Category: media

While the big media companies and TV networks may be thrilled at the possibility of greater media consolidation, the public is increasingly agitated at the overwhelming of local radio and TV institutions by bland, generic national “feeds” and indistinguishable formats. “Listeners are turning off the radio in huge numbers and the media companies don’t care… because the only thing that matters to them is getting their share of whatever audience there is.”

A successful African film director is taking Hollywood to task for the way it portrays his continent in the movies. Mahamat Saleh Haroun says he is tired of Hollywood studios coming to Africa simply to shoot nature scenes, lions, and actors “just dancing and laughing with big teeth.” Haround also singles out Star Wars director George Lucas for his use of some Saharan locales, and for misleading local film enthusiasts into thinking that they might have Hollywood careers if they did drudge work on the Star Wars films.

“Horror films have been spooking audiences since Bela Lugosi made his big-screen debut in 1917, but critics say the current roster of films takes gore to a whole new level. They point to a range of possible causes – from ever more realistic special effects to a ratings system that is more lenient on violence than sex. Also, increasingly graphic violence on network TV may be causing filmmakers to up the shock quotient in an effort to get people to buy tickets for what they can see for free at home.”

Hollywood movie studios are in court suing the maker of a software program that makes backup copies of DVDs. The company being sued says it’s really not about piracy at all. “This is about whether or not it is legal for consumers to make backup copies of DVDs they own. Either it is or it isn’t. We say it is legal for consumers to do whatever they want in the privacy of their own homes.”

Senator Orrin Hatch says he’ll start Congressional hearings into payola to radio stations for playing music. Current payola deals include exclusive arrangements between radio stations and independent promoters who guarantee the station a fixed monthly or annual payment. In return, songs ‘suggested’ by such an independent promoter are the most likely to be added to playlists. This allegedly is used by Clear Channel and Radio One.”

The latest reality TV shows feature pain or gross-outs. “Pain is the new rock‘n’roll”, proclaims one show. “It may be, but it isn’t exactly new; pain and dangerous stunts have been finding an arts audience for years. Edinburgh Fringe-goers were watching Jim Rose juggle with chainsaws when Jackass’s Knoxville was a twinkle in an MTV executive’s eye. Devotees of the boundary-pushing forms of live art have been witnessing representations of self-harm for some considerable time. Now it’s gone mainstream, what has changed?” And is it art?

Hoping to encourage the making of British films, a group of prominent producers are hoping to raise £50 million-£136 million to create what they’re calling a “virtual studio” to produce movies. The idea is to offer “long-term financial support” to British feature films.

America’s two major actors unions are seriously discussing a merger. “A merger of the two unions has been discussed and rejected in the past. But in recent years, the consolidation of firms like America Online and Time Warner and the creation of Vivendi Universal have concentrated industry power in fewer hands. ‘What we found is that instead of just being a good idea or a convenience, this kind of unity is more and more becoming an absolute necessity’.”

“Concerns about the prospect of a war in the Middle East have forced most major productions shooting overseas to take out supplemental insurance to guard against the possibility of a war-related shutdown or terrorist incident.” Some – like a new production of “Fiddler On The Roof” have canceled shooting altogether.