer seems to be better DVDs, which would have enough storage space to take full advantage of the high quality and multiple features available to owners of high-definition TVs. But with the biggest DVD manufacturers squabbling over the format standard, it may be a while before the next generation of DVDs gets off the ground.

College students may be the largest single demographic of concern in the recording industry’s fight to stem the tide of illegal file-swapping of copyrighted music and movies. But “the University of Florida has developed a tool to help extricate the school from the morass of peer-to-peer file trading, and early results show that it’s succeeding.” Still, there are concerns that Icarus, the program that stifles the swapping, is restricting student use of other, more legitimate internet functions.